Two CityWalk Chefs Turned Military MREs Into Veterans Month Dishes, and Voodoo Doughnut Made a Galaxy Doughnut for the Space Force

Meals Ready to Eat are not usually anyone's idea of a night out. Two Universal CityWalk chefs used them as the starting point anyway.

For November, which Universal is marking as Veterans & Military Families Month, six CityWalk venues are each serving one dish or drink honoring the U.S. military, five of them tied to a single branch and one to all of them. Universal's Discover Universal blog laid out the lineup on Sunday, November 1. Two of the dishes, at NBC Sports Grill & Brew and Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, were modeled on the military field rations known as MREs. The Space Force gets a galaxy-swirled doughnut.

The Event Horizon, Voodoo Doughnut's Space Force doughnut. Photo: Universal Orlando Resort

The lineup, branch by branch

• U.S. Navy, The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen: Full Sail Chicken a la King, made with an airline chicken breast, egg noodles and a creamy velouté, garnished with chives and served with roasted vegetables.
• U.S. Air Force, The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar: the Jalapeño Pepperjack Carrier, two wagyu beef patties with heirloom tomatoes, Bibb lettuce, sherry pickled onions and Aleppo aioli on brioche buns.
• U.S. Marines, NBC Sports Grill & Brew: Smoked Beef Brisket Bites, served with smoked mashed potatoes and grilled broccolini, plus a spicy heirloom tomato jam and Carolina gold barbecue sauce.
• U.S. Army, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville: Frontline Chili Mac, with wagyu beef chili, cavatappi pasta, shredded smoked cheddar and caramelized onions.
• U.S. Space Force, Voodoo Doughnut: The Event Horizon, a dark chocolate cake doughnut with white chocolate chips baked in, finished with a galaxy-swirled Neapolitan velvet top and buttercream, then sugar stars, pearls and gold glitter.
• All branches, Bigfire: a Horse Soldier Bourbon Flight. Universal says the flight features a veteran-owned bourbon brand "that was released to honor America's 250th anniversary." Universal notes you must be 21 or older with valid photo ID to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.

Universal's post does not list prices, and it gives no start or end dates beyond November, so check with each venue before you go.

Two dishes started from field rations

NBC Sports Grill & Brew chef Robert Hainer said he began by asking what troops actually eat. "So, I wanted to take a really popular MRE, which is like a barbecue brisket version, but I wanted to juice it up, you know, elevate it a little bit," he said in Universal's post.

His version uses the restaurant's smoked brisket burnt ends, tossed in a smoky tomato jam and finished with the Carolina gold sauce. Hainer, who said he did not serve himself, explained why the month matters to him: "I wasn't able to give service, but I definitely give respect to everybody that did."

Smoked Beef Brisket Bites at NBC Sports Grill & Brew, the Marines dish. Photo: Universal Orlando Resort

Over at Margaritaville, chef Chad Scott took the same approach for the Army, according to Universal, modeling the Frontline Chili Mac on flavors found in traditional Army MREs.

Frontline Chili Mac at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, the Army dish. Photo: Universal Orlando Resort

The Space Force got the dessert

Voodoo Doughnut chef assistants Lee Santiago Bermudez and Jordan Odermatt built The Event Horizon together, and Odermatt says its cosmic theme upstages last year's doughnut. "The Space Force is a tough one as it hasn't existed long, but we still want to honor those who are involved," Odermatt said.

Santiago Bermudez was more direct about the look: "I know a lot of our doughnuts have crazy flavors, but I think this doughnut is one of the prettiest doughnuts we have ever come up with."

Back on the savory side, the Air Force burger comes from Cowfish chef Dania Alvarez-King, who says she picked a classic American burger because it is a familiar favorite.

The Jalapeño Pepperjack Carrier at The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, the Air Force dish. Photo: Universal Orlando Resort

Which branch's dish would you order first: the MRE-inspired brisket, the chili mac, or the galaxy doughnut?

Sources

• Discover Universal blog, "What to Eat During Veterans & Military Families Month at Universal CityWalk Orlando" (November 1, 2026)

Image credits: Universal Orlando Resort (all four photos, via the Discover Universal blog).