Fast-Food Franchises Celebrate Warmer Weather with Seasonal Menu Items, Limited-Time Offers
Updated July 15, 2025
Memorial Day has come and gone. The temperature is rising. Beaches and boardwalks are getting busy with locals and tourists. Yes, summer is (almost) here! And fast-food franchises are celebrating with new seasonal menu items.
For example, Starbucks fans can rejoice at the launch of refreshing, summer-inspired drinks and food items, as well as new branded merchandise such as cold cups, keychains and more. Chick-fil-A’s peach milkshake is returning to the menu, and select Panera Bread locations have brought back lobster, an inspired menu addition that stands out in a sea of fruit-flavored drinks and foods.
These popular menu items and fun summer-inspired marketing are the perfect way for fast-food franchisors to heat up sales and drive foot traffic all season long. Read on for a listing of brands celebrating summer with seasonal menu items and specials.
Summer 2025: Seasonal Fast-Food Menu Items and Specials
Beyond Juicery + Eatery
Beyond Juicery + Eatery has released two new menu items in celebration of summer and its 20th anniversary: the Italiana wrap and antipasto salad. These seasonal menu options are available through Aug. 31.
Biscuit Belly
Biscuit Belly welcomes summer with its popular seasonal peach menu available through August. The Kentucky-born brunch franchise captures the nostalgia of a Southern summer morning by adding peach-flavored toppings to French toast, short stacks of pancakes and more.
Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay
Just in time for summer, Bobby’s Burgers has introduced two limited-time menu items: the Greektown Burger and blueberry cheesecake milkshake. The Greektown Burger comes with certified Angus beef or grilled chicken, Greek yogurt sauce, tomato, cucumber and feta. The blueberry cheesecake milkshake features custard, blueberries, whipped cream and graham cracker crumble.
Bojangles
To ring in the summer season, Bojangles is putting a fresh twist on its Legendary Iced Tea with the launch of watermelon sweet tea. This limited-time offering blends Legendary Iced Tea with real watermelon juice.
Chick-fil-A
It wouldn’t be summer without Chick-fil-A’s peach milkshake! This iconic menu item, which features Chick-fil-A Icedream and peaches and is topped with whipped cream and a cherry, makes its return on June 9. Additionally, the brand’s new peach frosted lemonade combines Chick-fil-A lemonade or diet lemonade and Icedream mixed with peaches.
Cowboy Chicken
Cowboy Chicken, a casual dining franchise that serves hormone-free, all-natural, wood-fire rotisserie chicken, has added new salads to its summer menu. These include the Buffalo chicken salad, Sonoran salad and Monterey salad. Cowboy Chicken is also bringing back its fan-favorite strawberry shortcake (above).
Dunkin’
Dunkin’s Refreshers beverage lineup is getting a refresh with a new flavor, special pricing, and new marketing campaign featuring TV personality and podcaster Paige DeSorbo (above). The new Pink Spritz Refresher blends guava, passion fruit and orange flavors, brightened with a dash of bubbly water. And, throughout the summer, all medium-sized Refreshers (Pink Spritz, strawberry dragon fruit, mango pineapple and tropical guava) are priced at just $3.
Ellianos Coffee
Iced drinks are all the rage this summer at Ellianos Coffee. The drive-thru specialty coffee brand based in the Southeast is adding lemonade and sweet tea to its menu for a limited time.
Greenlane
Greenlane, a corporate-owned, better-for-you fast-food concept, has released a new lineup of summer side salads, including the caprese salad, Italian pasta salad and Greenlane goddess pasta salad. Other limited-time menu items include the summer BBQ salad or wrap, lemon blueberry cookie and spicy pineapple lemonade or tea.
HTeaO
To help guests sip into the summer season, HTeaO is adding Sweet Cherry Iced Tea to the menu through July 31. The new beverage is caffeine-free and crafted with real cherry flavor.
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe is kicking off summer with the Keke’s Kids Meal deal. Typically priced around $8, all Keke’s Kids Menu items are just $5 with the purchase of any adult entrée priced at $8 or more. This deal is valid at participating locations on weekdays through Aug. 1.
Kona Ice
Kona Ice is bringing back the nostalgic magic of summer with the introduction of three new flavors: rocket pop, rainbow sherbet and push-up pop. Rocket pop features cherry, blue raspberry and a hint of lime. Rainbow sherbert combines lime and bright orange with a touch of raspberry, all swirled into a smooth, sherbet-inspired base. Push-up pop blends an orange base with creamy vanilla.
la Madeleine
La Madeleine, a French-inspired bakery and café franchise, has released a seasonal menu that features new summer salades, a limited-time Brioche BLT and summer refreshers. Highlights include the summer chicken salade (tender, seasoned chicken tossed with grapes, celery and almonds in a creamy dressing); strawberry hibiscus (a fusion of strawberry and hibiscus shaken with house- made lemonade and iced tea); and corn salade (corn, cucumber, grape tomatoes and feta tossed with parsley and basil in French dressing).
Lime Fresh Mexican Grill
Lime Fresh Mexican Grill is spicing up the summer season with its new Mexican pizza category. The Tabañero Hot Honey Chicken pizza layers housemade roja, mixed cheese, grilled Tabañero hot honey chicken, pickled onions, avocado ranch, cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. In partnership with the Florida Panthers hockey team, Lime Fresh has launched the new Panthers Pizza, which is topped with roja, mixed cheese, choice of ground beef or grilled chicken, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeño, lime crema, shredded romaine, cotija and cilantro.
McAlister’s Deli
Through Sept. 30, McAlister’s Deli fans can enjoy the new Buffalo chicken lineup and wash it down with a peach mango tea. The Buffalo chicken lineup includes the Buffalo chicken sandwich, Buffalo chicken salad, and ultimate Buffalo chicken nachos.
McDonald’s
Beginning June 10, McDonald’s is introducing its new summer-inspired HERSHEY’S S’mores McFlurry. This seasonal item comes in both a mini size and a regular and features vanilla soft serve with HERSHEY’S milk, chocolate pieces, mini marshmallows and pieces of graham crackers.
MilkShake Factory
MilkShake Factory is serving up a summer tradition that’s back by popular demand: the strawberry pretzel pie shake. This seasonal menu item, which is a creamy blend of sweet strawberries, salty pretzels and frosting, topped with whipped cream and a fresh strawberry, is available through July 27.
Panera Bread
Panera is kicking off summer with a bang by bringing back its lobster roll and lobster mac & cheese to select locations in the Northeast.
Playa Bowls
Starting June 10, Playa Bowls is rolling out its new limited-time passion fruit offerings. The tropical twist smoothie blends playa passion fruit base, playa mango base, strawberries and coconut milk and is drizzled with So Delicious CocoWhip and strawberry purée. The playa passion bowl features the fruity seasonal base, topped with strawberry, pineapple, granola, So Delicious CocoWhip and honey.
Potbelly
To welcome the warmer weather, Potbelly has added the key lime pie cookie to its lineup of sweet treats. This delectable dessert is available for a limited time.
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard
Rita’s is turning up the flavor this summer by debuting the new Limeade Frozen Lemonade Ice Blender. The Italian ice franchise is also supporting families affected by childhood cancer by donating $1 to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), up to $10,000, for every Frozen Lemonade Ice Blender sold through June 29.
Sammy’s Sliders
Sammy’s Sliders is celebrating summer with two new menu items: the Orange Sunset Ice Cream Shake (a blend of real orange juice and vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream) and Garlic Parm Slider (a signature slider that features a crispy chicken finger tossed in garlic Parmesan, layered with melted Swiss and bacon).
Scooter’s Coffee
Scooter’s Coffee is making summer even sweeter with its new Peach Pie Red Bull Infusion. This limited-time menu item infuses Red Bull Summer Edition with an extra bold burst of white peach flavor, and hints of cinnamon and brown sugar. Inspired by peach pie à la mode, the new menu item is topped with peach pie cold foam.
Smalls Sliders
Smalls Sliders is keeping guests refreshed on hot summer days with the release of the new Strawberry Swirl Shake. The seasonal beverage, which is made with a vanilla shake and swirled with ribbons of strawberry puree, is available through Aug. 31.
Smoothie King
Just in time for summer, Smoothie King is introducing a brand new Hydration Smoothie category, which features three refreshing blends: watermelon, pineapple mango and berry. These beverages are made with hydrating ingredients including coconut water and electrolytes — perfect for fueling on-the-go summer days.
Sonny’s BBQ
Sonny’s BBQ is firing up the flavor this summer with new menu items. These include the Tennessee vinegar pork sandwich, BBQ street corn dip, Sonny’s competition ribs, Brisket Mac & Cheese and strawberry corncake (above).
SONIC Drive-In
SONIC Drive-In is dialing up the summer vibes by bringing back its watermelon and Lemonberry slushes. The niche burger franchise is also making its snack lineup even bolder with the addition of Cheesy Garlic Pepperoni Bites — a combo of melty mozzarella and provolone cheeses, pepperoni and pizza sauce wrapped in a crispy, golden brown shell.
Starbird
Nothing says summer like a refreshing salad! For the third consecutive year, Starbird is bringing back its Summer of Salads promotion. Highlights include the Avo Cabo Crunch (Tajin-spiced jicama, avocado mash, Cotija cheese, and pepitas over crispy chicken and greens, finished with an avocado goddess dressing), Creamy Tzatziki Chop (a Mediterranean-inspired salad with cucumbers, kalamata olives, feta and Greek vinaigrette) and Sesame Ramen Crunch (a combination of edamame, crispy ramen noodles, sriracha aioli drizzle and yuzu sesame dressing; pictured above). These salads are available through September.
Starbucks
Starbucks recently rolled out its highly anticipated lineup of summer menu items. A new drink to sip on for a limited time is the Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. Inspired by the Mexican-style horchata, the beverage features Starbucks Blonde Espresso and horchata syrup (a fusion of cinnamon, sweet vanilla and rice flavors) shaken with ice and topped with Starbucks’s oatmilk.
Starbucks has also brought back its Summer-Berry Refreshers (above) — a blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors shaken with ice and poured over raspberry-flavored pearls.
Tijuana Flats
Through Aug. 31, Tijuana Flats is adding seasonal options to its menu. These LTOs include the Backyard Barbacoa (tender, slow-cooked beef bursting with garlic and chili spices), street corn dip (a blend of charred corn, chili lime crema, cotija cheese and a touch of spice) and Mango Jalapeño Agua Fresca (a nonalcoholic beverage made with mango, a kick of jalapeño and a splash of citrus).
Vicky Bakery
Vicky Bakery is adding the apple pastelito to its menu through July 31. The apple pastelito, which is a Cuban puff pastry finished with a drizzle of royal icing, has a filling that features chopped apples mixed with cinnamon and spice.
Wayback Burgers
Through Aug. 29, Wayback Burgers fans can enjoy the brand’s new chicken bacon ranch bowls. This LTO consists of a choice of crispy fries or fresh lettuce as a base, topped with fried chicken, cheddar cheese, bacon, tomatoes, pickles and ranch. The refreshing strawberry hibiscus lemonade (above) is also available for the summer.
Yogurtland
Summer just got hotter at Yogurtland. The frozen yogurt franchise has released new seasonal flavors and toppings, including spicy strawberry watermelon sorbet, guava passion tart, pineapple chamoy gummies and ocean gummies. Yogurtland has also partnered with Princess Cruises for the Sweet Getaway Giveaway to give participants the chance to win a trip for four to the Caribbean, California Coast or Mexico.
Ziggi’s Coffee
Starting June 3, Ziggi’s Coffee is rolling out a fully customizable dirty soda lineup. Choices include more than 22 signature recipes; add-ins including candy toppings, fruit purées and popping boba; and prep styles such as floated, frozen, and cold foam. To celebrate the launch, guests can score a free 20-ounce dirty soda through online orders by signing up online.
