SeasonalWhile supplies last
Friendly's · Snowfall Burger
Big Beef Burger with white American cheese, Alfredo sauce and hardwood-smoked bacon on a Parmesan-dusted pretzel bun, served with golden fries.
Every american cheese menu item, by chain and by year
Which US restaurant chains put american cheese on the menu, when each launch ran, and who got there first.
Key data
MenuLaunches has tracked 36 american cheese menu launches across 17 US restaurant chains between 2026 and 2026, peaking in 2026-09. The chains that use it most are Friendly's, Subway, Arby's, McDonald's.
- Launches
- 36
- Chains
- 17
- Years covered
- 2026–2026
- Peak month
- 2026-09
Launches by month
When chains actually put this on the menu.
- 126-04
- 126-08
- 1726-09
- 1726-10
Who launched american cheese first in 2026
Ordered by announce date.
| # | Chain | Item | Announced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A&W Restaurants | Jalapeño Queso Bacon Double Cheeseburger | April 1, 2026 |
| 2 | Whataburger | Bacon & Cheese Whataburger Jr. | August 27, 2026 |
| 3 | Denny's | Spicy All-American Slamwich | September 4, 2026 |
| 4 | Denny's | Double Diner QP | September 4, 2026 |
| 5 | Denny's | Diner QP | September 4, 2026 |
| 6 | Applebee's | O-M-Cheese-adilla Burger | September 4, 2026 |
| 7 | Carl's Jr. | Angus Maximus | September 9, 2026 |
| 8 | Checkers & Rally's | Flava Max Double | September 10, 2026 |
| 9 | Hardee's | Bacon Beast Homestyle Breakfast Burrito | September 10, 2026 |
| 10 | Hardee's | Super Bacon Biscuit | September 10, 2026 |
All launches
SeasonalWhile supplies last
Friendly's · Fireside Melt
White American cheese and Tillamook sharp yellow cheddar with grilled chicken, hardwood-smoked bacon, tomatoes and garlic aioli on grilled sourdough, paired with golden fries.
ReturningWhile supplies last
Subway · Fritos Chicken Enchilada Sub
A returning sandwich with rotisserie-style chicken marinated in enchilada sauce, Fritos corn chips, smoky Baja Chipotle sauce, Monterey Cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and red onions.
Test marketWhile supplies last$8.99
Arby's · Sweet 'n Golden Triple Stacker
A sandwich with roasted chicken, thin-sliced ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, red onion, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, and Golden BBQ sauce on Stacker Bread.
Test marketWhile supplies last$8.99
Arby's · Three Cheese Beef & Bacon Stacker
A sandwich with thin-sliced roast beef, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, and Cooper Sharp American Cheese, bacon, crispy-fried onion strings, red onion, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and garlic aioli on Stacker Bread.
New permanentPermanent$7.49
Arby's · Chicken Cheesesteak
Chicken marinated in a spice blend with garlic, onion, and paprika, seared, sliced, and cooked sous vide, topped with melted American Cooper Cheese and caramelized onions on a toasted sesame roll.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$8.49
Arby's · Chicken Deluxe Cheesesteak
Chicken Cheesesteak with crisp shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes added, featuring seasoned chicken and melty American Cooper Cheese on a toasted sesame roll.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$7.99
Arby's · Spicy Chicken Cheesesteak
Chicken Cheesesteak enhanced with a spicy glaze, featuring seasoned chicken and melty American Cooper Cheese on a toasted sesame roll.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last
McDonald's · Big Arch Burger
A burger with two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of white cheddar, crispy and slivered onions, special Big Arch Sauce, and poppy seeds mingled with sesame seeds on a toasted bun.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$4.49
Jack in the Box · Krusty Burger of Terror
A beefy burger inspired by the fictional Krusty Burger from The Simpsons, available in single, double, and triple-patty forms with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Spooky Simpsons Sauce on a toasted sesame seed bun.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$4.99
Smashburger · Pickle Stack Smash
A burger piled with Angus beef, American cheese, mustard, mayo, and dill pickles on a butter-toasted bun, part of the chain's summer menu.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$6.99
Checkers & Rally's · Cheesy '80s Bacon Buford
An anniversary burger featuring two hand-seasoned beef patties, two bacon strips, a mix of American, Swiss, and melted beer cheeses, and ketchup.
ReturningWhile supplies last$6.59
Whataburger · Bacon Wrangler Double
A burger with a large toasted bun and two burger patties, Monterey Jack and American cheeses, three slices of crispy bacon, fried onion strings, pickles, and smoky Chipotle Aioli Sauce.
ReturningEnded Apr 24
Hardee's · BBQ Pulled Pork Frisco
A burger with a quarter pound of chargrilled Angus beef topped with slow-smoked pulled pork, American cheese, crispy onions, pickles, and Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce between slices of Frisco bread.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$8.29
Sonic Drive-In · All-American Bacon Triple Sonic Smasher
A burger with three Angus beef patties cooked smash burger style, three slices of American cheese, bacon, pickles, onions, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayonnaise on a potato bun.
Limited-time offerEnded Oct 27$5.99
Carl's Jr. · Angus Maximus
A limited-time burger featuring two charbroiled Angus patties totaling a third of a pound of meat, American cheese, onions, pickles, mayo, and special sauce on a toasted brioche bun.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last
Applebee's · O-M-Cheese Burger
A burger served on a melted bed of cheese, launched by Applebee's as part of its Q1 menu innovation pipeline.
New permanent6 days left
Denny's · Mozzilla Melt
A sandwich made with grilled sourdough bread, golden-fried mozzarella sticks, melted American and provolone cheese, served with tomato sauce for dipping and a side of wavy-cut fries. It is a new version of the chain's former Fried Cheese Melt.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$9.19
Burger King · Game Day Pretzel Burger
A flame-grilled quarter-pound beef patty with melted American cheese, bacon, crispy-fried onions, and Nacho Cheese Sauce, served on a Superpretzel Soft Pretzel Bun.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$5.99
Shake Shack · Mac & Cheese Bites
Lightly battered and fried mac and cheese bites, different from Shake Shack's regular mac and cheese side, intended to be dipped in black truffle sauce.
Limited-time offerEnded Oct 11$8.49
Culver's · Smoked Cheddar CurderBurger
A limited-time burger featuring a hickory-smoked cheddar fried cheese curd topper on a Deluxe ButterBurger with mayo, pickles, raw onion, lettuce, and tomato on a toasted buttered kaiser bun.
ReturningWhile supplies last
Burger King · Texas Whopper
A smaller version of the flame-grilled beef patty burger topped with bacon, American cheese, jalapeños, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and onion, part of the Texas Whopper lineup expanded to all US locations.
ReturningWhile supplies last
Burger King · Texas Double Whopper
A double flame-grilled beef patty burger topped with bacon, American cheese, jalapeños, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and onion, part of the Texas Whopper lineup expanded to all US locations.
New permanentPermanent
Hardee's · Bacon Beast Burger
A quarter-pound Angus beef burger with four full slices of cherrywood-smoked bacon, melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, sliced onions, dill pickles, ketchup, and mayo on a buttery brioche-style bun.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$13.00
Jack in the Box · Munchie Meal of Horror
A Halloween meal collab with The Simpsons featuring a Double Krusty Burger of Terror or Double Chicken Sandwich of Terror, plus two tacos, curly fries, a drink, a Spooky Simpsons Sauce, in a thematic box with glow-in-the-dark cups.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$4.49
Jack in the Box · Krusty Burger of Terror
A beef patty with melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Spooky Simpsons sauce, a smoky BBQ ketchup, on a toasted custom sesame seed bun inspired by The Simpsons; also available as Double or Triple.
New permanentPermanent
Hardee's · Super Bacon Biscuit
Three full slices of cherrywood-smoked bacon, egg, and two slices of melted American cheese, served in a Made from Scratch Biscuit.
New permanentPermanent
Hardee's · Bacon Beast Homestyle Breakfast Burrito
Four slices of cherrywood-smoked bacon, fluffy eggs, Hash Rounds, shredded cheddar, and melted American cheese, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla, with a packet of Texas Pete hot sauce on the side.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last$3.49
Checkers & Rally's · Flava Max Double
More than a quarter pound of beef topped with Famous Seasoned Fries, American cheese and dill pickles, with a choice of sauce including Frank's RedHot Stingin' Honey Garlic, Creamy Garlic Parmesan or Smokin' Chipotle Mayo.
Limited-time offerEnded Oct 27$5.99
Carl's Jr. · Angus Maximus
A third-pound burger with two charbroiled 100% Angus beef patties, seasoned with Carl's Jr.'s special blend, melted American cheese, sliced onion, pickles and special sauce, served on a toasted buttered brioche bun.
New permanentPermanent
Applebee's · O-M-Cheese-adilla Burger
A burger topped with bacon and pepper Jack cheese in a quesadilla instead of a bun, served in a skillet of melted cheddar cheeses and queso with tortilla chips topped with more queso, pico, and cilantro.
New permanentPermanent$9.99
Denny's · Diner QP
A burger with a beef patty, American cheese, diced onion, pickles, mustard, and ketchup on a brioche bun.
New permanentPermanent
Denny's · Double Diner QP
A double-patty version of the Diner QP burger.
New permanentPermanent
Denny's · Spicy All-American Slamwich
A breakfast sandwich made with scrambled eggs, bacon, pickled jalapeños, American cheese, and hash browns on grilled sourdough bread.
New permanentPermanent$4.00
Whataburger · Bacon & Cheese Whataburger Jr.
A small beef patty with American cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, pickles, diced onions, and mustard on a toasted bun.
Limited-time offerWhile supplies last
A&W Restaurants · Jalapeño Queso Bacon Double Cheeseburger
Two beef patties, American cheese, bacon, jalapeños, and a warm, spicy queso sauce.