What's Fresh Is Frozen on Restaurant Chain Beverage Menus
Frozen drinks are popular at restaurant chains, and many are new for the summer.
By Monica Rogers, Contributing Editor -- Chain Leader, 7/1/2009
Although restaurant chains are not yet attempting self-serve carbonated frozen beverages a la convenience store, frozen drinks are still universally popular. Among the more recent introductions:
Dublin, Ohio-based Wendy's is stoked about its two coffee-flavored Frosties: the Frostycino and the Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty. Added to core menus in May at Wendy's 6,600 units, the Frostycino is Wendy's newest shake flavor. Thinner than original Frosty formulations, Frosty shakes can be sipped through a straw. The thicker Coffee Toffee treat is Wendy's newest add-on to its Twisted line of mix-in Frosty desserts, says spokesman Denny Lynch.
Miami-based Lime Fresh Mexican Grill has had great success with an expanded line of frozen alcoholic beverages made with agave-wine-based mix. "This new product tastes like it's got tequila, but agave wine is not a full-fledged spirit," says John Kunkel, founder and CEO of the six-unit chain.
Lime Fresh installed frozen-drink machines in each unit in April, dispensing frozen Cosmopolitans, Lime Island Iced Tea and Lime Margaritas. "Normally alcoholic beverages are 10 to 15 percent of gross sales," Kunkel says. "But doing year-over-year comparison, we've been 2 percent better than that since we added the machines."
The Tangerine Cream Smoothie, a blend of vanilla cream with tangerine and mandarin-orange fruit concentrates, is Miami-based Pollo Tropical's newest addition to its Tropichiller line of frozen beverage treats. The limited-time offer sells for $2.99 and will be available through the summer. The 91-unit chain created the Tropichiller in 1996 as an iced treat and added cream-smoothie variations in 2007. Mango is the most popular flavor.
MORE: Meal-replacement shakes are the mainstay of Protein Bar, a new quick-service restaurant concept from former packaged-food-industry manager Matt Matros.
MORE: Restaurant chains might take a cue from convenience stores that cater to guest desires for custom self-serve drinks, value and private-label options.
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