IRVINE, Calif., April 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The people asked. Habit listened. Then came the fire.

Fans were vocal when the BBQ Chicken Salad came off the menu. So, Habit brought it back, refreshed and better than ever. This time, it’s stepping back onto the core menu fresh off the grill, bold on flavor, and with a little more attitude.

The relaunch also taps into the brand’s “Hot Dads Eat Habit Salads” narrative, celebrating the unexpected truth that real grill guys don’t skip salads, they just do them differently. This is not your average fast-casual salad. This is a salad with grill marks.

Meet Habit’s newest Hot Dad, Mr. BBQ Chicken Salad.

Built around freshly chargrilled chicken cooked to order, Mr. BBQ Chicken fires up the backyard BBQ to bring real fire to the bowl. Big BBQ flavor, salad bowl-style. Think fresh chargrilled chicken, smoky bacon, crunchy onion tanglers, aged white cheddar, and a BBQ-ranch combo that brings backyard BBQ energy to every bite.

“Our guests didn’t just miss this salad; they were constantly commenting on social media begging us to put it back on the menu” said Executive Chef Jason Triail. “So, we brought it back the right way. Chicken fresh off the grill, still hot, over crisp greens. You’ve got smoky bacon, crunch from the tanglers, that BBQ-ranch combo… it eats like a backyard BBQ, just in a bowl.”

And that’s exactly what this is: an unapologetically bold salad, with real heat, and actual grill marks.

The newly refreshed BBQ Chicken Salad is available now at Habit restaurants nationwide. To celebrate, Habit is offering 20 percent off any entrée salad from April 15–21 (side Garden Ranch excluded)*. MyHabit members will automatically receive the offer in the My Offers tab. Not a member yet? Sign up for MyHabit and use code SALAD20 to redeem.

*Get 20% off a qualifying entree Salad! Must add 1 entree Salad to cart for discount to apply. Side Garden Ranch and Side Caesar salads excluded. Qualifying salads include the Santa Barbara Cobb, BBQ Chicken Salad, Mango Miso Crunch, Grilled Chicken Caesar, Harvest Chopped, and Garden Ranch. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Limited time only. While supplies last. Add-ons extra. Tax extra. Valid through 4/21/26.

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About The Habit Restaurants, Inc.
Born in sunny Southern California in 1969, Habit Burger & Grill quickly gained a devoted following for its Charburgers, cooked to order over an open flame. Since then, the menu has grown far beyond burgers, offering a fresh take on Californian-inspired flavors. Guests can choose from a meaningful selection of handcrafted sandwiches, crisp salad bowls topped with hot, chargrilled chicken, and creamy handspun shakes, all made fresh and cooked to order.

Habit has earned notable recognition over the years, including its Double Char being ranked #1 twice by USA Today 10Best*, its Tempura Green Beans named the #1 side twice by USA Today 10Best, and the brand itself recognized as the #1 Fast Casual Restaurant by USA Today 10Best. Its Chicken Club was also named the best grilled chicken sandwich by The Daily Meal. In addition, Habit Burger & Grill was featured in Newsweek’s America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains 2023 and included in Thrillist’s roundup of Underrated Burger Chains That Need to Be in Every State.

Today, Habit has grown to nearly 400 restaurants across 15 states, along with 14 food trucks, continuing to serve bold, fresh flavors made to order. Learn more at www.habitburger.com.

Sources: USA Today 10Best, USA Today 10Best, The Daily Meal, Newsweek, The Daily Meal, Thrillist

Habit Press Contact: HBGMedia@yum.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c5a2568a-41d5-4ab7-886f-a8df965dc83f