For the second consecutive year, Tito's Handmade Vodka is channeling Thanksgiving inertia into philanthropic impact, relaunching its Turkey Rot campaign with a $500,000 anchor donation to Meals on Wheels America and a pledge to add $10 for every eligible adult who signs up through November, up to $1 million in total support.

The campaign flips the ubiquitous Thanksgiving Day 5K on its head: participants register at titosvodka.com/turkeyrot, commit to spending the holiday on the couch with a Tito's cocktail, and trigger a per-person donation simply by signing up. For on-premise operators and beverage directors, the initiative is a useful lens into how spirits brands are increasingly tying seasonal cocktail programming to purpose-driven consumer engagement — a combination that can drive trial and brand loyalty heading into the high-volume holiday stretch.

Team Format & Prizes

New for 2026, the Turkey Rot adds a team mechanic. After registering, participants can create or join a group, with each eligible member earning one sweepstakes entry for the team — up to 50 entries per team. Winning teams, selected at random, receive $100 gift cards to fund their own Thanksgiving beverage spreads. The structure is designed to amplify sign-ups through social sharing, a dynamic that mirrors loyalty and referral tactics increasingly common in beverage industry marketing.

Merchandise and Cocktail Tie-Ins

Tito's is also leaning into retail and e-commerce with a Turkey Rot merchandise line — sweatsuit, blanket, socks, a Brooklinen robe, and the new Finisher Flask — with 100% of net proceeds directed to Meals on Wheels America. The cocktail side of the program features holiday recipes including the Tito's Bloody Mary-thon and the Tito's Turkey Rot Toddy, giving bar programs and home entertainers a ready-made seasonal menu to pull from.

"We think the holidays already ask enough of us," said Taylor Berry, SVP of Marketing at Tito's Handmade Vodka. "No alarms, no running shoes, no cardio. Just commit to the Rot, grab your favorite people and a Tito's cocktail, and do some good by doing absolutely nothing."

Kristine Templin, Chief Development and Marketing Officer at Meals on Wheels America, framed the stakes plainly: "Too many older adults will spend this season facing hunger or loneliness. The Tito's Turkey Rot turns a holiday tradition into something that makes a real difference for older adults who rely on Meals on Wheels for nutritious meals and meaningful connection."

The campaign runs November 2–30 and is open to legal residents of 48 U.S. states (excluding California and Virginia), ages 21 and older. It offers spirits brands — and the restaurant and hospitality operators who feature them on menus — a playbook for marrying seasonal programming with cause marketing at a moment when consumers are paying close attention to brand values alongside product quality.

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.