It’s my favorite time of the year, when spooky decorations abound, dressing up is encouraged, getting weird is the norm, and novelty food is all around. Here are some affordable and fun treats the whole family can enjoy!
McDonald’s
McD’s has been hitting the nostalgia button pretty hard this year, and the trend continues in October.
Happy Meal Boo Buckets are back beginning October 15th at participating McDonald’s restaurants nationwide in white, orange, green and blue (new for 2024). The Boo Buckets come with themed stickers so each one can be customized.
Denny’s
The Denny’s Afterlife menu dies on October 29th. It includes:
The Say it Three Times Slam: three silver dollar chocolate chip pancakes topped with vanilla cream, chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, and green sprinkles. Served with three eggs cooked your way and three strips of crispy bacon.
The Afterlife Melt: triple cheese threat featuring fried mozzarella sticks and melted American and Provolone cheeses grilled between two slices of artisan bread, served with tomato sauce for dipping and wavy-cut fries.
The Beetlejuicy Burger: three quarter-pound patties, three strips of crispy bacon, and three slices of Provolone cheese topped with signature Diner Q sauce, pickles, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce stacked high on a golden Brioche bun and served with wavy-cut fries.
Cookies ‘N’ Scream Shake: Shake, but not from fear, with this treat made with premium vanilla ice cream, OREO® cookie pieces, topped with whipped cream, more OREO® cookie pieces, and green sprinkles.
Burger King
The Addams Family-inspired menu items include:
Wednesday’s Whopper: flame-grilled Whopper topped with Swiss cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, and onions all toasted on a purple bun that gets its hue from purple potato topped with black sesame seeds.
Thing’s Rings: crispy onion rings served in themed packaging of The Addams Family’s one-handed helper (Thing)
Gomez’s Churro Fries: fried churros coated in cinnamon sugar and paired with chocolate dipping sauce.
Morticia’s Kooky Chocolate Shake: creamy soft serve mixed with chocolate cake batter fudge and topped with black and purple cookie pieces.
Dunkin’
The seasonal lineup at DD drops October 16th and consists of:
The Potion Macchiato: layers of espresso and milk with a vibrant, purple marshmallow ube flavor, available hot or iced.
The Spider Specialty Donut: purple frosted this year and topped with a glazed chocolate Munchkin, drizzled with chocolate spider legs and white drizzle for eyes.
A purple Halloween Munchkins Bucket: which can be filled with a 50-count assortment of Munchkins, including Halloween sprinkle-covered donut holes.
And chocolate and orange sprinkles atop their vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry frosted donuts for a little extra festive sweetness.
Also available: DunKings tracksuits for children and adults, a callback to the Super Bowl commercial.
You can get those at ShopDunkin.com.
Wendy’s
Frosty Frights kids’ meal collection: with silly spooky Franken Frosty, Frosty Bite, Coolie Ghoulie, Brrr Beast, Cold Spell and Junior (11 toy characters in all).
Special edition Boo! Books: at just $1, these feature the Frosty Frights characters with coupons for five free Jr. Frosty treats, and a sixth bonus coupon to redeem a $1.99 Wendy’s Kids’ Meal with any purchase. Proceeds from each coupon book sold directly benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and its mission to find safe, loving and permanent homes for children waiting in foster care.
Both the kids’ meals and Boo! Books will be available until November 3rd.
Chipotle
Boorito is an in-restaurant Halloween celebration where customers in costume can get a discounted entrée (in the US, that’s $6) from 3pm to close local time on October 31st. Chipotle Rewards members in North America will be treated to a $6 entrée offer.
Boorito After Hours: participating Chipotle locations in college towns across the country will stay open until 11:59pm so students can take part in Boorito.
Chipotle has costumes too, inspired by memes on their and Spirit Halloween’s social channels.
The collection features a Chipotle napkin, fork, water cup, burrito, and to-go bag, and are available exclusively at SpiritHalloween.com and select Spirit Halloween retail locations while supplies last.
IHOP
Build your own scary face pancake: Get a big buttermilk pancake complete with whipped topping eyes and smile, and decorate it with mini OREO® cookies, glazed strawberries, and candy corn.
Free for kids 12 and under with adult adult entrée, dine-in only at participating locations.
I think it’s also worth mentioning that IHOP’s pancake of the month is Reese’s Pieces!
Sonic
Sonic’s Witch’s Brew Slush Float is a Halloween inspired green apple slush loaded with caramel bubbles, topped with creamy soft serve, and more caramel bubbles.
It’s available in a medium size only (starts at $4) at participating Sonic locations through November 3rd, while supplies last.
Appleby’s
These are just for the parents in need of a nightcap! You can even order some specialty cocktails from Appleby’s ahead in the app and save them for after the kids crash from their sugar high (which ones look like it varies from location to location).
$1 Zombie: Applebee’s October cocktail special is a blend of rum, passion fruit, pineapple, cherry, and lime with a gummy brain on top.
$5 Boo Lagoon: made with Bacardí Superior Rum, Malibu Coconut Rum, blue curaçao, pineapple juice, served in Applebee’s signature Mucho glass.
$10 Boo-zy Buckets: Applebee’s Boo-zy Buckets are made with premium spirits and served in a 32 oz. bucket. Your options here are:
- The Franken-Mama Bucket: blue Bahama Mama featuring Bacardí Superior Rum, mixed with Applebee’s signature blue tropical mix, with with a gummi brain garnish
- The Dracula’s Juice Bucket: made with Patron Silver Tequila and Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine with triple sec, strawberry, and lemon.
