As the temperatures heat up, the drink options cool down on restaurant menus across the country. We took a look at what flavors, drink specials, and cocktails are trending at chains this summer season.
Applebee’s
Applebee’s is cashing in on summer holidays while catering to consumer calls for more value with its spirited Star-Spangled Sips. The program includes the $5 Blue Bahama Mama, $7 All-American Mucho, and a $4 Coors Light Brewtus draft beer.
The Blue Bahama Mama is made with Captain Morgan, Malibu Coconut, blue curacao and Applebee’s proprietary blend of passion fruit, pineapple, cherry and lime.
Featuring red, white, and blue colors, the All-American Mucho, a frozen lemonade with Tito’s Handmade Vodka between delicious layers of strawberry and blue raspberry!
Applebee’s is also offering a non-alc option as consumers increasingly choose to imbibe less. Its $4 Watermelon Breeze Mocktail features Ocean Spray Cranberry combined with watermelon and Starry lemon lime soda.
Outback Steakhouse
On the heels of last summer’s sharktastic seasonal cocktail, Outback has debuted its limited-time Croc-Tail.
Made with SVEDKA Vodka, Midori, kiwi, mango, and citrus juices with a shimmer, the drink also includes a fun crocodile keepsake. The kitschy cocktail plays into consumer demand for an experience they can’t get anywhere else when they dine out.
Bar Louie
Bar Louie is making a month-long celebration out of National Martini Day on June 19th with three new limited-time martini offerings.
The Wake Up Call includes 21 Seeds Valencia Orange, Aperol, peach, pineapple and lemon, while the Midnight Berry is a mix of Tito’s, Peachtree, blackberry, pineapple, blackberries, and a Twang Nectarberry rim. Lastly, the Purple Reign features Deep Eddy Lemon, Las Californias Citrico, honey, pineapple, lemon, butterfly pea flower, and a lemon peel.
In addition to the martinis, Bar Louie also added a few new cocktails to the menu, including the Spicy Watermelon Fresca, which fits in perfectly with the sweet and spicy (swicy) trend consumers are craving. The cocktail includes Ghost Blanco Spicy, cucumber simple syrup, watermelon, lime, and a cucumber peel.
Starbucks
There’s plenty of innovation also happening on the non-alcoholic side this summer in chain restaurants.
Starbucks got into the boba craze with three new Refreshers beverages featuring raspberry flavored pearls—Summer-Berry Lemonade, Summer Skies (with coconut milk), and Summer-Berry.
SONIC
SONIC is also betting on boba, as well as orange cream being a trending flavor this summer, with its new Orange Cloudsicle Slush Float. The orange cloudsicle flavored slush is loaded with orange vanilla flavor bubbles and topped with a cloud of soft serve and more orange vanilla flavor bubbles.
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