Separate Yourself from the (Six) Pack – Alcohol Overview in QSR and Fast Casual
Despite the fact that consumers are spending 20% of their income on eating/drinking out, at an average of 2.7 times per week, the alcoholic options at QSRs and fast casual chains are extremely limited.
Serving alcohol to the consumers that drive thru these chains is not recommended, but there are opportunities to appeal to a wider audience, who may prefer to imbibe and stay awhile. Some establishments have opted to enhance their menu with alcoholic offerings that are in line with their brand identity, current alcohol trends, and sometimes, both.
We looked at what alcohol options some of the most popular QSR and fast casual restaurants are offering, and here’s what we found:
| Restaurant | Alcohol Offering |
| Wendy’s | N/A |
| McDonald’s | N/A |
| Chick-Fil-A | N/A |
| Subway | N/A |
| Panera | N/A |
| Sweetgreen | N/A |
| Halal Guys | N/A |
| Naf Naf | N/A |
| Carl’s Jr. / Hardee’s | No alcohol, but they did collaborate with Budweiser to offer a Beer Cheese Bacon Burger |
| QDoba | Bottled beer |
| Shake Shack | Bottled and draft beer |
| Steak ‘n Shake | Draft beer, wine |
| Sbarro | Bottled beer |
| Sonic | Some locations have beer and wine |
| Blaze | Some locations have beer and wine |
| & Pizza | Bottled beer and wine |
| Burger King | A few New York locations are serving bottled beer, and one location even has a 700 calorie Guinness Shake that combines the stout with traditional milk shake ingredients. |
| Taco Bell | Cantina locations offer beer, wine, sangria and Twisted Freezes (slushies spiked with vodka, tequila or rum.) |
| Chipotle | Margaritas with choice of Patron or Sauza tequila, sweetened with organic agave nectar |
| Nando’s Peri Peri | Portuguese beers, craft beer, cider, seasonal sangria, spiked lemonade, wine |
| Arby’s | Jury’s still out. They may serve beer post their parent group acquiring Buffalo Wild Wings in February 2018. |
Looking to spike your beverage menu? Imbibe beverage experts are equipped to enhance current offerings or assist in developing new products. Email us at thedrinktank@imbibeinc.com to start a conversation.
