Virgin Australia Airlines adds viral Cheeseburger Toastie to menus
Virgin Australia Airlines is adding a Cheeseburger Toastie to its refreshed inflight menu from Wednesday 6 May 2026, bringing a snack with more than 19.8 million TikTok views onto eligible domestic and short-haul international services. The move gives the carrier a menu item with built-in recognition, while the Business Class refresh follows later in the month.
Ali Dunn on the new toastie
Ali Dunn, Virgin Australia General Manager Product & Customer Strategy, said: "Our new Cheeseburger Toastie brings a viral food trend to the skies, building on the popularity of one of our most loved onboard items." She also said, "Last year alone we sold more than a quarter of a million toasties, so we’re expecting the Cheeseburger Toastie to be a big hit!"
The sandwich is filled with 100% Australian ground beef, melted cheese, ketchup, mustard and a pickle, then finished with a cheesy sauce. Virgin Australia says the Ham and Cheese toastie remains a firm favourite onboard, with nearly a quarter of a million sold each year, so the new version is clearly being added on top of a proven seller rather than replacing one.
Economy from 6 May 2026
The refreshed Economy menu also includes corn chips with zesty salsa, a golden falafel wrap and creamy mac and cheese, while the beverage range expands with Hard Rated Lemon. Virgin Australia says Hard Rated Lemon is Australia’s most popular ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage, and it also says taste can be reduced by up to 30 per cent at altitude, which helps explain the push for stronger flavors onboard.
Virgin Australia continues to serve complimentary tea, coffee and water to all Economy guests on every flight. Velocity Frequent Flyer members can use Pay with Points for onboard food and beverage purchases on eligible Virgin Australia domestic and short-haul international flights, and the airline says its loyalty program is the only one in Australia offering inflight Points redemptions on food and beverage items.
Business Class on 27 May 2026
The new Business Class menu, available from 27 May 2026, was developed using guest feedback and extensive taste testing. It includes ricotta chocolate and hazelnut crepes, beef with creamy polenta and pesto fusilli salad, and all premium food and beverage items in Business Class are included in the airfare.
Dunn said, "We've designed our new menus to deliver bold, flavour-packed options that we know our guests will love." She added, "From Australian-first initiatives like Pets in Cabin flights, baggage tracking and Pay with Velocity Points, we're continuing to invest in improving the guest experience to bring more choice and value to Australian travellers." For passengers on eligible services, the practical change is simple: Economy gets the new menu first, Business Class follows three weeks later, and the toastie is the item most likely to pull attention.
