If it seems that there are lots of new drinks on the restaurant menu, then it is because there are there.
Powered by young consumers, which craves series from customized, cold beverages, dunkine Dutch bros, Starbucks And McDonald’s Are answering the call.
According to a home beverages navigator report, away from technomicic, the number of beverages introduced by the top 500 series has increased by more than 9% in the previous year. Companies are even more bent in cold drinks. The market researcher reported in July that offerings like special coffee and energy drinks have seen the highest growth on the menu in the last two years, due to the fall of hot coffee and tea beverages in the menu, the market researcher reported in July.
What is more, consumers are fast going into a chain just to get an iced coffee or soda. Last year, the primary driver for the sale of drinks was “receiving a pick-m-up,” 22% stated that his most common reason for going above 20% in 2023 was the data. Meanwhile, 20% said that he bought a drink for “food washing”. Two opportunities for purchase were changed from the previous year.
“This change suggests that consumers may move towards more beverage-specific opportunities, where the beverages are the main drivers of the purchase of foods instead of an ad-on to go along with food. It aligns with the influx of beverages in recent years,” the report states.
An employee gives a drink to a customer outside the coffee location
Maranie Staab | Bloomberg | Getty images
The sale of high drinks is important for major players as they want to reverse the slope in a difficult consumer environment. McDonald’s US restaurant saw an increase of 2.5% in equal-store sales In the quarter of its second financial year, reversing the two straight quarters of the domestic decline as it bowed into the left partnership and value offerings. But the authorities challenged the low -income consumers. While Starbucks also saw American sales better than expectedThey still fell 2% from the period of pre-year.
Buzzy trying to capitalize on the desire of new drinks will bring its challenges. The amount of technical forecasting beverages will increase by 1% through 2029, but the group stated that it would probably modify that approach. Customers are also more susceptible, with 61% of consumers who said that they saw the price hike Saying that they order beverages less frequently.
What does General Z want
The success of several new beverage lines will hurt on General Z consumers, who are in a flock for adapted and sugary drinks.
Dunkin ‘saw his colorful and sweet refreshers platform the new record high in the most recent quarter, with the sale of the unit more than 30% year-old years. This will release its fall menu at the end of this week and will bow forward in search of General Z consumers.
The rollout will expand the deadream refresher lineup of the pop star Sabrina Carpenter, with a grain N ‘with a grain N’ milk latte, a mixture of espresso and real grain milk, which gives “indifferent marshmallow grains flavor”.
The duration of the drink is important for customers – and especially General Z Consumers, Dunkin Chief Marketing Officer Jill Nelson told CNBC. It has to feel unique and special in this environment.
“On the side of the product, it is heavy about cold beverages, adaptation and bold taste,” Nelson said.
“And then towards promotion … When we think about Jean Z, it is a generation that has grown on sneakers drops and stories that disappear in 24 hours. So it is all about how you make new news and interesting taste combinations, which you can’t really make up at home and make them feel that when you go on the drive and you say that they say that the company said that the company is re -made at home.
The competition will be heated next month as McDonald’s beverage enters the beverage category in a more meaningful manner. On 2 September, McDonald’s Visconsin’s 500 restaurants and new drinks will begin an extended market test in Colorado, including “creamy Vanilla Cold Bru” and “Toosted Vanilla Frapes”.
A worker hand over a customer to a customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Martinez, California, US on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty images
In addition, fast food giants will roll the “dirty soda” and strawberry watermelon refreshers, which will be aimed at the objective of General Z consumers. McDonald’s created a lineup with learning from the concept of COSMC now, which overshadowed the customized drinks.
“We are looking at the real speed in beverages, especially with our gene Z fans-a cure,” the Chief Customer Experience and Marketing Officer of McDonald’s said Alyssa Boutikofer said.
On McDonald’s most recent earning call, CEO Chris Campsinski stated that beverages offer a “big opportunity” for the brand.
“It is growing and it is more beneficial than food. Therefore, a lot of things like, which is why we as well as, I think, some of our contestants are also excited about this,” Kampcinkey told analysts. He said that when there are values offerings in the beverage place, you can get a lot of “full margin products” that the franchise will not be exempted.
Protein game
New drink options go beyond sweet and bold. The aim of the chain is to win consumers by exploiting health trends.
An iced vanilla protein latte from Starbucks.
Courtesy: Starbucks
As Starbucks has continued its “back to Starbucks” turnaround plan under CEO Brian Nicole, it is making more changes in the menu, including the late quarter quarter of the protein cold foam. On the company’s recent earnings call with analysts, Nicole stated that the item “has become one of our most popular modifiers, the cold foam, which increased by 23% year -on -year.”
He said, “Protein cold foam without any extra sugar is an easy way to add 15 grams of protein to almost any cold drink. And customers can also add the taste of their choice,” he said.
The coffee giant said that it is seeing an increase in satisfaction among young consumers. Nikkol reported that analysts had a two -year high in their most recent quarter, inspired by the benefits between General Z and Millennials, which make more than half of their customer base.
It is bet that innovation, in collaboration with better customer service under its new “Green apron service “strategy, will help promote business,
Coffee chain Dutch broses have bent into some of those beverages to increase strong growth. The series has been a standout stock artist-over 22% year-to-year-year-year-year-old quarter saw an increase of more than 6% in its equal-store sales.
CEO Christine Baron said that protein milk launched in 2024 has promoted business. But more widely, unique and stunning topping and prasad is a way to engage in a difficult competitive landscape, he said.
“I think the key with innovation is really to understand when something may be ready to pop, or some may be of high interest, and then be able to really move faster to execute it well on it,” Baran told the CNBC.
