When you’re in the mood for fast food, burgers are usually one of the easiest options to find. And while we’d never turn down our pick for the best new fast-food burger of 2026, sometimes you’re craving a savory and juicy beef option that doesn’t come in patty form. That’s why we were so excited about these new 2026 fast-food releases that gave us more choices beyond the usual burger. From Mexican-inspired dishes to Chinese barbecue and sub sandwiches, our favorites spanned a range of cuisines, but all featured savory beef that made our taste testers (and the customers) want to keep going in for another bite.
So, which new menu items delighted our taste buds this year? Panda Express’ Cantonese BBQ Brisket brought tender, slow-cooked beef with bold char siu flavors that we couldn’t get enough of. Taco Bell’s Shredded Beef Nacho Fries piled slow-braised beef onto its popular seasoned fries, making us wish the dish wasn’t a limited-time offering. And Jimmy John’s took a swing at barbecue with two brisket sandwiches that turned out to be a pleasant surprise. While the beef was the main attraction across all three items, the sauces and toppings gave us even more to love. And judging by the customer reactions, we weren’t the only ones impressed.
1. Panda Express’ Cantonese BBQ Brisket
It may be hard to deviate from your usual order of orange chicken at Panda Express, but this new item was worth the switch. The dish features slow-cooked brisket that’s wok-seared in a Cantonese-style barbecue sauce. After trying Panda Express’ Cantonese BBQ Brisket alongside chow mein noodles, broccoli, and cabbage, our taste tester was delighted with its sauce, noting that it was “slightly smoky, a tad sweet, definitely savory, and left a touch of heat on my palate.” As for the meat, they said it was “amazing” and that the fattier slices “delivered a buttery soft mouthfeel,” while even the leaner pieces were tender. The seared edges added a caramelized crunch that made the experience all the more indulgent.
Panda Express even brought the brisket back in September after selling more than 5 million scoops during its initial summer run. While some customers complained about the price or smaller-than-expected portions, plenty say it’s good for what it is, and then some. “Life changing!” raved one Reddit user, while another Redditor said they were “blown away.” One customer even claimed that the “brisket is more tender than brisket I’ve had at BBQ joints in my city.” Some were even borderline obsessed, with other admitting they “probably had about five pounds of it in the last two weeks.” We’d say that’s a pretty convincing endorsement.
2. Taco Bell’s Shredded Beef Nacho Fries
Taco Bell rolled out a plethora of brand-new menu items throughout 2026, including the Classic & Sriracha Chicken Crunchadillas released during Taco Bell’s fall 2026 menu drop and the Milk Bar Birthday Cake Empanada. Still, none blew our socks off more than Taco Bell’s Shredded Beef Nacho Fries. “These new fries remind me of a souped-up version of Taco Bell’s Fiesta Potatoes,” said our taste tester, noting that there was plenty of toppings to get in every bite and a slathering of nacho cheese that maintained “a respectable balance among the generous portion of fries.” While they did enjoy the new item, they felt it could use more shredded beef. Still, they found that “the meat was flavorful and delicate.” If you like a bit of heat, they recommend drizzling on the new Jalapeño Citrus Salsa.
Fans online similarly shared their love for the new Taco Bell menu item. One Reddit user said, “the shredded beef nacho fries were yum and I’d get that beef on everything if you could.” On TikTok, one creator was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the shredded beef and that it was “moist” and “flavorful,” and that they “wouldn’t mind if they kept the [shredded beef] on the menu.” Keep in mind, though, despite the rave reviews, even fans who liked the menu item noted that it was a bit pricier than expected. But if you get a location that loads it up, it’s worth a try.
3. Jimmy John’s Brisket Sandwiches
Last but not least, Jimmy John’s brought the bold flavors with its new brisket sandwiches, a collab with Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce, with two versions: Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ Brisket Sandwich and a Sweet & Spicy BBQ Brisket Sandwich. In our Jimmy John’s Brisket Sandwiches review, our taste tester preferred the sweet and spicy version, but thought both had their merits and that the chain’s take on brisket really worked. “The brisket is thinly sliced, giving it a texture that falls somewhere between true brisket and store-bought beef jerky,” they explained. In the Sweet & Spicy version, the onions and Jimmy Peppers really take things up a notch, with the mix of ingredients being “more intriguing to [their] taste buds” than the Brown Sugar BBQ Brisket Sandwich.
As you’d expect from brisket aficionados, not everyone was impressed with Jimmy John’s version, but others were sold right away. “The hickory one is so f****** good omg,” raves one Reddit user. Another fan agreed on TikTok, saying that “the sandwich is bomb.” And because Jimmy John’s lets you customize any sandwich, you can remove items like lettuce or add toppings to fit your preferences. “If you add the Jimmy Peppers and regular onions to the hickory sandwich, now you’re in business,” one TikTok creator recommended.
