Several major convenience retailers are boosting their foodservice offerings with limited-time deals as the fall season approaches..
Short-term menu additions let retailers take advantage of seasonal tastes — like the parade of pumpkin spice beverages during fall or the plethora of peppermint and gingerbread toward the end of the year. LTOs can also be a testing ground for new flavors or excuses to celebrate holidays and other milestones.
Below are several recently announced c-store LTOs.
Rutter’s takes on a pumpkin spice ale
The latest installment in Rutter’s line of limited-time seasonal beers is Haunted Harvest Pumpkin Spice ale, the company announced in an emailed press release.
Created in collaboration with craft brewer Rusty Rail, the ale will be available in four-packs of 16-ounce cans at the retailer’s Pennsylvania stores while supplies last.
Haunted Harvest, a fall- and Halloween-themed beverage taking advantage of the popularity of pumpkin spice flavors in autumn, is the second collaboration between Rutter’s and Rusty Rail.The first was its White Chocolate Cherry Golden Stout last November.
This is Rutter’s sixth private label beer it’s released over the past several years.
7-Eleven’s punk rock collab
As 7-Eleven celebrates the 60th anniversary of creating coffee to-go, it has teamed up with Green Day’s coffee company, Punk Bunny Coffee, for a special anniversary blend. The collaboration also coincides with the 30th anniversary of “Dookie,” the band’s breakout album, and the 20th anniversary of its “American Idiot” album.
The coffee features hints of citrus, undertones of rich stone fruit, warm cocoa flavor and a spice finish, according to the announcement.
In addition to the anniversary blend, Punk Bunny’s Sound Check and Last Ride coffees will be available in bagged blends and K-Cups in 7-Eleven stores. A line of merchandise celebrating the collaboration has also been added to 7-Eleven’s online shop, 7Collection.
Rejuvenated waffle sandwiches
Casey’s General Stores is relaunching a previous LTO, the Ultimate Waffle Breakfast Sandwich, thanks to popular demand. The sandwich includes eggs, bacon and sausage between two maple waffles. It was released at about 100 stores on Aug. 24 and will come to the company’s broader footprint on Sept. 4.
“Since introducing the Ultimate Waffle Breakfast Sandwich last fall for a limited time, we were inundated with requests to bring it back,” said Tom Brennan, Chief Merchandising Officer at Casey’s.
RaceTrac also saw customers clamoring for the return of its waffle-based breakfast sandwich, which contains egg and sausage. That sandwich will be available through early November, according to the company’s website.
Waffle sandwiches have been a popular c-store LTO this year, with Dandy and Stewart’s Shops both rolling them out.
