Sonny's BBQ is entering summer 2026 with a new seasonal menu anchored by a cherry cola BBQ sauce and a lineup of loaded BBQ bowls — a format that has gained traction across fast-casual and casual-dining segments as operators look to drive check averages with customizable, shareable builds.
The Orlando-based chain, one of the largest barbecue restaurant groups in the Southeast, is positioning the summer rollout around high-traffic seasonal occasions: road trips, backyard gatherings, and poolside meals. The limited-time menu also includes refreshed beverage offerings designed to complement the smoky, sweet flavor profiles of the food items.
For operators watching casual-dining menu strategy, the Sonny's move reflects a broader industry pattern of using sauce-forward LTOs to create differentiation without overhauling kitchen operations. A proprietary seasonal sauce can reinvigorate existing proteins and platforms — in this case, the BBQ bowl format — while giving the marketing team a tangible, story-driven hook for summer campaigns.
Bowl formats in particular have proven their staying power in the full-service and fast-casual restaurant space, offering operators a higher perceived value at a modest incremental cost. By anchoring the summer push around bowls alongside a distinctive sauce variant, Sonny's is essentially engineering repeat-visit incentives: guests can rotate between proteins and toppings while the cherry cola sauce serves as the seasonal throughline.
The beverage additions round out what is a deliberate full-daypart play — a strategy that matters as barbecue concepts increasingly compete for lunch and afternoon traffic that was once dominated by QSR and fast-casual. Pairing food LTOs with beverage news also gives front-of-house staff natural upsell language during the summer months.
Sonny's BBQ was founded in Florida and operates locations primarily across the Southeast. The summer menu is available now. For ongoing coverage of brand strategy and menu development in the barbecue and casual-dining space, Food & Beverage Magazine tracks emerging flavor trends and operator insights across the industry.
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.
