Halloween is best known for the candy, costumes, and haunted houses. For restaurant chains nationwide, it’s also an opportunity to reach out to customers with limited-time promotions and special menu items that celebrate the season.
There’s already a fair amount of fall-inspired menu items out there. From festive fall drinks at your favorite coffee chain to, well, pumpkin spice everything at restaurant chains nationwide, you don’t have to look far to remember what season it is. Halloween, on the other hand, is an opportunity to depart from the traditional fall flavors and be a little more creative. Candy-stuffed desserts, jack-o-lantern-shaped pizzas, and ghoulishly tasty cocktails are just a few items you’ll find on menus nationwide this month.
Whether you want to find a way to celebrate the holiday all month long or have a tradition of dining out on Oct. 31, you’ll find all kinds of restaurant specials available to awaken the spirits this Halloween.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s has been leaning into the nostalgic factor lately. From reviving old Happy Meal toys to building hype over limited-time products like the McRib and Szechuan Sauce, there always seems to be a reason you want to load the family in the car and head to your nearest Golden Arches.
Whether you are five or 75, you probably recall the McDonald’s Boo Buckets. The nostalgic reusable pails are making a comeback once again starting on Oct. 15 nationwide. This year, the buckets will feature a new look, with four unique monster designs in white, orange, green, and a new blue color. Customers can also customize their Boo Buckets with Halloween-themed stickers.
Burger King
Feeling a little creepy and kooky this Halloween? You’ll want to check out Burger King’s new specialty Halloween menu, inspired by “The Addams Family.” Arriving on Oct. 10, the limited-time menu items are perfect for the season. The menu will feature Gomez’s Churro Fries with a chocolate dipping sauce, Morticia’s Kooky Chocolate Shake, Thing’s Rings, and Wednesday’s Whopper, which comes with a unique purple potato bun and black sesame seeds.
Chipotle
Every Halloween, Chipotle brings back its fan-favorite seasonal tradition, the Boorito. All you need to participate is a costume and a Chipotle Rewards membership. Get dressed up and swing by your local Chipotle between 3 p.m. and closing time on Oct. 31, and you can score an entrée for just $6. It’s a fun and festive way to choose from your favorite burritos, tacos, bowls, and salads, and save a few bucks while you’re at it. Chipotle is also extending its hours in select U.S. college towns to keep the costume party going until “the stroke of midnight,” according to chain.
Applebee’s
Want a seasonal cocktail without breaking the bank? Applebee’s is bringing back its Dollar Zombie as its October cocktail special. It’s a blend of rum, passion fruit, pineapple, cherry, and lime garnished with a gummy brain, all for just $1. For just a little more cash, you can try Applebee’s new $10 Boo-zy Bucket and Spooky Sips, made with premium spirits.
The 32-ounce Boo-zy Buckets come in a couple of different varieties. There’s the Franken-Mama Bucket made with Bacardí Superior Rum, mixed with Applebee’s signature blue tropical mix and a gummy brain garnish. Or, try Dracula’s Juice Bucket, a blend of Patron Silver Tequila and Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine with triple sec, strawberry, and lemon.
Wendy’s
Wendy’s is taking the Halloween season and turning it into a cause for good. This year, Wendy’s is offering special edition Boo! Books, available for $1, which will benefit foster care adoption. Not only that, but each Boo! Book purchase comes with five free Jr. Frosty and $1.99 kids’ meal coupons, redeemable through Dec. 31, 2024. This fall, Wendy’s also launched a new Frosty Frights Kids Meal, which includes your choice of four-piece chicken nuggets (180 calories), a hamburger (250 calories), or a cheeseburger (290 calories), along with Jr. Hot & Crispy Fries (210 calories) or Apple Bites (35 calories), and a drink. Making it even more festive, the meal comes with a toy inspired by Wendy’s signature Frosty dessert. Eleven different toy characters are available to collect. The toys are available with each kid’s meal now through Nov. 3.
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut has a spooky offering of its own this Halloween. The chain is introducing My Haunt Box, a bundle that includes a new garlicky Personal Fang Pizza and your choice of fries or wings starting at just $6.99. The deal is already available at Pizza Hut’s restaurants nationwide for a limited time. Whether you’re gearing up for a night of Halloween festivities or winding down after, this combo makes a perfect scrumptious snack.
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse is bringing a Halloween twist to its signature dessert. Customers love the chain’s Pizookies, larger-than-life cookies baked in a round skillet, resembling a pizza. For October, BJ’s is rolling out the Spooky Pizookie, a cookies ‘n’ cream cookie topped with Oreo crumbs, and Halloween sprinkles, a creamy orange-colored vanilla bean ice cream, and crackable chocolate shell.
For the 21 and older crowd, you can also check out the Unlucky Ducky, a Halloween cocktail featuring a blend of Altos Plata Tequila, Malibu Coconut Rum, Absolut Mandrin Vodka, pineapple juice, and Starry. It comes topped with a rubber duck decked out in a witch hat as a garnish.
IHOP
There’s always something new and different to try at IHOP, thanks to its Pancake of the Month. Every few weeks, IHOP leans into the season or holiday to promote the limited-time breakfast entrée, and this Halloween is no exception.
The October Pancake of the Month at IHOP celebrates one of the most popular Halloween candies: Reese’s Pieces. The four buttermilk pancakes with your order are filled with Reese’s Pieces candy, topped with chocolate, Reese’s peanut butter sauce, and whipped topping.
Dunkin’
Dunkin’ is going all out this Halloween, bringing new and beloved seasonal items to its menu. Dunkin’s fan-favorite Spider Specialty Donut is back for 2024 but with a new hue. Formerly an orange-colored donut, the Spider Specialty Donut is now a donut with purple frosting, topped with a glazed chocolate Munchkins doughnut hole and drizzled chocolate spider legs and white frosting eyes.
That purple hue is inspired by a new beverage arriving on Dunkin’s menu, the Potion Macchiato. It’s made by layering espresso and milk with flavor notes of both ube and sweet marshmallow. The drink is available hot or iced. Starting Oct. 16, Dunkin’ customers can also order a Halloween Munchkins Bucket. The reusable trick-or-treating bucket comes with a 50-count assortment of Munchkins.
Papa Murphy’s
Show up at any Halloween costume party, and you’re almost guaranteed pizza will be on the menu. It’s a universally beloved food and makes for easy catering or a quick meal solution for the kids to enjoy before they run out and go trick-or-treating. What could be better than your standard pizza? How about a jack-o’-lantern-shaped pizza?
That’s what you’ll find at Papa Murphy’s this Halloween. The pumpkin-shaped dough comes with red sauce, whole milk mozzarella cheese, and a pepperoni face. The pizza chain is also promoting a deal where you can order a large Jack-o-Lantern Pizza and an order of chocolate chip cookie dough for $14.
Baskin-Robbins
Temperatures may drop in October, but a frozen ice cream treat is a great snack idea year-round, no matter the weather. The October Flavor of the Month at Baskin-Robbins is Twix Caramel Crunch, described as “a spooktacular pair of salty caramel and sweet chocolate.” The flavor is the heart of Baskin-Robbin’s new Spooktacular Polar Pizza. A chocolate chip cookie crust is topped with ice cream and M&M’s milk chocolate candy, Halloween sprinkles, and fudge.
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons is known for rolling out seasonal menu items and limited-time goodies, including variations of its signature “Timbits.” This Halloween, customers can pick up spooky menu items along with a souvenir to use on Halloween. The Glow-In-The-Dark Timbits Bucket is perfect for trick-or-treating, featuring two new designs. The bucket comes with your choice of 31 Timbits for $10.99, and refills are available all month for $6.
New menu items arriving at Tim Hortons just in time for Halloween include the Chocolate Peanut Butter Iced Capp, Tim Horton’s signature coffee blended with peanut butter and chocolate flavors, topped with crushed Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. It’s like Halloween in a cup. Pair that with Tim Horton’s Dream Cookies, loaded with Reese’s, pecans, and M&M’s minis.
