Summer is one of the best times for restaurants to strengthen their beverage program. Patio traffic, warmer weather, longer visits, and social gatherings all create opportunities to increase beverage sales and improve check averages without adding significant pressure to the kitchen.
A strong beverage program does more than offer something cold to drink. It can help improve profitability, support seasonal promotions, enhance the guest experience, and give customers a reason to stay longer and return throughout the season.
Here are a few ways restaurants can make their beverage programs work harder this summer.
Make Beverages a Bigger Part of the Guest Experience
During the summer, guests are often looking for refreshing options that feel seasonal and easy to enjoy. Iced teas, lemonades, fountain drinks, smoothies, mocktails, juices, and specialty iced coffees can all add value to the dining experience.
The key is to think beyond standard drink options. Simple additions like fruit-forward flavours, seasonal garnishes, fresh herbs, or spicy accents can make beverages feel more exciting without requiring major operational changes.
Increase Check Averages Without Slowing Down the Kitchen
One of the biggest advantages of beverages is that they can help increase revenue without adding significant prep time for kitchen teams. During busy summer service, this matters.
While food orders require cooking, plating, and timing, many beverage items can be prepared quickly with the right systems in place. Fountain drinks, iced teas, bottled options, juices, and batch-prepped mixers can help staff serve guests efficiently during high-volume periods.
Restaurants can also build simple beverage pairings into their menu. A summer sandwich with an iced tea, a shareable appetizer with a pitcher feature, or a patio entrée with a mocktail can help encourage higher spend in a way that feels natural to the guest.
Summer is the perfect time to introduce limited-time beverage features. These don’t need to be complicated to be effective.
Restaurants can create simple seasonal options using familiar ingredients, such as citrus, berries, mango, peach, mint, cucumber, or tropical flavours. Spicy and sweet combinations can also work well in summer beverages, especially in mocktails, iced teas, lemonades, and cocktail mixers.
Limited-time drinks give guests something new to try and can be promoted easily through table cards, menus, social media, and server recommendations. They also create a reason for repeat visits, especially when features rotate throughout the season.
Offer More Non-Alcoholic Options
Guests are increasingly looking for beverage choices that feel intentional, even when they are not ordering alcohol. Non-alcoholic beverages are no longer limited to soft drinks and water. Mocktails, specialty iced drinks, fruit-based beverages, functional drinks, and premium juices can all help restaurants appeal to a wider range of customers.
This is especially valuable for patios, lunch traffic, family dining, and guests who want something refreshing without alcohol. A thoughtful non-alcoholic beverage menu can help increase check averages while making the experience feel more inclusive.
Keep Operations Simple and Profitable
A successful summer beverage program should be easy to execute. The best options are those that deliver strong guest appeal without creating extra complexity for staff.
Operators can start by reviewing what they already have on hand. Can one syrup be used in multiple drinks? Can a fruit purée support both cocktails and mocktails? Can iced tea, juice, or soda be used as a base for several seasonal features?
Cross-utilizing ingredients helps reduce waste, simplify ordering, and keep costs under control. It also allows restaurants to offer variety without carrying too many one-use products.
Work With the Right Supplier Partners
A successful summer beverage program starts with having the right supplier support behind it. From core drink offerings to seasonal features, reliable partners can help operators build a menu that is appealing, easy to execute, and profitable during high-volume summer service.
Supplier partners like Pepsi can support core beverage programs with fountain drinks, classic sodas, iced teas, sparkling water, bottled water, and functional beverages. Brands and products such as Pepsi, Pure Leaf, bubly, Evian, and Poppi can help operators appeal to a wide range of guest preferences, from familiar favourites to premium, refreshing, and wellness-inspired options.
Partners such as Kerry and Lassonde can also help expand summer beverage menus with practical, easy-to-execute solutions. Kerry offers beverage flavour solutions such as syrups, sauces, and bases that work well in iced coffees, lemonades, mocktails, and refreshers. Lassonde provides juice and beverage brands like Oasis, Rougemont, Allen’s, and Sun-Rype, which can be served on their own or used as bases for seasonal cocktails, mocktails, punches, and patio features.
With access to supplier programs, competitive pricing, and dedicated Key Account Consultant support, Groupex helps restaurants identify opportunities to strengthen their beverage offerings while managing costs. Whether you’re refreshing your patio menu, adding more non-alcoholic options, or looking for simple ways to increase check averages, the right beverage strategy can help make every summer service more profitable.
📞 Call us at 1-800-670-6800 or fill out our to learn how Groupex can help support your summer beverage program.
FAQ
What beverages sell well in the summer for restaurants?
Popular summer beverage options include iced teas, lemonades, fountain drinks, sparkling water, bottled water, mocktails, juices, iced coffees, smoothies, and seasonal refreshers.
How can restaurants increase beverage sales?
Restaurants can increase beverage sales by adding seasonal features, promoting drink pairings, offering non-alcoholic options, using table cards, training servers to suggest drinks, and creating limited-time patio specials.
Are non-alcoholic beverages profitable for restaurants?
Yes. Non-alcoholic beverages such as mocktails, iced teas, lemonades, juices, and premium waters can help increase check averages without adding significant complexity to kitchen operations.
How can restaurants promote summer drinks?
Restaurants can promote summer drinks through social media, table tents, patio signage, menu callouts, server recommendations, limited-time offers, and food-and-drink pairings.
