Valentine’s Day is a holiday that usually brings people together in the name of love. It also means big bucks for restaurants, retail stores, chocolate shops, and jewelry makers. Americans, for example, plan to spend up to $25.9 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, according to an annual survey by the National Retail Federation. Although candy is the most popular gift, 32% of gift givers plan to shell out money for a romantic evening. After all, what could be better than a decadent evening dining with your lover or best friends?
For some, it’s not in the budget (and that’s okay!), especially with inflation still on the rise. Luckily, for those who want to keep things more low-key, yet still meaningful, ordering from your favorite restaurant chain may be just what Cupid’s Arrow had in mind.
Luckily, many fast food and restaurant chains are joining in the adorable Valentine’s Day festivities by offering heart-shaped and pink menu items to gift or share with that special someone. From sweet donuts filled with chocolaty romance to savory boxes of heart-packed chicken nuggets, there’s something for both sweet and savory lovers. Moreover, some of these offers are available in large quantities, which will help you have fun during a Galentine evening!
Here are the perfect Valentine’s Day-themed foods and treats to devour next week.
Also, for more V-Day ideas, check out 8 amazing Valentine’s Day treats you can get at Costco.
Home of the fan-favorite crispy chicken sandwich and savory waffle fries, Chick-fil-A, is one of many Valentine’s Day celebrations. Whether you want to surprise your loved one or treat yourself to a personal treat, the chicken chain (again) offers heart-shaped platters filled with a selection of sweet and savory menu items.
The options to choose from are: 30-count Chick-fil-A Nuggets, 10-count Chick-n-Minis, 6-count Chocolate Chunk Cookies, or 12-count Chocolate Fudge Brownie Halves. This Chick-fil-A V-Day special is only available for a limited time until February 25 (or while supplies last) and can be ordered at participating stores or on the Chick-fil-A mobile app. chain.
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What’s sweeter than Dunkin’ donuts? Nicely decorated heart-shaped donuts from Dunkin’, that’s what. For starters, there’s the Cupid’s Choice Donut, which comes with a Bavarian Kreme filling and is topped with a strawberry glaze and festive red and pink sprinkles. As for the other crowd pleaser in the mix, the Brownie Batter Donut is made with smooth, chocolatey buttercream, brownie batter, and topped with chocolate frosting and Valentine’s Day sprinkles.
The coffee chain hasn’t just dedicated two donuts to the lover’s holiday, in fact, participating locations will also be offering donut-flavored chocolates (which come in a heart-shaped box) and bean hearts to iced coffee flavored jelly. Dunkin’s version of a box of chocolates comes with a mix of the chain’s staple flavors, such as Boston Kreme, Brownie Batter, and Chocolate Creme. And if you’re a big fan of Dunkin’ Iced Coffee, try the new Jelly Hearts flavored with Hazelnut, French Vanilla, Caramel Latte, Toasted Coconut or Pecan Butter.
All of these Dunkin’s V-Day items will be on the menu for a limited time until the end of February.
If instead of a sweet dessert you’re looking forward to a mouth-watering main course on Valentine’s Day, then Papa Johns says you’re in luck. You can get a heart-shaped thin-crust pizza with a topping of your choice (or more if you pay the price) from the pizzeria from February 6-14 for just $11.99. Although the pizza is not sliced, it gives you the opportunity to cut a large piece of cheese pizza to share with your sweetheart.
Give your heart to whoever you want, via some soft and warm Hardees cookies. Each cookie is made from scratch, with a combination of crumbly, tart and tangy flavors.
After being baked to perfection, Hardee’s heart-shaped cookies are stuffed with a new, jam-like cherry filling and drizzled with a sweet icing. You can pick up these homemade festive cookies from February 11-14 at participating Hardee’s restaurants during regular breakfast hours, either individually for $2.99 or as part of a combo for $4.99.
Love and the color pink are in the air at Starbucks this V-Day. Normally, the pink drink is a permanent sip on the menu, but in honor of the holiday, Starbucks is throwing a special twist on the popular drink. Similar to chocolate covered strawberries, customers can order a pink drink with cold chocolate cream mousse – taking the brand’s creamy strawberry and açaí coconut milk refreshment and topping it with a cold chocolate mousse – to obtain the same taste palate.
The American coffee chain has also brought back the delicious red velvet bread as part of the seasonal winter menu, combining a swirl of red velvet cake and a rich slice of white chocolate frosting.
The Valentine’s Day-inspired beverage will only be available at participating Starbucks locations from February 6-14. You can ask the in-store barista to make it for you or order one using the channel’s app.
Some may wonder if it’s worth going out to eat on Valentine’s Day, but a dish at Buca di Beppo just might change your mind. Three words: Heart-shaped lasagna. Perfectly designed to serve two people, the pasta dish is loaded with layers of meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan cheese.
The indulgence doesn’t stop there. Buca di Beppo has put on a Lasagna Lovefeast, available February 14 only, featuring a four-course menu of garlic bread, salad, lasagna and cannolis for $59.99 (prices may vary by location ). Show your loved one, your better half (or yourself for round 2 on February 15) what your love is really made of: pasta!
Donuts may be the way to go this year for Valentine’s Day and Dunkin’ wasn’t the only brand to think so. In partnership with Hershey’s Chocolate, Krispy Kreme has created a whole line of heart-shaped and “Choc-Full-of-Love” donuts.
For a limited time, Krispy Kreme will offer four V-Day Donuts featuring Hershey’s Kisses and other enjoyable dishes such as strawberry and caramel: Hershey’s I Pick You, Hershey’s Double Chocolate KISS, Hershey’s Strawberry Dream and Hershey’s Chocolate Chip Caramel Kreme.
Dairy Queen is pulling out all the stops for Valentine’s Day with a whole load of sweet treats. The star of the show at DQ this month is Triple Truffle Blizzard Cake. The cake has a layer of Triple Truffle Blizzard (which includes three decadent truffles; peanut butter, fudge and caramel), then a layer of truffles, followed by a chocolate filling, then a layer of vanilla soft-serve.
Another addition to the party menu is the Triple Truffle Blizzard treat, which is inspired entirely by all the best flavors you get inside a special V-Day box of chocolates. As for availability, each cake is made to order and will be available at all participating stores on February 14. The new Blizzard treat is also a limited time offer, so keep your spoon handy for at least February.
