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SONIC Drive-In has announced the nationwide rollout of its limited-time "Hotumn" beverage platform across participating US locations and its mobile application.
Scheduled for commercial availability starting 24 August 2026, the seasonal lineup introduces four chilled, autumn-inspired fountain drinks and sweet teas. The release is engineered to bridge the late-summer trading period when consumer interest in autumn flavour profiles rises while ambient temperatures remain high across key US regional markets.
Seasonal Flavour Lineup and Formulations
The Hotumn menu platform translates classic autumn pie and orchard fruit profiles into chilled carbonated soft drinks and iced teas, building upon the brand's established presence in customisable beverages and the "dirty soda" category.
The four limited-time SKU options entering distribution include:
🍒 Cherry Pie made with Coke: A carbonated beverage blending Coca-Cola with cherry flavouring, vanilla, and sweet cream, finished with a cherry topping.
🍇 Harvest Berry made with Sprite: A fruit-forward carbonated beverage combining Sprite with cranberry flavouring, wildberry purée, and vanilla.
🍑 Cranberry Orchard Sweet Tea: A chilled beverage blending freshly brewed sweet iced tea with cranberry flavouring and peach purée.
Seasonal Menu Campaign
The product development strategy leverages consumer purchasing behaviour during the late-August transition window, where traditional hot autumn beverages face temperature barriers in warmer geographical regions.
Ryan Dickerson, Chief Marketing Officer at SONIC, stated that the release provides an alternative to traditional hot autumn drinks by applying seasonal flavour profiles to ice-cold, customisable fountain formats.
To support consumer engagement across digital channels, SONIC has partnered with social media influencer Caitlin Covington. The promotional campaign features Covington in digital social media content recreating recognisable autumn imagery while highlighting the chilled beverage range.
Availability and Distribution
The limited-time Hotumn drink collection will commence physical and digital availability across participating US SONIC drive-thru locations on 24 August 2026.
Order-ahead functionality and promotional visibility will be integrated directly into a dedicated "Hotumn Drinks" section within the proprietary SONIC mobile application, supporting store-level transaction velocity and app-based loyalty engagement throughout the late-summer trading period.
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