SONIC Unveils “Hotumn” Drink Lineup With a Chilled Twist on Fall Flavors
Every year, fall seems to arrive on the internet well before it reaches the weather forecast. Sweaters make their seasonal comeback, pumpkin spice flavors begin appearing on menus, and social media fills with images of colorful leaves, cozy drinks and autumn-inspired décor. The only problem is that in many parts of the country, temperatures are still firmly in summer territory.
SONIC® is leaning into that seasonal contradiction with the launch of Hotumn, a limited-time collection of autumn-inspired beverages designed for consumers who are already thinking about fall even while dealing with late-summer heat.
Rather than offering traditional hot seasonal beverages, SONIC is putting a distinctly refreshing spin on fall flavors. The new Hotumn lineup combines familiar autumn-inspired tastes with the cold, customizable beverages that have long been part of SONIC’s menu identity. The result is a collection created for guests who want the flavors of fall without giving up an ice-cold drink.
The Hotumn lineup will be available at participating SONIC locations nationwide beginning August 24, 2026, and guests will also be able to order the beverages through the SONIC App for a limited time.
Four New Drinks Celebrate the Start of “Hotumn”
SONIC’s Hotumn lineup includes four specialty beverages, each pairing fruit, vanilla or seasonal-inspired flavors with popular soft drinks and iced tea.
The first option is Cherry Pie made with Coke®, which combines Coca-Cola® with cherry and vanilla flavors and sweet cream. The drink is finished with a cherry on top, giving the beverage a dessert-inspired profile while maintaining the refreshing character of a cold fountain drink.
The second offering, Blueberry Pie made with Dr Pepper®, brings together crisp Dr Pepper® with blueberry puree, vanilla flavor and sweet cream. The combination is designed to evoke the familiar flavors of a blueberry dessert while delivering them in a chilled beverage format.
For fans of bright and fruity flavors, Harvest Berry made with Sprite® combines Sprite® with wildberry puree, cranberry and vanilla flavors. The result offers a berry-forward interpretation of fall while retaining the crisp, refreshing qualities associated with Sprite®.
Rounding out the lineup is Cranberry Orchard Sweet Tea, which blends freshly brewed Sweet Iced Tea with peach puree and cranberry flavor. The beverage takes inspiration from orchard and harvest flavors while offering a cold tea option for guests looking for something different from a traditional soda-based drink.
Together, the four beverages give customers several ways to embrace the flavors associated with autumn without reaching for a steaming latte while temperatures remain high.
SONIC Puts a Cold Spin on Fall Beverage Culture
The launch reflects SONIC’s longstanding focus on customizable drinks and its position within the increasingly popular flavored beverage and dirty soda category.
Ryan Dickerson, Chief Marketing Officer at SONIC, said the brand has offered customizable drinks well before dirty sodas became a major beverage trend. According to Dickerson, the company saw an opportunity to participate in the annual fall beverage conversation while taking an approach that better matches the weather in late August.
The Hotumn concept is built around that tension between seasonal expectations and actual temperatures. Consumers may be ready for pumpkin patches, hayrides, sweaters and fall flavors, but a hot beverage may not necessarily be appealing when outdoor temperatures remain in the 80s.
By keeping the beverages cold, SONIC is positioning Hotumn as a playful alternative to conventional fall drink launches. The campaign also reinforces the brand’s personality and its ability to reinterpret familiar seasonal trends through its own beverage-focused lens.
A New Season for Fall Enthusiasts
To help introduce Hotumn, SONIC has partnered with Caitlin Covington, whose recognizable fall-themed photography has become closely associated with the arrival of autumn on social media.
Covington is known for imagery that captures the visual traditions of the season, making her a natural fit for a campaign centered on the early arrival of fall culture. Through the new social campaign, she humorously recreates one of her recognizable fall-inspired photos while enjoying beverages from the Hotumn collection.
The campaign plays on a familiar late-summer experience: consumers may already be dressing and decorating for fall, but their weather applications are still reporting summer heat. SONIC’s message is that there is no need to wait for cooler temperatures to start enjoying fall-inspired flavors.
The collaboration also gives Hotumn a visual identity that fits naturally into the social media conversation surrounding the unofficial start of the autumn season.
Designed for the “Hotumn” Moment
The idea behind Hotumn is simple: there is a period between summer and fall when consumer interest has already shifted toward autumn, even though the weather has not followed.
This transition has become increasingly visible in retail, foodservice and social media, where seasonal products often appear weeks before temperatures actually begin to cool. SONIC is turning that cultural moment into a beverage occasion of its own.
Instead of asking customers to choose between summer refreshments and fall flavors, Hotumn combines both. Guests can enjoy fruit-forward, dessert-inspired and seasonal flavor profiles while still getting the cold beverages they want during warm weather.
The concept also fits SONIC’s emphasis on beverage customization. By building fall-inspired combinations around familiar soft drinks and tea, the brand is extending its drink platform into a seasonal occasion without abandoning the characteristics that make its beverage offerings distinctive.
Availability and Ordering
The SONIC Hotumn drink lineup launches August 24, 2026, at participating SONIC locations nationwide and will remain available for a limited time.
Guests can order the beverages in person at participating SONIC Drive-In locations or through the SONIC App. The app will feature a dedicated Hotumn Drinks section, making it easier for customers to browse and order the seasonal lineup.
Customers interested in finding a participating location or learning more about the promotion can visit the official SONIC website.
The launch also provides an opportunity for SONIC Rewards members to use the brand’s digital ordering platform while taking advantage of available rewards and perks.
New customers can become SONIC Rewards members by downloading the SONIC App through the App Store or Google Play and completing the sign-up process. Existing app users can simply update to the latest version to access the current SONIC Rewards experience.
Bringing Fall Forward
With Hotumn, SONIC is tapping into a seasonal trend that continues to gain momentum: celebrating fall before summer weather has actually ended.
The four-drink lineup—Cherry Pie made with Coke®, Blueberry Pie made with Dr Pepper®, Harvest Berry made with Sprite®, and Cranberry Orchard Sweet Tea—offers different interpretations of familiar autumn flavors while keeping the beverages cold and refreshing.
The campaign with Caitlin Covington further emphasizes the playful nature of the launch, positioning Hotumn as a tongue-in-cheek celebration of those consumers who are ready for fall even when the forecast still says summer.
For guests who want the taste and atmosphere of autumn without a hot drink, SONIC’s latest lineup offers another way to mark the seasonal transition. Beginning August 24, the brand is inviting customers to embrace fall a little early—and to do it with an ice-cold beverage in hand.
Source Link:https://www.businesswire.com/
