For years fizzy drink sales were the rule—not the exception—when eating out.
QSRs and fast food operators relied on sodas for both easy sales and high profits. Lately, though, that trend is changing. Fewer fizzy drinks are being sold, and there is a simultaneous rise in specialty coffee and tea beverages.
Just check out this recent study by The NPD Group, which examines how soft drink sales have diminished drastically over the years. The chart on the right side of this post shows how iced tea and specialty coffee have really surged in the past year.
One astute operator I spoke to has showcased different flavors of iced tea next to the soda dispenser and watched sales increase fivefold. Other players are featuring higher ticket and higher margin coffee drinks to accompany their hamburgers and salads. Drive-thrus are no longer the sole province of soda pop. Like drinks that are left out too long, carbonated beverage sales are flat. Consumers have been trained to expect more variety, and successful operators are those introducing the unusual, interesting, and differentiated drinks. Unusual teas. Iced coffees. Flavored lemonades. Energy drinks.
That just scratches the surface, and I’m looking forward to seeing what bubbles up next…
