Some like it hot, and new research shows younger diners are among them.
From fiery chicken sandwiches to tongue-tingling sauces, spicy menu additions are making their way onto fast-casual and quick-service restaurant menus nationwide with one goal: to serve up low-cost, high-buzz dishes that grab Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s attention.
The push toward spicier menus is a hot new tactic for restaurants feeling the burn of slower consumer spending. By turning up the flavor, without turning up costs, chains hope to keep diners coming back for more.
A KPMG Consumer Pulse survey shows the summer forecast isn’t exactly sizzling. U.S. consumers plan to cool their restaurant spending by about 7 percent per month.
From March to June, US restaurant chains collectively rolled out 76 new spicy menu items, about 5 percent of all new offerings, according to market research firm Datassential. This includes both permanent additions and limited-time offers and stays in line with the steady burn of spicy launches seen in recent years.
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The heat is nearly everywhere now: about 95 percent of restaurants serve at least one spicy dish, Datassential reports. While spice has long had a place on American menus, it’s currently blazing brightest among the under-30 crowd, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, whose appetite for bold, tongue-tingling flavors is fanning the flames for more hot menu creations.
Sprite, leaning into its own tangy profile, found in its research that up to half of Gen Z consumers turn up the heat at least once a week with a spicy meal.
But Datassential says some recent flavor flashpoints, like sweet-and-spicy combos and Nashville Hot, are starting to lose their spark with Gen Z. Instead, younger taste buds are heating up for new, globally inspired flavor profiles, which are sparking stronger engagement.
Here are some restaurants and brands that are leaning into hot offerings.
Chipotle
Marking Chipotle’s first new dip in five years, the Tex-Mex chain unveiled its Adobo Ranch on June 17. The limited-time option, which comes on the side, is a smoky, spicy riff on classic ranch and is made fresh in-restaurant using adobo peppers, sour cream, and a proprietary blend of herbs and spices.
Wendy’s
In June, Wendy’s debuted its Takis Fuego Meal, a fiery collaboration with the spicy rolled tortilla chip brand, featuring the chain’s signature spicy chicken sandwich paired with Takis-seasoned fries.
Taco Bell
In May, Taco Bell spiced things up with Mike’s Hot Honey Diablo Sauce, a mash-up of Mike’s Hot Honey and the chain’s signature Diablo sauce. The release followed February’s debut of the Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu, a fiery twist on the fan-favorite cantina chicken.
Coca-Cola
Brands, like Coca-Cola, have also caught wind of the heat wave taking over social media. Online mentions of “spicy” topped 40,000, with spikes tied to trending new menu items, Datassential says.
In July, Sprite launched its “Hurts Real Good” campaign, claiming the soda is the perfect spicy-food pairing and partnering with McDonald’s, Takis, and Buldak Fried Noodles.
A few years back, Sprite served at McDonald’s sparked a viral buzz as social media users shared videos calling its taste “sharp.”
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