Pei Wei Asian Kitchen is rolling out a limited-time Chili Crisp Steak & Shrimp Noodles entrée across its nearly 200-unit fast-casual system, targeting the holiday daypart with a surf-and-turf spin on the chain's signature wok-fired noodle lineup. The dish is priced at $14.99 and available for dine-in, to-go, and mobile orders through the Pei Wei app.

The LTO

The entrée pairs wok-seared steak and shrimp with rice noodles, onions, and red bell peppers, all tossed in a Korean chili sauce and finished with chili crisp, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge. The build is consistent with Pei Wei's made-to-order positioning — every unit is prepared fresh rather than held on a steam table — and leans into the chili crisp trend that has gained sustained traction in both retail and foodservice channels over the past several years.

Menu Strategy

Brian Dreeland, vice president of marketing at Pei Wei, framed the LTO as an extension of the brand's flavor-forward development cadence. The chain's permanent noodle roster already includes Pad Thai and Spicy Drunken Noodles, and the new dish is designed to trade guests up to a dual-protein format at a price point that still sits well within fast-casual norms. At $14.99, Chili Crisp Steak & Shrimp Noodles occupy the upper end of the chain's menu, reflecting the incremental cost of a steak-and-shrimp combo while remaining competitive against comparable dual-protein offerings at peers in the Asian fast-casual segment.

Chili crisp has emerged as one of the most durable flavor stories in foodservice over the past two years, crossing from specialty grocery into mainstream QSR and fast-casual menus. For Asian fast-casual operators, the ingredient functions as both a flavor anchor and a cultural shorthand — signaling culinary specificity without requiring significant kitchen retooling. Pei Wei's decision to build an entire LTO around it rather than simply adding it as a condiment or finishing option positions the dish as a vehicle for repeat trial, a key driver of LTO ROI at the unit level.

The second-largest Chinese fast-casual chain in the United States by unit count, Pei Wei competes in a segment that has seen increased activity from both regional independents and larger platforms exploring Asian flavor profiles. Its wok-fired, made-to-order model carries higher labor intensity than assembly-line fast-casual concepts, but also supports a premium price perception that helps sustain average check. The holiday-season timing of this LTO aligns with industry patterns of deploying higher-indulgence, protein-forward items when guests are more receptive to trading up.

The Chili Crisp Steak & Shrimp Noodles are available at participating locations while supplies last. Operators and multi-unit franchisees tracking Asian fast-casual unit economics can find additional category coverage in our fast-casual segment analysis and our recent look at LTO strategy and menu pricing.

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.