Say Goodbye to BBQ Disasters: Cup Noodles® Is Bringing Kansas City and Texas BBQ to a Cup This Summer

Two-thirds of Americans have had a recent BBQ disaster. Hosts are feeling the heat to impress, only for one in four to apologize for how bad the food was or even hide from their own party. Cup Noodles® has the fix with two new limited-edition ramen flavors.

GARDENA, Calif., June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nissin Foods today announced the launch of Cup Noodles® Kansas City BBQ and Cup Noodles® Texas BBQ, two new limited-edition ramen flavors available exclusively at Walmart locations nationwide and at walmart.com starting June 9, 2026, while supplies last. All the bold, regional flavors of a summer cookout. None of the disasters. No 2 a.m. temperature checks, explaining to your guests why it's taking yet another hour, dried-out brisket, or accidental backyard fires.

Whether you're a fan of saucy BBQ or the crispy bark that comes from a traditional dry rub, this BBQ is ready in only four minutes for $1.18 per cup, and guaranteed to come out just right:

• Cup Noodles® Kansas City BBQ is bold, sweet, and unapologetically saucy, a rich tomato-based sauce layered with garlic, onion, a hint of smoke, and pork notes. The kind of sauce-forward flavor KC is famous for, coating every noodle in something that tastes like it took a lot longer than four minutes.
• Cup Noodles® Texas BBQ takes the opposite view. Smoke-driven and spice-forward, built on salt, cracked black pepper, garlic, and bold dry-rub seasonings that call back to the slow-smoked brisket Texas considers a birthright. Less sauce, more conviction, and significantly fewer hours standing next to a smoker wondering if you ruined it.

The launch comes as new research commissioned by Nissin Foods shows just how likely a BBQ can go from meat smoking perfection to disaster. 44% of recent BBQ-goers have experienced burnt or disappointing food: 29% have complained of dry meat, 27% hated the flavor of the meat, and 24% said the meat was so bad it was tough to chew. There are emotional disasters too, with 32% saying the host was so stressed out about grilling it ruined the mood, and even 20% of amateur pitmasters saying the exhaustion level rivaled a full workday.

Gen Z is feeling the heat more than anyone. 83% of Gen Z hosts have hit a snag in the last two years, with half of them stressed about impressing their guests and nearly a third (30%) forced to apologize for how the food turned out. And it gets worse: 26% have had to call someone for help, and even one in four have burnt their facial hair.

"Americans take their BBQ seriously, and nothing stings quite like a cookout that doesn't deliver, whether you're a fan of sweet and smoky Kansas City BBQ sauce or Texas-style brisket with a dry rub," said Senior Vice President of Marketing, Priscila Stanton. "Cup Noodles is here to make sure that you don't get cooked this summer over a BBQ gone wrong. The only BBQ debate this summer should be about your favorite regional style, not a grill in flames or a backyard full of hungry people staring down an inedible pulled pork."

For more than 65 years, Nissin Foods has led the instant ramen category and this BBQ duo is the latest on Cup Noodles' tradition of limited-edition flavors. For more information, visit NissinFoods.com and follow @originalcupnoodles on Instagram and TikTok.

About Nissin Foods:
Nissin Foods was established in 1958 by Momofuku Ando, who invented the first instant ramen noodle in Japan inspired by his belief that" peace will come to the world when there is enough food." In 1972, Nissin Foods USA opened its first plant in Gardena, California, introducing ramen noodles to American consumers. In 1971, CUP NOODLE was launched in Japan, and then debuted as Cup Noodles in the U.S. in 1973, revolutionizing the industry by creating a product that could package, prepare, and serve noodles all in one. For over 65 years, Nissin Foods has created delicious and convenient Asian-inspired meals at an affordable value. Nissin Foods USA develops and markets a variety of products including Cup Noodles®, Top Ramen®, Top Ramen® Bowl, Cup Noodles® Stir Fry®, Cup Noodles® Stir Fry® Rice With Noodles, Chow Mein, Hot & Spicy Bowl, Hot & Spicy FIRE WOK and GEKI™. The company corporate philosophy inspires commitment to taste, convenience, and quality. Visit NissinFoods.com for more information.

Media Contact: Sean Boland – [email protected]

SOURCE Nissin Foods