Separate Yourself from the (Six) Pack – Alcohol Overview in QSR and Fast Casual

Posted: July 30, 2018
In: Trends

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.

alcohol, alcohol trends, arby's, beverage trends, blaze, Chipotle, imbibe, QSR, taco bell, wendy's

Keep Reading:

How Are Shoppers Using AI to Choose Functional Beverages?

More shoppers now ask AI about their health before they reach the shelf. Here’s what that means for functional beverage brands, and how to earn trial when AI weighs in first.

Imbibe-Developed Beauty Hydration Slushie Featured in Food Ingredients First’s SupplySide Global 2026 Recap

Frozen formats add another layer of complexity to functional products, because cold serving temperatures can mute flavor and sweetness perception. A concept that tastes balanced at room temperature may fall flat once frozen.

Clear Protein Is Booming. Is Your Portfolio Keeping Up?

Considerations like format, processing, shelf life, and label constraints all influence how a solution performs in the final product. What works in one system may not translate directly to another.