Dive Brief:
- Habit Burger & Grill, a fast casual chain owned by Yum Brands, will update its menu with retooled sandwiches, improvements to classic menu items and a lineup of limited-time offers beginning Wednesday, the company said in a press release.
- The company reimagined its Sirloin Steak Sandwich and Grilled Chicken Sandwich with updated ingredients, and launched new and improved versions of its BBQ Chicken Salad and BBQ Bacon Char.
- An updated menu could help drive same-store sales, which were flat for the quarter and down 1% for 2025, according to parent company Yum Brands’ Q4 2025 earnings release.
Dive Insight:
Habit has been updating its menu throughout last year with limited-time offers and value options, such its Family CharBox, which launched in July and feeds a family of four for $35 or $40. In September, it extended its Gotta Habit Meal Deal after seeing strong demand among guests. Those LTO meals were offered at $6, $8 and $10 price points. In November, it offered a $10 Gotta Habit Meal Deal featuring its seasonal Patty Melt.
The February menu update includes Baja Crispy Fish Sandwich and Cheesy Street Corn Tots LTOs alongside a Fish Friday Promotion, which runs from Feb. 20 to March 27 and offers a free side of fries with a Baja Crispy Fish Sandwich. The chain also added a Blue Wave Shake — a pineapple-coconut shake — to its lineup.
“This menu is about keeping it fresh in every sense of the word,” Habit’s Executive Chef Jason Triail said in a statement. “We’re bringing in brighter flavors, more texture, and bigger personality.”
Habit, which has over 400 restaurants, is also expanding its footprint and opened 21 units last year, including 11 during the fourth quarter, according to the earnings release.
Other fast casual burger chains have also been updating their menus as consumer pullback pressures the restaurant industry. Five Guys expanded its catering channel through a partnership with ezCater in January. Smashburger overhauled its menu and branding in 2024 with eight new items. Last year, the chain showed signs of improvement, with losses and comparable sales declines both slowing, according to parent company Jollibee’s November earnings call.
