Fast-casual chain Noodles & Company has been busy over the last two years implementing plans to improve the performance of its locations, which has included the closure of restaurants, launch of a review of strategic alternatives, and an overhaul of its menu.
Looking to drive more foot traffic to its restaurants, Noodles & Company added a new permanent ramen noodle category to its menu after a limited-time offer became one of the most successful launches in the 31-year-old chain’s history.
Noodles & Company launched its new menu category with its Gochujang Carbonara Ramen Noodles, Sweet Sesame Steak Ramen Noodles, and Spicy Korean Steak Ramen Noodles, and said that it would rotate new ramen creations into the lineup over time, the company said in an Oct. 14 statement.
Noodles & Company permanently adds ramen noodle bowls to its menu. Shutterstock
Noodles & Company adds ramen to menu
The initial menu’s Gochujang Carbonara Ramen Noodles, Sweet Sesame Steak Ramen Noodles will be offered for a limited time, but ramen will remain a permanent menu category with new creations rotating into the lineup.
Noodles & Company made ramen a permanent part of its menu after its limited-time offer, Chili Garlic Ramen, generated over 156,000 new-guest visits to the brand, the statement said.
“The incredible response to Chili Garlic Ramen showed us that our guests are hungry to see what Noodles can do with ramen,” Noodles & Company Interim Chief Marketing Officer Dwayne Chambers said in a statement.
“Ramen gives us an exciting new way to build on 30 years of noodle expertise, bringing guests the comfort they love while continuing to surprise them with bold flavors and unexpected twists. Making ramen a permanent part of our menu is just the beginning of what we can do with this incredibly versatile noodle,” Chambers said.
Company revamps menu
Noodles & Company launched a menu overhaul in March 2025, which added six new items to its menu: Buffalo Chicken Ranch Mac & Cheese, Garlic Bacon Crunch Mac & Cheese, Pulled Pork BBQ Mac & Cheese, Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine, Green Goddess Cobb Salad, and Lemon Parmesan Broccoli.
The company also added Steak Stroganoff and Chili Garlic Ramen bowls to the menu subsequently in 2025.
Noodles & Company currently doesn’t feature the popular Chili Garlic Ramen on its menu, however.
The company added three new menu items in 2024: Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Crispy Chicken Bacon Alfredo, and Chipotle Chicken Cavatappi.
“We’ve spent more than 30 years exploring what’s possible with noodles, and ramen gives us another incredible canvas for flavor and creativity,” Tina Massey, Noodles & Company’s vice president of culinary R&D, said in the statement.
Variety of noodles offered
Noodles & Company will add the ramen bowls to its existing pasta and noodle dishes that include Spaghetti and Meatballs, Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Rigatoni Rosa with Parmesan Chicken, Creamy Cheddar Mac & Cheese, and others.
The launch of its new menu comes over a year after launching a review of strategic alternatives in September 2025 and just months after Noodles & Company announced the closure of dozens of underperforming locations across the country.
Chain closing 40 locations in 2026
Noodles & Company said it would close up to 40 restaurant locations in 2026, including 30 to 35 company owned and five franchised stores, according to its business outlook released in its second quarter financial results on July 24. The company expects to open just one franchise location in 2026, the quarterly report said.
The restaurant closings in 2026 follow the shuttering of 33 underperforming locations in 2025, according to Restaurant Business.
Noodles & Company began a review of its strategic alternatives on Sept. 3, 2025, and the review remains ongoing. It included a potential refinancing of existing indebtedness that matures on July 27, 2027; a refranchising or sale of all or part of the business; or other strategic or financial transactions.
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