Time to break up with your favorite soda (or dirty soda).
Fast food tea’s glow-up is real. If you’ve been following the latest on fast food menu releases, then you’re already aware of the tea revolution. If not, welcome! This roundup breaks down some of the most talked about sips in popular fast food chains, and they’re all about giving us tea…literally. But if you’re looking for the metaphorical tea, here’s what’s probably happening: the rising demand for better-for-you products encourages consumers to choose healthier beverages, and that include teas. Fortunately for us, these new drink releases don’t compromise on flavor!
Bojangles’ Watermelon Sweet Tea
If you love Bojangles‘ Legendary Iced Tea, we bet you’re gonna love it even more, as the brand is adding a juicy twist to it. Say hello to Watermelon Sweet Tea! As the weather heats up, Bojangles is serving this limited-time drink made with Legendary Iced Tea (steeped the old-fashioned way) and real watermelon juice. Pair this refreshing new drink with your Bojangles favorites or grab one for summer road trips!
To celebrate the launch, fans can score a FREE Watermelon Sweet Tea at participating Bojangles locations with the promo code: TEATIME. This offer is valid until May 22, 2025 only. Bojangles also encourages fans to drop by the restaurant and enjoy the new drink with other seasonal offerings like Sausage Bo-Berry Biscuits and Bo-Berry Cookies. The Watermelon Sweet Tea is also available for pickup or delivery via the Bojangles app.
Chick-fil-A’s Pineapple Dragonfruit Iced Tea
Chick-fil-A recently made waves for bringing back a well-loved menu item, the Peach Milkshake, but we’re not here to talk about that. Besides, you won’t see this on the menu until June, so the best thing to do is try one of the newest tropical drinks from Chick-fil-A: Pineapple Dragonfruit Iced Tea!
This limited-time tea is freshly brewed every day, made with a blend of tea leaves and tropical flavors from pineapple and dragonfruit, as well as other natural flavors. You can enjoy a sweetened version with real cane sugar or an unsweetened one. Aside from the Pineapple Dragonfruit Iced Tea, there are other pineapple dragonfruit-infused drinks that you can try over at Chick-fil A. These include Pineapple Dragonfruit Lemonade, Pineapple Dragonfruit Sunjoy, and Pineapple Dragonfruit Frosted Lemonade. There’s literally a tropical tea party at this chain!
Ellianos Coffee’s Lemonade and Sweet Tea
Ellianos Coffee, a southeast-based drive-thru specialty coffee brand, is making your summer more refreshing than ever. The brand announced the launch of two in-demand menu items, Lemonade and Sweet Tea! This means, customers can now beat the heat by ordering these drinks on their own, or for a new twist, combine them as a half-and-half for the ultimate refreshing sip! These new drinks are also bound to become a hit for guests of all ages as they can be personalized with flavors like raspberry, strawberry, peach, and more.
According to the VP of Marketing at Ellianos Coffee, Greg Pruitt, they have received a lot of customer requests to bring back these drinks, and the coffee franchise is thrilled to have them on the menu again. As Ellianos Coffee continues to grow, customization remains a key part of offering an elevated experience to all the guests, he added.
The Ellianos menu features other crave-worthy sips including Signature Creations like Iced Tuscany Toffee Latte, Cookies and Cream Freezer, and Caffe Dolce Latte. The brand also offers an array of food items, including fresh New York-style bagels, breakfast bowls with creamy homemade grits, and more.
Hardee’s Peach Sweet Tea
Looks like it’s going to be a peachy summer over at Hardee’s judging by their latest menu updates. The brand launched a new drink that will have you imagining sun-drenched orchards. Whether that’s an overstatement, it’s for you to find out by trying the chain’s newest Peach Sweet Tea! This freshly brewed iced tea is infused with the juicy peach flavor for a refreshing twist.
But that’s not all! Because Hardee’s is also offering Peach Lemonade, made with hand-crafted lemonade with a burst of peach, and Peach Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Shake, made with vanilla ice cream, real milk, and fresh peach flavor. The fruity shake also comes with whipped cream on top. The release of these peach-infused drinks is part of a bigger summer menu update from Hardee’s, which also features other seasonal items like Duke’s Carolina Gold BBQ Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich and the returning Blueberry biscuits.
Pokeworks’ New Signature Drinks
Meanwhile, Pokeworks, the leading poke brand in the fast-casual scene, announced a refreshed lineup of Signature Drinks, and part of this lineup are tea-infused drinks. There are 10 drinks from the new Signature Lineup, but if you’re a tea lover, you might want to check out these items first:
- Ube Milk Tea – In this sip-worthy drink, classic milk tea meets rich ube.
- Jasmine Milk Tea – Enjoy a drink infused with floral jasmine and has a creamy finish.
- Passion Lychee Green Tea – Not your average green tea, this one is fruity and floral, with lychee and passionfruit notes.
Other stars from the lineup include Mango Fresh Milk, Strawberry Lemonade, Mango Coconut Fresca, and so much more. What changed, according to the brand, is that they now use fresh milk instead of traditional creamer for a cleaner taste. Drinks are also made with real fruit, plus boba can be added for just $1 more.
The new Signature Drinks lineup is now available at all participating Pokeworks locations. The brand partnered with Botrista to give these drinks a new lease of life, as the latter is known for their automatic craft drink technology. As per Mike Wu, Co-Founder and Head of Culinary at Pokeworks, they believe that their drinks should have the same quality as their bowls, hence the partnership and refreshed lineup. His favorite drink? The Mango Fresh Milk; it’s clean, simple, and the fruit really shines, he shared.
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From The Club
The brewing change has started! As we see more health-conscious customers drop by popular fast food chains and restaurants, brands are adapting with new, refreshing drinks in the form of iced tea. As a green tea lover, I would love to try Pokeworks‘ Passion Lychee Green Tea! Bojangles‘ Watermelon Sweet Tea is also something else…it sounds like the perfect sip on a hot summer’s day. Which ones are you looking to try?