The ‘eyebrow-raising’ trend slowly taking over the UK’s biggest fast food chains

You’re going to see more of this at your favourite foodie spots (Picture: Metro) For months, fast food chains have been going hard on chicken. American brands like Dave’s Hot Chicken and Raising Cane’s have flocked (pun intended) to the UK after realising the depth of Brits’ love for fried chicken, and the chains already here have been ramping up their offering. Domino’s launched a spin-off known as Chick ‘N’ Dip, and now Burger King has jumped on the bandwagon, launching chicken tenders for the very first time. But while we’ve all been distracted by this, another trend has been quietly making its way onto menus nationwide – and it’s likely to raise a few eyebrows. You might have noticed more complex, barista-style beverages popping up in unexpected places, and you’re going to see even more specialty drinks hitting your favourite chains soon. KFC launched Kwench in the UK earlier this year (Picture: KFC) Which chains are leading the charge? Let’s flash back to January 2025. KFC unveils Kwench, a new drinks range aimed at Gen Z customers. Kwench was said to take ‘the best elements’ of the beloved Krushems drinks and reimagine them for a younger demographic. After an initial trial, the range has been rolling out nationwide this year, featuring everything from the Strawberry Shortcake Krunch Shake to Iced Tiramisu Lattes and a Cherry Boba Refresher. Leo Sloley, the strategy and innovation director at KFC UK & Ireland, tells Metro that the range was created as customers started to ‘expect more from their drinks than ever before’. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Little treat culture has gripped the nation, and we also can’t get enough novelty in our lives, which means we’re looking for exciting new flavours and something offering more of an ‘experience’, as opposed to just a basic drink to have with a meal. ‘That’s exactly what inspired Kwench,’ Leo says. ‘We saw an opportunity to bring the excitement around drinks into KFC in a way that feels true to us, creating something fun, flavourful and unique. ‘From boba refreshers and sparkling lemonades to iced coffees and delicious Krunch Shakes, we’ve created something that feels new while still having the bold personality people know and love from KFC.’ Kwench drinks are now available in 600 restaurants, and Leo says the response has been ‘fantastic’. Around the same time Kwench launched, Gregg’s made a change that raised a few eyebrows – the high street bakery brand started selling matcha. The Japanese green tea powder beloved by the wellness crowd, as well as celebs like Zendaya, didn’t seem like the obvious choice to pair with sausage rolls or steak bakes, but there it was on the menu. Brits were baffled by the launch, taking to the internet to ask: ‘Why is Greggs trying to sell me a matcha latte?’ Even more surprising, though, McDonald’s then followed suit in the summer, adding a Vanilla Matcha Frappé to its menu in the UK. The beverage was hailed ‘the drink of the summer’ and combined matcha green tea flavouring and sweet vanilla blended with ice and topped with cream. People were baffled when Greggs started selling matcha (Picture: Greggs) McDonald’s vs Starbucks At the time, Maccies claimed it was ‘officially in its iced drink era,’ and if the current menu is anything to go by, it still is. The line-up features drinks such as Frozen Strawberry Lemonade, a Mango and Pineapple Smoothie, a Caramel Iced Frappé, as well as Sprite Zero Fruit Innovations, which see Sprite Zero mixed with fruity syrups and served over ice. Flavours include Sour Cherry, Green Apple, and a new Guava one will be available soon. Further innovation is expected in this category too, as several new beverage concepts were introduced at the McDonald’s Worldwide Convention in Vegas in June. This included a Horchata Dr Pepper, a Swicy Peach Sprite Zero, and Red Bull Energizer drinks in Dragonberry and Peach flavours. It’s not been confirmed if or when these will hit UK menus, but McDonald’s in the US has been experimenting with weird and wonderful McCafe ‘crafted’ beverages in a bid to rival the likes of Starbucks. McDonald’s has launched a number of special drinks in America (Picture: McDonald’s US) Several other big chains are taking a closer look at their drink offerings too. Dave’s Hot Chicken now has a range of frozen drinks known as Slushers. There are regular options as well as ‘top loaded’ ones with cream or popping boba pearls. And Taco Bell recently brought the Baja Blast from the US to the UK – a unique iced drink featuring turquoise Mountain Dew. Popeyes has also confirmed to Metro it’s planning to release some ‘exciting’ new drinks very soon as well, so keep your eyes peeled for that. McDonald’s UK has been experimenting with Sprite Zero and fruity syrups (Picture: McDonald’s UK) The trend is only just getting started… Will the likes of Burger King, Subway, Shake Shack, and Wendy’s follow suit? According to Amir Mousavi, a food consultant and the founder of Good Food Studio, it’s very likely. ‘The [fast food chains] are following where high street spend has already been moving,’ Amir tells Metro. ‘It’s fun, and I get why it’s raising an eyebrow or two, but that’s less because these brands are genuinely ahead of the curve and more because we simply don’t expect it from them. ‘It’s a bit like seeing your grandad nail a TikTok dance – it’s not the choreo that makes it entertaining; it’s the fact that he’s the one doing it.’ Experts say brands like Blank Street are to credit for the trend (Picture: Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Amir claims we have beverage brands like Blank Street to thank for this trend, as they’ve taken something that was ‘once quite niche’ and made it feel completely mainstream. It’s now the norm to spend £6 or £7 on an iced matcha or highly-customised coffee, especially in London. This, in turn, has created a ‘really obvious opportunity’ for big fast food chains, which can take cues from Blank Street, but offer drinks at a more accessible price point. ‘This is interesting for a vast amount of consumers that are either locked out of these trends due to cost or perhaps geographically,’ Amir notes. There’s another aspect at play here too – that ‘little treat’ culture we mentioned before. Drinks have officially become a ‘standalone occasion’, and are increasingly behaving like snacks. ‘These drinks sit in the space between spending zilch and buying a full meal. You don’t necessarily need to be hungry to buy one: you might be walking around town, meeting someone, or simply wanting to try something you’ve seen online,’ Amir explains. ‘If customers who might once have gone into McDonald’s for fries or a milkshake are instead spending that money on an iced matcha or flavoured coffee elsewhere, McDonald’s and KFC need products that compete for that same occasion.’ Would you buy a specialty drink from a fast food chain? Sign up to Metro's The Slice newsletter for your guide to what's on in London, with trusted reviews, offers and giveaways. Ultimately, Amir says adding more interesting drinks to menus makes commercial sense for fast food chains – just don’t expect them to be quick about it. ‘Consumers are already demonstrating that they’re willing to spend more on interesting drinks, so chains would be crazy not to try to capture more of that spend themselves and create more buying occasions for their regulars.’ He adds: ‘I’d expect to see much more “innovation” in this area from the big players, particularly in premium drinks with different textures and inclusions, as the larger chains continue trying to own more of those in-between meal occasions. Deals of the Day Primark's new £14 co-ord has autumn styling on a budget covered Topman’s new-season collection has arrived and prices start at just £10 An Instagram mattress left me with back pain – this one completely changed my mind From £700 MacBooks to discounted iPhones, the best Apple tech for studentsb Save 25% on red light therapy masks, sauna blankets and sleep gadgets in Bon Charge sale ‘One thing is for sure, though: they’ll do it painfully slowly, only once it’s clear a trend will be 100 per cent maturing into mainstream, and with a big dose of cost engineering and processing to make sure their margins remain intact.’ Do you have a story you’d like to share? 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