Halloween is over and that can only mean that it's time for mall holiday music, red and green displays and lots of peppermint marketing. At least in the food sphere, a number of big chains dropped their holidays menus this week.
Starbucks (SBUX)'s holiday menu starting Nov. 3 includes longstanding seasonal favorites like the Peppermint Mocha--the espresso with chocolate and peppermint syrup first debuted in 2002 and celebrates its 20th anniversary this season.
The Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte and Toasted White Chocolate Mocha are some of the other returning drinks while the Chocolate Pistachio Swirl is a new dessert being added to the holiday line-up. The brioche bun contains chocolate filling with a cinnamon and pistachio swirl.
Holiday Menus are Coming From All Directions
Starbucks Japan
Returning desserts include the Reindeer Cake Pop and the Cranberry Bliss Bar, while the Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte is another relatively new addition as the dairy-free holiday drink first launched at Starbucks last year.
"Nothing says the most magical time of the year like the Starbucks red cup returning," the coffee giant said in announcing its 2022 holiday menu.
And for truly extra holiday creations, there is always Starbucks Japan. The chain's Japanese branch launched a Strawberry & Velvet Brownie Frappuccino with the tagline "Let's Be A Santa!"
The bright red color comes from strawberries blended with an entire chocolate brownie.
Dunkin (DNKN) is another top destination for coffee drinks in a rush, as it officially launched its holiday menu on Nov. 2. The new dishes include Cookie Butter Cold Brew and Cookie Butter Donut. Both feature brown sugar and holiday cookie flavors through spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
The cold brew is topped with Cookie Butter Cold Foam and cookie crumbles, while the donut has a cookie butter buttercreme filling and a maple icing and crushed cookie topping.
A new sweet-and-savory holiday item is the Pancake Wake-Up Wrap--wrapped like a tortilla, the pancake is filled with eggs, American cheese and a choice of sausage or bacon. To make sure no one under-indulges, the entire thing is topped with maple syrup.
"We created our newest lineup with the holiday go-getters in mind--those that go the extra mile to make the holiday season bright for everyone else," Dunkin Chief Marketing Officer Jill McVicar said in a statement.
Dunkin'
Holidays and Food Marketing: A Long Love Story
Returning Dunkin holiday menu items, meanwhile, include the Peppermint Mocha and Toasted White Chocolate lattes. The Cranberry Orange Muffin has become a holiday favorite while those wanting a less calorie-heavy drink will have the Holiday Blend Coffee with molasses and dried fruit.
The coffee blend will also be available to purchase in a package for at-home brewing for the first time this holiday season.
For fast-food chains, holiday season is a broad term encapsulating what for many is now the entirely of November and December.
While some like ice cream chain Baskin-Robbins have products like the Turkey Cake specifically for Thanksgiving, a more broad "holiday menu" is much more common. The extended period allows them to have vaguely "wintery" items without tailoring it around a single day.
On top of the chains above, burger chain Wendy's (WEN), Dine Brands Global (DIN)'s International House of Pancakes and Shake Shack (SHAK)'s UK branch all launched holiday items or even entire menus in the last few days.
