Sonic Corp. is adding new slush flavors to its discounted happy hour lineup as it prepares for the summer season.
Oklahoma City-based Sonic debuted this week 28 different slush options made with real fruit and nostalgic candies, such as Nerds and Jolly Ranchers. For a limited time, Sonic is offering the slushes at half-price during its happy hour promotion, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For Sonic, innovation in its extensive beverage program was key.
“Last year’s introduction of Nerds into our slush lineup was hugely successful, which ultimately inspired us to experiment with more candy flavors for the second year of ‘Slush Headquarters,’” said Claes Petersson, Sonic’s vice president of product innovation.
“This year we’ve added two more nostalgic candies,” Petersson said, “including Jolly Ranchers and popping candy, to satisfy our adventurous slush fans who appreciate something different and surprising in their icy refreshment.”
Sonic has tapped brand ambassador Kevin Durant, the National Basketball Association All-Star player and Oklahoma City Thunder forward, to highlight two signature slushes: The All-Star, with blue raspberry and Nerds with rainbow candy; and The Game Changer, with lemon, strawberries and Nerds with rainbow candy. Durant said a “surprise flavor” will debut in the summer.
Quick-service restaurants have been paying more attention to the mid-afternoon snack daypart. In October, Taco Bell brought back its limited-time “Happier Hour,” from 2 to 5 p.m. daily, featuring $1 Grillers with select $1 beverages.
Research firm Technomic Inc. has found that about 39 percent of users of traditional happy hours are driven by pricing.
“For most operators, happy hours are a volume play, with popular brands and drinks offered at deep discount to drive traffic and generate sales volume,” wrote Donna Hood Crecca, Technomic’s senior director of the adult beverage resource group.
For quick-service restaurants like Sonic, offers rely on attractive pricing, such as 99-cent snacks and half-price drinks.
Sonic is also touting add-ons such as ice cream, so customers can customize their slush orders.
For the second quarter ended Feb. 28, Sonic reported an 86.6-percent increase in net income, compared with the same quarter a year ago.
Revenue rose 15 percent, to $126.2 million, compared with $109.7 million the previous year, the company said. Same-store sales increased 11.5 percent systemwide.
Sonic has more than 3,500 locations, and is nearly 90 percent franchised.
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