Nation’s Restaurant News: Franchises Are Betting Big on Beverages

Franchise giants are going all in on beverages, and Taco Bell is the latest to do so by delving into frozen coffee and shakes. The company announced the testing of Coffee Chillers and Churros Chillers at two select Southern California locations for a limited time.

Starting December 15, Coffee Chillers will be served all day at a Mission Viejo restaurant, while Churro Chillers will be available at an Irvine location. The Coffee Chillers feature blended iced coffee topped with cold foam in Mexican chocolate, caramel churro or spiced vanilla. Meanwhile, Churro Chillers offer a blended sweet shake with cold foam and churro crumbles.

This strategic move by Taco Bell aligns with a broader trend in the franchise landscape, where major players are increasingly focusing on beverages. The industry buzz around specialty drinks has grown significantly, fueled by the likes of McDonald's CosMc’s concept and the success of Dutch Bros, 7 Brew and Biggby’s.

With Gen Z favoring cold coffee over hot coffee, and data from Technomic Ignite indicating that cold beverage sales outpaced hot beverages in 2022, Taco Bell's venture into frozen coffee and shakes reflects the industry's shift toward meeting evolving consumer preferences in the beverage realm.

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