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CFO Dawn Hooper says the spicy limited-time menu was \u2018highly polarizing.\u2019 The chain leaned into a Philly Cheesesteak platform instead.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJon Small
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t \n\t\tOpinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n This summer, Jack in the\u00a0Box partnered with the popular YouTube show \u201cHot Ones\u201d for a collaboration featuring spicy limited-time items and hot sauce add-on packets. The results were tepid, reports QSR<\/a>. \u201cThe products in the Hot Ones promotion were highly polarizing and did not uphold the higher end of the barbell,\u201d CFO Dawn Hooper told analysts on the company\u2019s earnings call. \u201cThis means our check was lower and overall sales were softer than expected.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack in the Box jumped into action, offering milder versions of the spicy items, ending the promotion early and accelerating the launch of a Philly Cheesesteak platform originally planned for later in the year. That pivot appears to be working: fourth-quarter same-store sales are running positive in the low-single digits so far, with both traffic and check improving.<\/p>\n Mark King, who took over as interim CEO in May, says the chain has been juggling too many promotions at once. They\u2019re now cutting back so restaurant staff can execute each one well instead of spreading themselves thin, he said. It\u2019s also simplifying its menu board so customers can decide faster without feeling overwhelmed.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tedited by
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDan Bova
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\n\t\t\t\tAug 19, 2026\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n