It's been a biiiig week for food news. One chain is bringing back an object of collective 2014 obsession, one is launching a s'mores dessert that sounds transcendental, one is reminding us why we all love everything caesar so much, and one is currently…under federal investigation.

Four different chains made news within about 48 hours, so here's the rundown of what's actually happening (all in one place so you don’t have to go to 6 different apps like I just did).

Starting July 21, McDonald's is launching a limited-time Caesar sauce nationwide. I, for one, am *so* excited. It’s a creamy, garlicky parmesan blend with lemon that you can get with two of their new items, a Bacon Caesar McCrispy sandwich and a $2.99 Caesar Snack Wrap. It's the first time Caesar has gotten to be the main character at McDonald's instead of just a salad dressing, so congrats on being called up to Varsity?!

Also! Fun fact because I am a food history nerd! Caesar salad has literally nothing to do with the Roman emperor. It was created in 1924 by an Italian-American restaurateur named Caesar Cardini, in Tijuana, Mexico, during a Fourth of July rush when he ran low on ingredients and improvised with what was in the kitchen. Celebs, they’re just like us, fr.

If you’re curious to learn more about what’s going on in the world of food, check out @foody_news on Instagram!

This one is…less fun. Federal and state health officials are investigating whether Taco Bell restaurants played a role in one of the largest U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreaks in recent history. More than 3,000 people across 31 states have gotten sick this year, which already puts 2026 ahead of the previous record year, 2019. Michigan, one of the hardest-hit states, says current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a likely source, though officials haven't confirmed a specific grower or supplier, and not every sick patient reported eating at Taco Bell. Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily pulled some ingredients (lettuce, cilantro, pico de gallo, and guac), as a precaution.

The parasite responsible, Cyclospora cayetanensis, causes what health officials are politely calling "explosive" gastrointestinal symptoms. It's rarely life-threatening and is treatable with antibiotics, but it can mean weeks of misery if it's not caught.

If you want to be cautious with greens at home in the meantime: buy whole heads of lettuce instead of the bagged stuff, discard the outer leaves, and know that washing reduces risk but, cooking produce to at least 158°F is the only way to actually kill the parasite.

Two separate chains had the same idea this week, and now I can’t stop thinking about s’mores.

Domino's is rolling out S'mores Lava Cakes nationwide on July 27, with Rewards members getting early access starting July 20. It's graham cracker cake filled with chocolate chips and marshmallow-flavored filling. You can get three for $6.99 through Mix and Match!

Not to be left out, Starbucks ALSO brought back its S'mores Frappuccino for the summer, alongside two new spinoffs: a S'mores Cold Brew and an Iced S'mores Chai.

If you were a certain kind of Extremely Online person in 2014 (or a freshman in college with a deep deep love for carbs in all forms), you remember the Never-Ending Pasta Pass. It's returning for the first time since 2019, and here's the actual math: $100 plus tax gets you 13 weeks of unlimited pasta, homemade sauces, and protein toppings, plus never-ending soup or salad and breadsticks, valid August 24 through November 22. Only 10,000 passes exist, and they go on sale TODAY, July 16, at 2pm ET at PastaPass.com. They've reportedly sold out within minutes every year they've been offered since 2014.

According to Axios's breakdown of the math, the pass pays for itself after roughly seven visits, and in earlier eight-week versions of the promotion, the average passholder went back 10 times. This year's window is five weeks longer than past editions, so the odds of coming out ahead are better than they've ever been.

There are also two new menu additions this year: a Spicy Alfredo sauce and Crispy Shrimp Fritta as a protein topping. If my math is correct, that makes over 120 different combinations that you can concoct?!