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Applebee\u2019s just launched its O-M-Cheese-adilla Burger, a burger stuffed inside a quesadilla and dunked in a skillet of melted cheddar and queso. Golden Chick rolled out its own queso for $1. Freddy\u2019s is melting over its Baconfest, which layers bacon onto cheese-covered tots and burgers through Nov. 3, according to .<\/p>\n
The ooey-gooey trend shows up everywhere. Denny\u2019s built its entire new burger lineup around American cheese. Panera added a Three-Cheese Lasagna Soup to its fall lineup, and Qdoba is running a whole \u201cDiptember\u201d promotion built around 14 dips and sauces, headlined by a new Queso Fundido.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s so pleasing about cheesing? \u201cComfort and value are the twin pillars shaping America\u2019s menus right now,\u201d explains Dr. Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Restaurant Association, whose 2026 What\u2019s Hot Culinary Forecast identified comfort, value and global flavor as the industry\u2019s biggest bets this year. Melted cheese checks both boxes. It\u2019s familiar, filling, and makes a menu item feel indulgent without costing much to produce.<\/p>\n