Zaxbys Menu Changes 2026: What's New, Back and Gone

The Zaxbys menu changes of 2026 have been busy: a permanent new flavor option, two returning favorites, a summer menu and lots of new restaurants. Here is each change with its date and source.

Key takeaways

Dry rubs (Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parmesan, Nashville Hot) became a permanent option in February 2026.
Southern fried shrimp and giant quesadillas returned for a limited time in January 2026.
A Chicken Bacon Ranch menu launched in June 2026 for the summer.
Zaxbys passed 1,000 restaurants and reached 24 states by July 2026.

2026 at a glance

January 19: Southern fried shrimp and quesadillas return for a limited time.
February: Zaxbys passes 1,000 restaurants and starts testing late-night hours.
February 23: Dry rubs become a permanent menu option.
June 22: The Chicken Bacon Ranch menu launches.
July 14: The first New York City restaurant opens, making New York the 24th Zaxbys state.

Limited-time items come and go by restaurant. If you want something below, check the official Zaxbys app first.

Zaxbys 2026 menu timeline, month by month

Here is every dated change we could confirm, with its source:

January 19: Southern Fried Shrimp and giant quesadillas return for a limited time (Zaxbys press release).
February 23: Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parmesan and Nashville Hot dry rubs become permanent. The Peaches & Cream Milkshake launches for a limited time (Nation’s Restaurant News).
April 26: The Peaches & Cream Milkshake run ends.
April 27: Giant Chicken Finger Wraps (Chicken Bacon Ranch, Buffalo Blue and Asian Zensation) and the Banana Pudding Milkshake arrive (Nation’s Restaurant News).
Summer (announced June 22): the Chicken Bacon Ranch menu, with a wrap meal, quesadilla and loaded fries (Nation’s Restaurant News).
July 5: the Giant Chicken Finger Wraps run ends.
July: the Bronx restaurant makes New York the 24th Zaxbys state (Nation’s Restaurant News).
August 30: the Banana Pudding Milkshake run ends.

Looking for an item that has gone? See our list of discontinued Zaxbys menu items.

New and permanent: dry rubs

In February 2026 Zaxbys made its dry rubs a regular part of the menu, as reported by Newsweek. You can add Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parmesan or Nashville Hot to Fingerz, wings and other items.

A members-only Zax Rewardz offer on dry-rub fries ran from February 23 to April 27, 2026, and has ended. See calories and allergens for each rub in our dry rub guide.

Back for a limited time: shrimp and quesadillas

A Zaxbys press release dated January 14, 2026 announced that Southern Fried Shrimp and giant quesadillas (Chicken Bacon Ranch and Chicken Fajita) would return from January 19 for a limited time.

Both items had appeared on the menu before, which is why Zaxbys described this as a return of fan favorites. The shrimp was offered as a meal, and the quesadillas were large enough to share or to eat as a full meal on their own. Limited-time items often end without notice. The official November 2025 nutrition guide does not include calories for them, so we show them as limited-time items without nutrition data.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla: Giant quesadilla with 3 Fingerz, cheese, bacon and ranch. Limited time in 2026. Calories not listed in the official guide; allergens: check with your restaurant; example price $13.99.
Chicken Fajita Quesadilla: Giant quesadilla with Fingerz, peppers and cheese. Limited time in 2026. Calories not listed in the official guide; allergens: check with your restaurant; example price $13.99.
Southern Fried Shrimp Meal: Fried shrimp with fries and toast. Limited time from Jan 2026. Contains shellfish. Calories not listed in the official guide; allergens: shellfish.

Summer 2026: the Chicken Bacon Ranch menu

On June 22, 2026, Zaxbys announced a Chicken Bacon Ranch menu. The release named a Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap, the Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla and Chicken Bacon Ranch Loaded Fries, described as available “through the summer”. Summer is over, so some or all of these may be gone at your restaurant.

Limited-time milkshakes also rotated through in 2026, including Peaches & Cream early in the year and Banana Pudding in the summer. Sources: Peaches & Cream (Nation’s Restaurant News, Feb 23, 2026) and Banana Pudding through Aug 30 (Nation’s Restaurant News, Jun 22, 2026).

Not in the current guide

These items appeared on menus or on other sites in the past but are not in the official November 2025 nutrition guide or in any 2026 announcement we found. That usually means they have ended, though a restaurant might still be clearing stock.

Great 8 Boneless Wings meal
Fried and Grilled Chicken Philly
Zaxtail sauce
Caesar dressing
Mr Beast Box
Funnel cakes
Cookie Butter milkshake

Why does this happen? Chains often test items in some markets, run them for a season, or swap a recipe and rename it. A guide is a snapshot at one point in time, so an item that is missing from it is usually gone, but the only way to be sure is to look at the official app for your restaurant. If you find one of these still on sale near you, we would like to hear about it.

The dressings in the current guide are Blue Cheese, Honey Mustard, Lite Vinaigrette, Ranch and Citrus Vinaigrette. See every current item on our full menu.

New restaurants, new states and late nights

In February 2026 the International Franchise Association shared that Zaxbys had passed 1,000 restaurants. New markets in 2026 include Phoenix, Las Vegas, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In July, Nation’s Restaurant News reported the opening of a restaurant in the Bronx, making New York the 24th state with a Zaxbys.

The same February announcement mentioned a pilot of later hours at some restaurants, called Late-Night Zax. Hours are set by each location. Our hours guide explains how to check yours, and new locations 2026 tracks openings.

Changes in the Zaxbys app

Not every 2026 change was on the menu board. The official Zaxbys app listing on the Apple App Store describes several features worth knowing about:

Scan to earn and redeem. You can scan a QR code at the counter to collect Zax Rewardz points, which the listing says are earned at 10 points per dollar.
Faster sign-in. The app supports passwordless sign-in with Face ID.
Order tracking. The listing says order tracking is rolling out, so it may not be live at every restaurant yet.
Milkshake finder. The store locator can show which restaurants serve milkshakes.

The listing also describes a premium member tier with perks such as free Go Big upgrades. Details of rewards tiers can change, so check the app itself for the current rules.

What the 2026 changes mean for you

If you have not been to Zaxbys in a while, three things are different. First, there is more flavor choice without changing what you order, because a dry rub can go on the Fingerz or wings you already like. Second, limited-time items are coming and going faster, so the item you saw in an ad may be gone by the time you visit. Third, there may be a Zaxbys much closer to you than a year ago, especially in the Northeast, Midwest and Southwest.

The core menu has stayed steady. Chicken Fingerz, boneless and traditional wings, the Signature and Kickin’ sandwiches, the four Zalads, crinkle fries, Texas toast and Zax Sauce are all in the current official guide. Our first-timer’s guide walks through them.

How to keep up with Zaxbys menu changes

Check the official app or zaxbys.com. It shows what your restaurant actually sells today.
Read the latest nutrition guide on zaxbys.com when a new item launches.
Follow our menu updates page, where every change links to its source.

We are an independent site, not Zaxbys. Spot a change we missed? Let us know.

Frequently asked questions

Did Zaxbys get rid of anything in 2026?

Several items, such as the Chicken Philly sandwiches, Caesar dressing and the Mr Beast Box, are not in the official November 2025 guide, which usually means they have ended.

Are Zaxbys dry rubs permanent?

Yes. Zaxbys made Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parmesan and Nashville Hot dry rubs a permanent option in February 2026.

Is Zaxbys shrimp still available?

Shrimp returned in January 2026 for a limited time. Check the official app to see if your restaurant still has it.

How many Zaxbys locations are there in 2026?

Zaxbys passed 1,000 restaurants in early 2026 and reached 24 states by July 2026.

Where this information comes from. All nutrition and allergen information on this site is taken from the official Zaxbys Nutrition & Allergen Guide (revised November 2025), published on zaxbys.com. We have not added anything of our own or changed the figures. Recipes, suppliers and menus change, so please verify with Zaxbys or your restaurant before you rely on it, especially if you have a food allergy. Verify before use.