The New Items
Zaxby's is adding two limited-time offerings to its menu across more than 1,000 locations in 24 states, with a nationwide launch set for November 2 and a run through January 18. The chain's new Honey Chipotle Sauce — crafted with honey, brown sugar, red chili, and chipotle peppers — gives operators a sweet-heat condiment to pair with its core Chicken Fingerz and wings platform. The second addition, a Peppermint Cookies & Cream Shake, is a hand-spun peppermint milkshake topped with cookies-and-cream pieces, targeting the seasonal indulgence occasion that QSR chains have increasingly leaned into to drive traffic during the holiday lull.
Before the broad rollout, Zax Rewardz loyalty members can access the Honey Chipotle Sauce a full week early — starting October 26 — exclusively through the Zaxby's app, zaxbys.com, and third-party delivery channels at participating locations. The digital-only early-access window is a deliberate loyalty lever: it rewards enrolled members while also creating an incentive for unregistered guests to download the app and sign up ahead of the November push.
Loyalty and LTO Strategy
The early-access play reflects a broader industry pattern among chicken-focused chains, where app-gated LTO windows have become a standard tool to grow loyalty program enrollment and push digital order volume. For c-store operators competing in the foodservice and grab-and-go space, the tactic is worth noting — QSR chains with active loyalty ecosystems are increasingly capturing the same impulse and value-seeking consumer that convenience retailers court at the forecourt and inside the store.
Zaxby's Chief Marketing Officer Patrick Schwing framed the holiday push as both a flavor and brand-personality initiative. "We're inviting guests to add their own sauce to their favorite holiday traditions, and our holiday menu is just the beginning," Schwing said, hinting at additional seasonal promotions still to come. The chain is also dressing its Zax Packz group meals in limited-edition holiday packaging, positioning them as a catering and gathering option through the season — a format that aligns with the group-occasion foodservice demand that convenience and fast-casual operators both compete for during Q4.
Context and Competitive Angle
Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Atlanta, Zaxby's was named Transformational Brand of the Year by QSR Magazine in 2025. With a footprint of more than 1,000 units, the chain sits in a competitive tier alongside Raising Cane's and Slim Chickens in the fast-casual chicken segment — a category that has consistently outpaced broader QSR traffic trends. For convenience retailers tracking restaurant-channel competition, the chicken segment's aggressive LTO and loyalty cadence signals continued pressure on in-store prepared-foods programs, particularly roller grill and dispensed-beverage sets that target the same value and speed-of-service positioning.
The Honey Chipotle Sauce and Peppermint Cookies & Cream Shake are available at participating Zaxby's locations. Program terms for Zax Rewardz are available at zaxbys.com.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
