Pumpkin spice season is officially on at BIGGBY® COFFEE, the 460-plus-unit Midwest-rooted coffee franchise, which launched its fall seasonal menu August 20 and will run it through November 1. The menu adds new items alongside returning fan favorites and layers in a month-long Halloween series beginning October 1 — giving franchise operators a full eleven-week promotional runway heading into the slower post-summer period.
The Seasonal Lineup
Pumpkin anchors the fall beverage program with six drinks, including the returning White Pumpkin Latte (pumpkin and white chocolate), the Chumpkin (pumpkin and chai), and the Sweet Foam Pumpkin Cold Brew. New this year is Pumpkin Sweet Foam, an add-on available across the entire beverage menu. The Jack-O-Lantern Latte — blending pumpkin, vanilla, and marshmallow — bridges the fall and Halloween programs, and a kids' version, the Jack-O-Lantern Jr., extends the offering to family traffic. Apple cider returns with four builds: the Caramel Apple Cider, Caramel Apple Creme Freeze, CiderBerry Red Bull® Mocktail, and Chaider. Maple Bourbon, a format first introduced in 2020, comes back as both a latte and a Sweet Foam Cold Brew.
On the food side, the Maple Waffle Sandwich — a Belgian-style waffle made with real maple syrup and sugar pearls, available with combinations of egg, cheddar, sausage, and bacon — returned August 20. New Mini Pumpkin Cream Cookies launch as a three-pack or a single-serve Kids Menu option, targeting the grab-and-go and family daypart.
Halloween and LTO Promotions
Starting October 1, BIGGBY® rotates in a five-item Halloween beverage set — including the Vampire Creme Freeze (white chocolate and strawberry), Sweet Foam Black Forest Cold Brew (blackberry, mocha, and caramel), and the Ghoul Fuel Red Bull® Mocktail (granny smith apple and blue raspberry) — adding novelty for guests who have already cycled through the core fall menu.
The promotional calendar is designed to build repeat visits throughout the season. A Friday Night (De)Lights offer runs every Friday August 21 through October 30, pricing any 20-ounce specialty beverage at $5. School Staff Appreciation Week (September 8–11) drops any 16-ounce beverage to $1.99 with a valid school ID. On National Coffee Day (September 29), guests can get a 16-ounce brewed coffee for 99 cents or a Mocha Mocha Latte for $1.99. Halloween month adds a free kid's drink for costumed children and a buy-one-get-one mechanic via "Boo-d" stickers on select drinks. October 1 also marks International Coffee Day, which BIGGBY® plans to use to spotlight its farm-direct sourcing relationships.
For multi-unit operators and franchisees watching seasonal menu strategy in the coffee segment, the BIGGBY rollout reflects a wider industry pattern: layering beverages, food attachments, and value-price promotions to drive frequency rather than relying on a single hero SKU. Franchises with a community-minded positioning — BIGGBY® operates as a 100% franchised system under a people-first model — increasingly use locally resonant seasonal moments like school staff appreciation and Halloween costumes to differentiate from national chains. That same playbook is appearing across independent and franchise restaurant beverage programs as operators compete for the morning and afternoon daypart.
BIGGBY® COFFEE was founded in East Lansing, Michigan in 1995 and now spans more than 460 locations across 13 states.
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.
