Holiday drink menus rollout at Starbucks, Dunkin' and more, competing for seasonal spending
The battle of the holiday beverages is heating up this holiday season as coffee shops across the country roll out an array of limited-edition drinks and bites in hopes of enticing customers to splurge on a lil sweet treat that tastes like gingerbread, peppermint, sugar cookies and more.
Despite record heat in the Northeast with fall disguised more like summer this year, American consumers are craving a taste of cozy holiday menu items and brands across the country from Starbucks and Dunkin' to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Caribou have answered.
These companies have built cult followings for their seasonal menu drops, and for brands like Starbucks that reported disappointing Q4 earnings, this end of year push can help their bottom line.
"We're looking at billions of dollars generated for these companies for the holiday season alone," retail expert Hitha Herzog told ABC News. "And really capitalizing on that holiday spirit that customers really get into."
Starbucks holiday menu 2024: What's new
Earlier this week, Starbucks revealed its new seasonal beverage lineup with new Cran-Merry Refreshers and holiday-inspired cold foams -- along with returning classics like the sugar cookie latte and peppermint mocha -- prepared in a lineup of new festive designed cups with scalloped sleeves for hot beverages to really bring the holiday feel to customers hands.
Chloe Julian told "Good Morning America" she planned her day around the seasonal drop, waking up an hour early to be one of the first people in line to taste her holiday favorite and try something new.
"It was a tradition my mom and I would do when I was younger, we would go get peppermint lattes and mochas," Julian said. "I love seeing the new products that they come out with every year -- it's finally the holiday season, it's time to celebrate."
Julian said the iced gingerbread oatmilk chai latte will "be my new go-to, it tastes like a gingerbread cookie."
New holiday drinks at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
The popular western region chain announced five new holiday drinks including flavors like Gingerbread Cookie, Peppermint Dark Chocolate, and White Chocolate Winter Dream Tea Latte. Plus, they added some new pastries with orange cranberry muffins and scones.
Dunkin' holiday menu 2024 has new holiday cookie latte
The standout new seasonal offering at Dunkin', which was announced before Halloween to build up the hype, is a Holiday Cookie Signature Latte that comes hot or iced.
The drink is made with espresso and whole milk with notes of buttery cookie and toasted almond, and gets finished with a swirl of whipped cream as well as a drizzle of caramel and cookie butter crumbles.
Check out the festive new foods on the holiday menu at Dunkin' here.
Gregorys new holiday drinks
The new holiday menu standout this season is a Biscotti Testarossa, a luxe oat milk latte with almond, hazelnut, and Mascarpone Cream Foam that's topped with a freeze-dried orange that captures the comforting essence of the classic Italian cookie.
Additional new holiday beverages include:Peppermint Mocha made with espresso, creamy milk, and chocolatey peppermint, topped with whipped cream and crushed peppermint; an Iced Gingerbread Latte made with gingerbread and simple syrup, with choice of milk; Iced Mint Brew, which is cold brew blended with Nutella and milk that's swirled with peppermint and mocha then topped with whipped cream and peppermint pieces.
Dutch Bros Coffee adds Hazelnut truffle, candy cane and a shimmering surprise
Three new drinks are available at Dutch Bros this season: a Hazelnut Truffle Mocha with caramel drizzle; Candy Cane Mocha that's covered with candy cane sprinkles; a Winter Shimmer Rebel, which the brand said is a "festive twist on our Rebel energy drink," that blends blue raspberry and sweet cream with Soft Top and shimmer sprinkles on top.
