By Mike Pomranz | FoodAndWine.Com
Troy Warren for CNT #Foodie
Dunkin’s new spring menu has one drink that leans in hard to St. Patrick’s Day.
Fast food chains have no shame borrowing each other’s successful ideas. Look no further than the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich which was then ripped off by every single restaurant in the country (and arguably was originally ripped off from Chick-fil-A). Ditto Starbucks Pumpkins Spice Latte.
So with McDonald’s settling into seasonal success with their Shamrock Shake, surely other chains would take notice, right? This year, Dunkin’ has decided to bite, giving their macchiato a self-described “holiday makeover, allowing guests to grab a sippable lucky charm this spring.” Meet the Shamrock Macchiato.
One of three new drinks and three new menu items added to the coffee and donut chain’s spring lineup, the Shamrock Macchiato is described as layers of “bold, smooth espresso atop rich and creamy Irish Creme flavor, with notes of sweet cream and vanilla that capture the unmistakable flavor profile of Irish whiskey.” And, of course, it comes with a bright green hue.
Rounding out the rest of the new lineup is the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew and Salted Caramel Signature Latte. To eat, there’s Roasted Tomato & Hummus Toast, Roasted Tomato & Avocado Toast, and a Chocolate Croissant.
A bright green drink — that, mind you, is also caffeinated — would seem like a showstopper, but Jill Nelson, Dunkin’ vice president of marketing and culinary, actually decided to namedrop the other drinks. “Spring is a season that brings adventure, optimism, and light-hearted fun, and we wanted to capture that essence for our guests in the all-new lineup,” she said in a statement. “Dunkin’ fans can spring into action with bold and flavorful menu items, including our new Salted Caramel sips that beautifully combine the best of both worlds for an irresistible mix of salty and sweet.”
Meanwhile, though the third big player in the seasonal beverage game, Starbucks, hasn’t officially announced their spring menu, the rumor is that we shouldn’t expect any aggressively green drinks.
Green may be building steam, but we’re apparently still nowhere near a chicken sandwich or PSL level of Shamrock-mania.
