Sonic Relies on Customizable Drinks to Lock In Customers

Fast-food giants are scrambling to catch the wave of specialty drinks. Sonic Drive-In thinks it is already swimming in deep water because its entire model relies on drink customization. The drive-in chain is counting on personalized beverages to lock customers into repeat visits.

Marion Campbell, vice president of integrated marketing and communications for Sonic, told FOX Business that the quick-service restaurant sector is still learning how to make specialty drinks a core part of their operations. Sonic has been doing this for years. "I think that the market is just getting started," Campbell said. "And QSR in particular is just figuring out a way to serve these types of beverages to their guests and make it a pivotal part of their DNA. It's already a part of our DNA."

Brands are fighting hard over drink customers right now. Competitors like McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Jack in the Box have launched their own versions of dirty sodas as they experiment with limited-time flavors to give people reasons to show up. The numbers back this shift up. Technomic data shows the nonalcoholic beverage market generated $264.1 billion in consumer spending at U.S. foodservice establishments in 2025. That figure represents 23% of all industry-wide sales. Cold beverage spending climbed 3.4% in that year, while hot beverages rose just 1.2%. Technomic noted that "innovation and consumer preference are driving cold beverages to the forefront of market growth."

Sonic operates more than 3,400 restaurants and pulls in $5.2 billion in annual system sales. Drinks pull people into drive-ins even when they do not want a burger or hot dog. "A beverage-only guest is a very frequent guest," Campbell noted.

Beverage sales drive business frequency far more often than just a single check total, according to Campbell. She noted that drinks also boost how much a customer purchases when paired with food orders. The chain's customization infrastructure lets it ride the wave of dirty sodas. These mixes combine soda with additions like cream and flavored syrups. Case volume for quick-service restaurants jumped 318% during the past two years based on Circana data.

"I think dirty sodas is a place we've actually played long before they were really deemed dirty sodas," Campbell stated. Sonic was positioned to capitalize because customers already customized drinks at its locations. The chain now uses that platform for new flavors and seasonal products. It recently launched a fall-inspired lineup and banana-flavored offerings.

Consumers remain sensitive to restaurant prices, forcing chains to balance novelty with value. Campbell explained that beverage pricing varies widely from everyday soft drinks to elaborate specialty items. She argued consumers will spend more for an experience they consider distinctive. Sonic's latest seasonal marketing push shows how the company translates beverage experimentation into customer traffic. The campaign centers on "Hotumn," a name for when consumers embrace fall flavors even while temperatures stay hot in core Southern markets. It runs for about four weeks.

Looking ahead, Campbell expects personalization appetite to continue shaping the beverage business. "Again, customization's not going anywhere. It's been here forever," she said. People like control over their consumed flavors and feel like creators with that ability. She pointed to flavored water as an area with room for additional experimentation beyond traditional soft drinks. Sonic has more beverage concepts in development according to Campbell. She declined to disclose what the company plans to introduce next.