Three returning fall drinks are now on the menu at Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii through November 30, as the Hawaiian coffee franchise activates its annual seasonal push with a lineup designed to drive both repeat visits and first-time trial.
The Maple Wave Latte, Banana Bread Chai, and Badass Pumpkin Latte are available at participating U.S. locations from August 25 through November 30, while supplies last. A Pumpkin Swirl Bread rounds out the food side of the seasonal offering. Prices range from $3.99 for the bread to $7.80 for the Badass Pumpkin Latte, though pricing varies by size and location.
The Fall Lineup
The Maple Wave Latte ($6.05) layers maple and caramel notes finished with a caramel drizzle. The Banana Bread Chai ($4.25) blends banana and hazelnut flavors with a cinnamon dusting. The Badass Pumpkin Latte ($7.80) combines pumpkin pie and white chocolate topped with whipped cream and cinnamon — a format well-suited to the premium seasonal beverage trends that have made fall LTOs a cornerstone of specialty coffee marketing.
"Our fall favorites are coming back this year because guests genuinely look forward to them, and that gives us a great reason to welcome new customers who may be trying Bad Ass Coffee for the first time this season," said Iain Douglas, Chief Brand and Strategy Officer at Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. "These menu items bring the cozy, familiar flavors people crave in fall, made with the same real Hawaiian coffee that sets us apart."
A Surprise Mid-Season Drop
Beyond the returning classics, the brand is building in a second traffic driver: a limited-edition frozen drink slated to debut October 20. The move extends momentum from the brand's summer Koffee Koolers frozen line and is positioned to recapture guest attention mid-season — a period when fall LTO buzz typically softens. Douglas noted the surprise element is intentional, giving the brand a second news cycle within the same promotional window.
The strategy reflects a broader playbook gaining traction across restaurant seasonal menu development: stagger limited-time releases rather than front-loading all novelty at launch, keeping guests engaged across a longer promotional arc.
Founded in 1989 on the Big Island of Hawaii, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii operates nearly 40 U.S. franchise locations, with 14 additional stores targeted to open by end of 2025 and another 63 in various stages of development. The brand's rapid franchise expansion makes consistent, repeatable seasonal programming particularly valuable — franchisees benefit from system-wide marketing lift, and a recognizable fall menu helps newer locations compete during a high-stakes traffic period for the specialty coffee segment.
For operators watching the competitive coffee landscape, the move underscores how franchise systems are using LTO architecture not just for guest engagement, but as a franchisee support tool — giving location owners proven, demand-tested beverages rather than requiring local menu innovation.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
