A candy-restaurant crossover lands on Wingstop menus nationwide October 27, when the chain rolls out SOUR PATCH KIDS Wicked Punch—a limited-time SOUR THEN SWEET REDBERRY-flavored glaze finished with SOUR PATCH KIDS Bitz across all available proteins at participating locations. The flavor runs through November 5, with Club Wingstop loyalty members getting early access beginning October 23.
The collaboration, developed by Wingstop's in-house Flavor Experts, is timed to the brand's broader "13 Days of Mischief" campaign launching October 19. It represents a direct foodservice play for Mondelēz International, the Nasdaq-listed snack giant behind SOUR PATCH KIDS, extending a retail candy brand into a quick-service restaurant context ahead of one of the confectionery industry's highest-volume selling periods.
The Operator Angle
For restaurant operators tracking limited-time offer strategy, the Wingstop partnership illustrates how QSR chains are increasingly sourcing LTO inspiration from consumer packaged goods brands rather than purely from culinary development. Candy-flavored glazes and sauces occupy a growing niche in the QSR and fast-casual beverage and flavor trends space, where novelty and social media talkability drive trial. Wingstop's loyalty program integration—giving Club members a four-day head start—also reflects a broader industry pattern of using LTOs as loyalty acquisition and engagement tools.
"Halloween is about stepping outside the ordinary, and SOUR PATCH KIDS has always brought that spirit to the candy category with unexpected SOUR THEN SWEET twists," said Lauryn McDonough, Senior Director of Candy at Mondelēz International. "With 13 Days of Mischief, we're evolving our mischievous spirit into action by encouraging fans to embrace this most mischievous season of the year."
New Retail SKUs Round Out the Push
Alongside the Wingstop activation, Mondelēz is introducing several new Halloween candy SKUs at retail that could factor into operators' seasonal candy bowl and promotional purchasing. The new lineup includes SOUR PATCH KIDS Monster Parts (Black Raspberry, Orange, and Watermelon shapes; 8.88 oz. laydown bag, SRP $4.29), SOUR PATCH KIDS Tricksters (mismatched flavor-surprise candies; 3.52 oz. theater box, SRP $1.50), and Glow Ups Ghosts (Orange and Peach flavors with turmeric-extract edible confetti that glows under blacklight; 8.37 oz. pack, SRP $4.29). Treat Size Packs are available in 22-, 40-, 80-, 160- and 250-count configurations starting at $4.29 SRP.
The blacklight-reactive Glow Ups Ghosts SKU—achieving its glow via turmeric extract rather than artificial dyes—is a detail worth noting for operators running Halloween events or bar programs seeking novelty ingredients, given ongoing beverage and ingredient trend discussions around natural colorants in the foodservice channel.
The 13 Days of Mischief campaign runs across SOUR PATCH KIDS' social platforms, targeting the brand's 1-million-plus Instagram following with participatory challenges. For foodservice marketers, the campaign underscores how CPG brands are building integrated retail-plus-restaurant moments that amplify both channels simultaneously.
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.
