Noodles & Company may be about to make its biggest menu move in years. CEO Joe Christina told investors on March 25 that the chain is evaluating additional ramen recipes and believes a dedicated ramen section could rival its mac & cheese lineup, which remains its most popular offering.
The comments came during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call, where Christina reported strong momentum and credited menu innovation as a central driver of the turnaround.
The ramen signal was not vague. He compared the potential directly to the mac & cheese category, which has anchored the brand for decades.
What sparked the Noodles & Company ramen conversation
The idea grew directly out of last year’s Chili Garlic Ramen limited-time offer. The dish launched in October 2025 at $8.95, inspired by trending ramen hacks on social media.
It was broth-less, buttery, and built around authentic ramen noodles from Wonton, a multi-generation supplier based in Brooklyn. Noodles Rewards members got early access on October 15, with a nationwide rollout following on October 17.
More RestaurantsÂ
- McDonald’s latest menu missteps could have a major domino effect
- Fast food giant is coming for Starbucks with fan-approved launch
The response exceeded expectations. “It quickly became one of the strongest LTOs in our history,” Christina said.
“The new ramen dish not only resonated with our loyal members, but also, we believe, introduced our brand to a new consumer who desired a ramen dish in a fast-casual environment.”
Why Noodles brought it back
The dish returned on March 18, 2026, alongside the Indonesian Peanut Chicken Sauté, as part of what the company is calling its Asian Noodle Collection. The Indonesian Peanut Chicken Sauté was reformulated for the return, now described as the spiciest item on the menu.
The return coincided directly with the earnings call. And this time, Christina went further than just announcing the relaunch. He signaled that ramen could become a permanent menu category.
“We are currently evaluating additional ramen recipes as we believe a ramen section of our menu could be as equally successful as our collection of Macs,” he said, referring to the mac & cheese lineup that remains Noodles & Company’s most popular offering.
Siluk/Getty Images
The numbers behind the turnaround
The ramen push is happening against the backdrop of a genuine business recovery. Several factors are driving the momentum.
- Comparable sales: System-wide comps grew 6.6% in Q4 2025, including a 7.3% increase for company-owned restaurants. That has accelerated into 2026, with comps up over 9% with one week left in Q1.
- Traffic: Q1 2026 traffic is up more than 4%, and March is expected to mark the seventh consecutive period of traffic growth.
- Delicious Duos: A value-oriented combo platform launched in late July 2025, offering menu combinations at accessible price points. It has held a steady 5% sales mix since launch.
- Restaurant closures: Noodles closed 33 underperforming locations in 2025 and 20 more in early 2026. CFO Michael Hynes said the closures are transferring sales to nearby surviving locations, adding 100 to 150 basis points to Q4 comps and expected to contribute 200 to 300 basis points in Q1 2026.
Despite the gains, the company posted a Q4 net loss of $6.8 million, including a $5.6 million impairment charge tied to closures. Revenue was $122.8 million, up 0.8% year over year.
What a Noodles & Company ramen section could mean
Noodles’ mac & cheese lineup shows what a dedicated menu category can do for the brand. It drives repeat visits, anchors the chain’s identity, and gives guests a clear reason to come back. It also gives franchisees and company-owned locations a reliable sales floor. Christina is betting ramen can do the same.
The Chili Garlic Ramen result gave him the data to make that call. The dish pulled in first-time guests who had not previously considered Noodles & Company. That is the kind of proof point that justifies building a full category rather than rotating a single dish as a seasonal LTO.
No test market dates or launch timeline have been announced. For now, both the Chili Garlic Ramen and the Indonesian Peanut Chicken Sauté are back on menus nationwide for a limited time.
Whether they eventually become permanent depends on what the evaluation of additional recipes shows.
Related: McDonald’s unveils 2026 menu as sales rebound