KFC Launches New Store Concept

KFC recently announced its Open House, a new restaurant located in McKinney, Texas that is “bringing the Kentucky Fried Comeback to life in one place,” the company said.

“Inspired by the Colonel's belief that everyone was welcome at his table, Open House extends that same invitation to America, welcoming first-time guests, longtime fans and those who haven't tried KFC in years to experience the House of Fried Chicken in a new way,” KFC said.

Highlights from the Open House menu include:

• Drizzled: “For guests who want sauce built in, not on the side, original recipe fried chicken, tenders, wings and fries drizzled in craveable flavor for a bolder, more indulgent bite.”
• Beverages: “Beverage becomes a destination at Open House. Debuting in the U.S. as part of KFC's global beverage strategy, Open House will feature a range of bold, flavor-forward drinks, including lemonades, boba refreshers and Krunch shakes, giving guests a new reason to visit and a new way to experience the brand.”
• Breakfast, a new occasion for KFC: “Open House brings KFC into the breakfast occasion with a craveable morning menu that spans savory, sweet and sippable, including breakfast sandwiches, original recipe tenders, hashbrown sticks, mini cronuts, freshly brewed coffee and iced lattes.”

Over at Taco Bell, the QSR is launching the Cheesy Gordita Crunch in a “fresh new form, remixing its iconic flavors and textures into an offering that delivers a huge flavor payoff.”

The new Gordita Crunch Duos come in pairs, “made with warm, pillowy flatbread layered with a blend of mozzarella, pepperjack and cheddar cheese, wrapped around freshly fried daily white-corn shell, then filled with a choice of grilled, marinated steak or slow-roasted chicken. Creamy chipotle sauce, crisp lettuce and freshly prepared daily pico de gallo top it off for the ultimate flavor experience available for $5.49.”

McDonald’s is bringing back Monopoly for a limited-time starting October 6.

“This year, we're going all in on the classic peel—what first made Monopoly at McDonald's so iconic. With all the pieces in your hands, fans will now have just one way to peel, with all gameplay done in the app. Peel the game pieces, then scan in the app to cash in instant-win food or loyalty points or play for the biggest prizes—like a $1 million cash prize, a 2027 Jeep Cherokee, free McDonald's for a Year (via a $1,040 McDonald's gift card) and more,” the QSR said.

Customers can peel to reveal four different prize opportunities:

• Instant-Win Food: Free McDonald's food like the McChicken, Snack Wrap, McGriddles, shakes and smoothies, small fries and more.
• Instant-Win Loyalty Points: Anywhere from 1,500 to 7,000 MyMcDonald's Reward Points.
• Collect to Win: Collect a winning combination of property pieces to win a getaway like a Carnival Cruise Vacation or a trip to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
• Chance Card: Play the Chance Card Game for gift cards from brands like Grubhub, Ulta Beauty, Uber Eats and more, to wins such as $50,000 towards a home down payment, $50,000 towards college debt paydown, and cash prizes ranging from $10,000 to $1 million.

Chipotle announced the "Summon the Spirits Tour," a five-city pop-up tour bringing back its margarita for a limited time ahead of Boorito, the brand's annual Halloween tradition.

“Every weekend in October, the margarita will rise again at a new Chipotle restaurant, beginning in the brand's founding city of Denver, followed by stops in New York, Dallas and Los Angeles before a Halloweekend finale in New Orleans. Guests 21 and older can enjoy a Chipotle Margarita for just $6, made with five real ingredients: premium tequila, triple sec, citrus juice, agave nectar and a fresh lime wedge,” the brand said.

QSR