London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Starbucks, Burger King, Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' scaring up Halloween-themed items

Starbucks isn't scaring up a Halloween drink in the U.S. this year, but Burger King has a Ghost Whopper, Applebee's has $1 Vampires and there's more.

For the first time in five years, Starbucks isn't bringing a Halloween-themed drink for its U.S. locations.

But the global coffee giant has concocted a spooky beverage that will be available overseas. Locations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East will have the fruity Phantom Frappuccino Monday through Halloween.

"The distinctive colour is created with use of Charcoal Powder and the beverage is crafted with coconut milk, mango essence and a ghoulish lime slime made with spirulina to deliver a light and fruity taste extravaganza," Starbucks said in a blog post. "The Phantom is vegan too!"

Starbucks started its Halloween U.S. tradition in 2014 with the Franken Frappuccino.

Then in 2015 and 2016, U.S. locations had the Frappula Frappuccino. 2016. In 2017 it was the Zombie Frappuccino followed by the Witch’s Brew Frappuccino last year.

Last year's blended drink was a purple blend of “toad’s breath” which tastes like the orange crème Frappuccino. It had a swirl of “bat warts” or chia seeds added and was topped with vanilla whipped cream with a dusting of green “lizard scale” powder.

In a statement to USA TODAY, Starbucks said it has been reducing the number of limited time menu items, a change announced in April 2018.

"There is no Halloween Frappuccino blended beverage in the U.S. this year, however customers looking to celebrate the season with a Frappuccino can enjoy Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino or Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino," the company said in its statement.

Other Halloween special items

These Halloween-themed items don't require a passport and are available at participating locations while supplies last. Check with your closest location before heading out.

Applebee's: The $1 Vampire is the chain's Neighborhood Drink of the Month and is a tiki rum punch served with a cherry and fangs. served with a cherry and fangs.

Baskin-Robbins: The ice cream chain’s Flavor of the Month is the Candy Mashup, which is chocolate ice cream with Snickers, caramel cup pieces and a salty caramel ribbon. The Fright Night Scoop include the mashup ice cream topped with a Halloween sprinkle mix and a white chocolate zombie hand. The chain also has special Halloween cakes.

Burger King: Unlike last year's "Nightmare King" that was available nationwide, this year's Halloween-themed Ghost Whopper is only available at 10 locations. It features a quarter-pound of beef, tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles and sliced white onions on a cheddar-cheese flavored white sesame seed bun.

Burger King to Sell 'Ghost Whopper' for Halloween To emulate a ghost, the spooky sandwich will be served on a white cheddar bun. The "Ghost Whopper" will go on sale October 24, but will be available in just 10 select locations. Wibbitz

Chili’s: The chain’s October Margarita of the Month is the $5 Fangtastic ‘Rita, which is available through Halloween and comes with a set of fangs on top. The drink is a blend of Lunazul Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, Monin Blood Orange and fresh sour.

Dunkin': The Spider Donut is back for the third year and is a doughnut frosted with orange icing and topped “with a scary good eight-legged donut creature, made from a glazed chocolate Munchins donut hole treat with chocolate drizzle for the spider legs and white or orange icing for the eyes.” Other doughnuts are also dressed up with holiday colors.

Hard Rock Cafe: From Saturday 30 through Nov. 3, Hard Rock will have limited edition Halloween shakes for adults called BOO!-zy Shakes made with bourbon and dark rum, blended with vanilla bean ice cream and rich dark chocolate sauce, and then topped with white chocolate whipped cream and candy corns. There’s a non-alcoholic Spooky Shake, too.

IHOP: Through Nov. 3, IHOP has a special Halloween menu inspired by The Addams Family movie, featuring Wednesday’s Web-Cakes, pancakes with cupcake icing, chocolate syrup and violet whipped cream, Uncle Fester’s Chocolate Ice Scream Shake and Morticia’s Haunted Hot Chocolate. Also through Nov. 3 from 4 to 10 p.m. daily, kids 12 and under get a free kids meal entrée with each purchase of an adult entrée.

Krispy Kreme: The new Monster Batch Doughnuts are available through Halloween and include the Slimon, the Slime Monster Doughnut, an Original Glazed doughnut with lemon slime filling and dipped in green icing; Mumford, the Mummy Monster Doughnut wrapped in purple icing; and Hypno-Henry, the Cake Batter Monster, a doughnut filled with cake batter, dipped in yellow icing and orange sanding sugar with an icing swirl.

Papa John's: The pumpkin-shaped Jack-o-lantern pizza is available through Halloween and has a pepperoni border and smiley face. The pizza comes uncut and is available for $11 at participating locations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Great Western Exit: Why Best Citizens Are Fleeing the Rich World [PODCAST]
The New Robber Barons of Intelligence: Are AI Bosses More Powerful Than Rockefeller?
The End of the Old Order [Podcast]
Britain’s Democracy Is Now a Costume
The AI Gold Rush Is Coming for America’s Last Open Spaces [Podcast]
The Pentagon’s AI Squeeze: Eight Tech Giants Get In, Anthropic Gets Shut Out [Podcast]
The War Map: Professor Jiang’s Dark Theory of Iran, Trump, China, Russia, Israel, and the Coming Global Shock [Podcast]
Labour Is No Longer a National Party [Podcast]
AI Isn’t Stealing Your Job. It’s Dismantling It Piece by Piece.
Lawyers vs Engineers: Why China Builds While America Litigates [Podcast]
Churchill’s Glass: The Drunk, the Doctor, and the Myth Britain Refuses to Sober Up From
Apple issues an unusual warning: this is how your iPhone can be hacked without you doing anything
Kennedy’s Quiet War on Antidepressants Sparks Alarm Across America’s Medical Establishment
The Met Gala Meets the Age of Billionaire Backlash
Russian Oligarch’s Superyacht Crosses Hormuz via Iran-Controlled Route
Gunfire Disrupts White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Trump Is Evacuated
A Leak, a King, and a Fracturing Alliance
Inside the Gates Foundation Turmoil: Layoffs, Scrutiny, and the Cost of Reputational Risk
UK Biobank Breach Exposes Health Data of 500,000, Listed for Sale on Chinese Platform
KPMG Cuts Around 10% of US Audit Partners After Failed Exit Push
French Police Probe Suspected Weather-Data Tampering After Unusual Polymarket Bets on Paris Temperatures
CATL Unveils Revolutionary EV Battery Tech: 1000 km Range and 7-Minute Charging Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
Crypto Scammers Capitalize on Maritime Chaos Near the Strait of Hormuz: A Rising Threat to Shipping Companies
Changi Airport: How Singapore Engineered the World’s Most Efficient Travel Experience
Power Dynamics: Apple’s Leadership Shakeup, Geopolitical Risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's Energy Strategy Amidst Global Challenges
Apple's Leadership Transition: Can New CEO John Ternus Navigate AI Challenges and Geopolitical Pressures?
Italy’s €100K Tax Gambit: Europe’s Soft Power Tax Haven
News Roundup
Microsoft lost 2.5 millions users (French government) to Linux
Privacy Problems in Microsoft Windows OS
News roundup
Péter András Magyar and the Strategic Reset of Hungary
Hungary After the Landslide — A Strategic Reset in Europe
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
×