Starting September 14, Sonny's BBQ is launching a limited-time fall menu at its nearly 100 locations across the Southeast, anchored by two new house sauces and an expanded lineup of shareable plates designed to capitalize on cooler-weather comfort-food demand.
The seasonal push is the kind of structured LTO strategy that has become a proven traffic driver for casual-dining chains, giving operators a reason to re-engage lapsed guests while giving regulars something new to order. Sonny's is leaning into maple and pecan flavor profiles for the season, and debuting a Buffalo BBQ sauce alongside the return of its signature Maple BBQ.
The New Menu Items
The Maple BBQ sauce appears in two of the headlining items: Maple BBQ Pork Burnt Ends — chopped pork collar smoked and caramelized in the sauce — and a Maple BBQ Turkey Club featuring smoked turkey, chipotle candied bacon, and Swiss on garlic bread. The new Buffalo BBQ sauce, described as sweet and tangy with heat, rounds out the protein options with a contrasting flavor profile.
On the appetizer side, Cheese Curds made with Tillamook Cheddar Cheese Curds, tossed in Sonny's signature dry-rub and served with Smokin' Ranch, return by popular demand. Pecan Pie Egg Rolls — crispy egg rolls filled with pecan pie filling, tossed in cinnamon sugar, and served with whipped cream — are also back following a strong debut last fall. Two premium sides join the lineup: Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese loaded with pulled pork, onion straws, and pork rub; and Skillet Potatoes topped with garlic bread croutons.
Seasonal Beverages and Returning Favorites
The beverage menu gets a seasonal refresh with three limited-time sips: Winterberry Lemonade (lemonade with wild berry syrup), Brown Sugar Spiced Tea (sweet tea with brown sugar syrup), and a Root Beer Float built with spiced brown sugar syrup and a splash of creamer. The drinks reflect a broader beverage innovation trend in casual dining, where house-crafted, non-alcoholic seasonal sips have become a differentiation tool for full-service brands.
Two Sonny's Originals also return through December: the Pork 3 Ways platter at $16.99 and the Sonny's Sampler at $19.99, offering guests a multi-protein showcase of the brand's slow-smoked barbecue program.
"Guests want meals that feel comforting and worth the occasion," said Shannon Snell, Head Pitmaster at Sonny's BBQ. "From our Maple BBQ Pork Burnt Ends to our Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese, we're giving families the cozy, comfort-food flavors they look for all fall and throughout the holiday season."
For franchisees, the fall rollout represents a fully systemized LTO — sauce development, protein applications, sides, and beverages all coordinated under a single seasonal theme — reducing per-unit execution complexity while delivering a menu that reads as fresh to guests. Sonny's franchise information is available at sonnysbbqfranchise.com.
Founded in 1968 in Gainesville, Fla., Sonny's BBQ holds the title of "Best Barbecue Chain in America" from The Daily Meal and operates under CEO Jamie Yarmuth. The brand reports giving back more than $1.2 million annually across the eight states it serves.
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.
