As restaurant chains increasingly turn to specialty beverages to attract customers beyond the traditional meal, Sonic Drive-In believes a business model built around drink customization gives it a head start.
Marion Campbell, Sonic’s vice president of integrated marketing and communications, told FOX Business that the quick-service restaurant industry is still figuring out how to make specialty beverages a bigger part of its business, while Sonic has spent years building customization into its operations.
“I think that the market is just getting started. And QSR in particular is just figuring out a way to serve these types of beverages to their guests and make it a pivotal part of their DNA. It’s already a part of our DNA,” Campbell said.
The competition for beverage customers comes as restaurant brands experiment with specialty drinks, customization and limited-time flavors to give consumers additional reasons to visit. Rival fast-food chains McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Jack in the Box each offer their own versions of dirty sodas.
The nonalcoholic beverage market generated $264.1 billion in consumer spending at US foodservice establishments in 2025, accounting for 23% of industry-wide sales, according to data from Technomic. The data also showed that cold beverage spending in 2025 climbed 3.4%, compared with a 1.2% rise for hot beverages, with Technomic saying that “innovation and consumer preference are driving cold beverages to the forefront of market growth.”
For Sonic – which operates more than 3,400 restaurants and generates $5.2 billion in annual system sales – drinks can bring customers through its drive-ins even when they aren’t looking for a burger, hot dog or other full meal.
“A beverage-only guest is a very frequent guest. So beverage is always going to play a pivotal role because of the frequency it drives for the business versus just a check driver,” Campbell said.
She added that beverages can also increase how much a customer purchases when paired with food.
The company’s customization infrastructure has also allowed the chain to capitalize on the popularity of dirty sodas, which typically combine soda with additions such as cream and flavored syrups.
The dirty soda trend has exploded over the past two years, with case volume at quick-service restaurants jumping 318% during that time, according to data from market research firm Circana.
“I think dirty sodas is a place we’ve actually played long before they were really deemed dirty sodas,” Campbell said.
Campbell said Sonic was positioned to capitalize on the trend because customers were already accustomed to customizing drinks at its restaurants.
The chain is now using that platform to experiment with new flavors and seasonal products, including its recently launched fall-inspired lineup and banana-flavored offerings.
The strategy comes as consumers remain sensitive to restaurant prices, forcing chains to balance novelty and indulgence with value.
Campbell said beverage pricing can vary widely, from an everyday carbonated soft drink to more elaborate specialty offerings, and argued that consumers can be willing to spend more for an experience they consider distinctive.
Sonic’s latest seasonal marketing push also illustrates how the company is trying to translate beverage experimentation into customer traffic.
The chain created a campaign around “Hotumn,” its name for the period when consumers begin embracing fall flavors and clothing even as temperatures remain hot, particularly in Sonic’s core Southern markets. The campaign is scheduled to run for about four weeks.
Looking further ahead, Campbell expects customers’ appetite for personalization to continue shaping the beverage business.
“Again, customization’s not going anywhere. It’s been here forever. People like to be in control of the flavors they consume. They like to feel like they’re the creator, and they have that ability,” Campbell said.
She also pointed to flavored water as an area with room for additional experimentation as consumers look for customizable beverages beyond traditional soft drinks.
Sonic has more beverage concepts in development, according to Campbell, although she declined to disclose what the company plans to introduce next.