The Creamy Southern Staple Quietly Dominating The Best New Fast Food Sandwiches Of 2026

Staying relevant in the world of fast food requires constant innovation, but the breakthroughs that capture the minds and palates of modern-day customers sometimes mean looking to the past. Such is the case with several of this year's most intriguing fast food sandwiches, which include pimento cheese, a Southern staple that is bringing new life to menus.

For those who have never had the pleasure, pimento cheese is a simple dip, spread, or sandwich filling that typically consists of just a few ingredients. The combination of shredded cheese — usually a sharp cheddar — along with creamy mayonnaise, a few basic spices, and fragrant pimentos, a type of red pepper, is most often served as a spread for crackers or a sandwich filling stuffed between two pieces of white bread. The creative uses for pimento cheese, however, extend well beyond these basics.

Right now, for example, both Chick-fil-A and Shake Shack are making use of this Southern classic as a decadent topping for fast food sandwiches. At Chick-fil-A , any of the chain's standard chicken sandwiches — regular, spicy, or grilled — can be ordered in the Honey Pepper Pimento style, featuring not just pimento cheese, but also pickled jalapeños and a drizzle of honey. Over at Shake Shack, the Clubhouse Pimento Cheese Menu features a fried chicken sandwich as well, but also a burger topped with the creamy, cheesy, peppery spread alongside typical toppings like lettuce, tomato, and the chain's signature ShackSauce.

Neither of these chains is the first to discover adding pimento cheese to sandwiches — Bojangles did it in 2019, and the practice existed in the Northeast and South long before that (it's been a signature snack at the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia, for decades). But the combination works. Rich, creamy, tangy, and sweet, it is a huge upgrade on a boring old slice of cheese, bringing not just decadence but also a delicate pepper flavor wherever it is used.

Unfortunately, as delicious as these offerings from Shake Shack and Chick-fil-A sound, they are both limited-time offerings. But if you can't get out to sample these best new fast food sandwiches or can't stand the thought of seeing them removed from the menu board, it is fortunately pretty easy to bring pimento cheese to your home menu. A classic pimento cheese recipe can be as simple as the few ingredients listed above. There are also plenty of ingredients to take your pimento cheese to the next level. You can swap out the cheddar for a different cheese or the pimentos for peppers with a bit more kick. You can even switch up the spices or add alliums like garlic, chives, or scallions — it is a simple canvas with a lot of potential for personalization.

You can also bring that same flavor home and expand on it. Whether it's upgrading a BLT with cheese spread, making a pimento grilled cheese, or dishing out a plate of pimento cheese-loaded fries, this Southern staple is ready for the fast food treatment.