Fast-casual better-burger chain Smashburger is leaning into New York deli nostalgia this fall, rolling out a four-item limited-time lineup anchored by pastrami—plus two permanent grilled chicken additions—across its 178-unit domestic footprint beginning October 6.
The launch is notable not just as a seasonal LTO play but as a signal of how the Jollibee Foods Corporation subsidiary is approaching menu development under CEO Jim Sullivan: tightly scoped innovation designed to drive guest check and trial without straining kitchen execution at the unit level.
The New LTO Builds
The flagship limited-time item is the New York Pastrami Smash—Certified Angus Beef smashed to order and stacked with smoked black pastrami, Swiss cheese, grilled onions, dill pickles, mustard, and mayo on a butter-toasted Parker House roll. A companion item, the New York Pastrami Big Dog, loads the same pastrami-and-Swiss profile onto a 100% Angus beef quarter-pound hot dog. Both are available at participating locations nationwide for a limited time.
Rounding out the seasonal push are two Häagen-Dazs hand-spun shakes—a Pumpkin Spice Shake built with fall-spiced pumpkin and sweet cream, and an Apple Pie Shake featuring cinnamon-spiced apples, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla. Hand-spun shakes have historically been a strong check-builder in the better-burger segment, and seasonal flavors tied to the fall daypart give operators a credible reason to suggestive-sell the add-on.
Core Menu Gets a Protein Lift
Beyond the LTO window, Smashburger is permanently expanding its grilled chicken platform with two new builds. The Grilled Chicken Avocado Club pairs an all-natural marinated chicken filet with applewood-smoked bacon, fresh-sliced avocado, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing. A refreshed Deluxe Grilled Chicken Sandwich offers a cleaner, more accessible profile—filet, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a butter-toasted bun—positioned as a high-protein everyday option at an accessible price point.
Chief Marketing Officer Kate Savelli framed both additions as reinforcing the brand's value equation: quality ingredients and handcrafted preparation at a price within reach. In a segment where average entrée prices have climbed steadily since 2022, that positioning matters to franchise operators managing guest-count sensitivity.
Operator and Competitive Context
The fall refresh arrives as the better-burger segment continues to differentiate on protein variety and ingredient provenance. Competitors including Shake Shack, The Habit Burger Grill, and Five Guys have all leaned into premium-ingredient storytelling to justify higher price points. Smashburger's Certified Angus Beef designation remains a credentialing asset in that conversation.
With 112 corporate-owned units and 66 franchised locations, Smashburger's split footprint means menu changes must work for both company operators and franchisee partners managing their own P&Ls. Sullivan's explicit reference to "consistent execution for our operators" in his announcement suggests the brand is calibrating innovation against back-of-house complexity—a discipline that has become table stakes for chains targeting franchisee growth. For a deeper look at how better-burger brands are navigating LTO strategy and unit economics, see our coverage of trends in fast-casual menu development and franchise expansion in the burger segment.
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.
