6 New Fast Food Items I Can’t Wait to Try: A New Whopper, Arby’s Mac, and More

News broke this week that White Castle is launching 1,000 new burger vending machines in places where you might not otherwise be able to get a White Castle hamburger, and, as risk of sounding like a lunatic, I’m going to go scorched earth on their asses if one of those suckers doesn’t land in Los Angeles. While I’m plotting my revenge (just in case!), I’ve been keeping an eye out for tasty morsels coming to fast food restaurants with actual kitchens. Here are some new fast food items I can’t wait to try.

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Wendy’s Jalapeno Ranch Cheeseburger

It’s been a minute since I’ve been to Wendy’s (I had a REALLY disappointing chicken wrap a few months ago), but their new line of jalapeno-heavy items might get me through the door. The burger is a blend of all things that are good: beef, ranch, jalapenos, and American cheese. The creamy-spicy balance sounds lovely. The jalapeno menu launches on April 27.

Hardee’s Prime Rib Burger

If I happen to find out in the near future I have a terminal illness, I’m definitely throwing caution (and my arteries) to the wind and trying this Prime Rib Burger at Hardee’s. You get an Angus beef patty topped with au jus-dunked prime rib, garlic cheddar sauce, and grilled onions, all on a brioche-style bun. Burgers topped with other meats (pastrami, mostly) are big here in L.A., so I already know the vibes. The prime rib menu is available now.

McDonald’s Stranger Things Happy Meal

Oh, what? Does it make me less of a grownup if I happen to enjoy when my small, flat hamburger comes with a little piece of plastic junk?? Sue me! The new Happy Meal toys are little figurines themed to the Stranger Things animated spin-off Stranger Things ‘85, and frankly, I feel more entitled to them given that I was actually alive (albeit very small) in 1985.

Burger King’s BBQ Bounty Whopper & Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fries

I genuinely can’t wait to see Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. He’s just so cute. (I’ll let you guess whether I’m talking about Pedro Pascal or Baby Yoda.) Burger King is doing a whole collab menu, but I’m particularly excited about these two items. The burger is topped with Swiss cheese, pickle chips, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a creamy Bounty BBQ Sauce. And the chicken fries are coated in garlic and parm and paired with a new garlic dipping sauce. Okay and fine, I also want the Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots on the side. The Mandalorian menu launches on May 4.

Arby’s BBQ Mac Bowls

I’m an unapologetic Arby’s fan so why not try their white cheddar mac and cheese. It’s topped with either smoked brisket or pulled pork from their current BBQ menu, plus crispy onions and BBQ sauce. The BBQ menu is back right now.

About the Author

Howdy! I’m Gwynedd, Sporked’s managing editor. I live in Los Angeles and have access to the best tacos the U.S. has to offer—but I’m a sucker for a crunchy Old El Paso taco night every now and then. I’ve been at Sporked since 2022 and I’m still searching frozen mozzarella sticks that can hold a candle to restaurant sticks. Why you should trust me: I’ve been a journalist for 20 years (yikes), a consumer of food for 40-plus years, and I’m truly hard pressed to think of foods I don’t like (or that I can’t tolerate at the very least). Oh and one time I cooked my way through Guy Fieri’s cookbook and wrote about the journey through Flavortown. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins. Fat free plain yogurt (usually Fage or Nancy’s). Honeycrisp apples. Sweet cream coffee creamer for my at-home Americanos. A frozen cauliflower crust pizza and some jarred mushrooms to top it with. Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco shells and Gardein Ground Be’f, even though I think “be’f” is a nightmarish contraction. Favorite ranking: Stouffer’s frozen dinners. I don’t own a microwave (I get my cancers the old fashioned way!), so I love taste testing things that I don’t really buy to eat at home. Least favorite ranking: Soy sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love soy sauce—but consuming that much sodium in one sitting is probably illegal in some countries. Our frozen enchilada taste test was a close second; the smell of microwaved corn tortillas still haunts me.