The Season of the Iced Latte: How Hospitality Brands Can Maximise Summer Sips
There’s a shift in the air — and it’s not just the sun making a rare appearance in the UK.
It’s iced latte season, and whether you're a café, bar, or hotel, now’s the time to ride the caffeine-fuelled wave.
Like clockwork, as soon as we get a bit of sunshine, hot drinks get ditched in favour of their cooler, trendier sibling. But this year, iced lattes aren't just popular — they're craving-inducing, TikTok-worthy, and sometimes… completely sold out. (Looking at you, Starbucks Pistachio Latte 👀)
ICYMI: Starbucks recently launched their iced pistachio latte and it caused a full-blown frenzy.
So much so, they ran out of the syrup before the campaign even finished. That’s the kind of hype most brands dream of.
And while not everyone has Starbucks-level clout (or a worldwide marketing budget), there’s still so much local venues can take from this moment.
So how can you make your drinks the one everyone’s queueing up for this summer?
1. Make It Instagrammable
We eat (and sip) with our eyes first. Think pretty glassware, pastel colours, interesting garnishes, and aesthetic setups that make people want to snap a pic. Even better if you give them a reason to tag you. Branded coasters, cute cups, or limited-edition drink cards work a treat.
2. Limited Edition = Limited FOMO
Take a leaf out of Starbucks’ book—launch a seasonal special iced drink with a twist. Pistachio? Done. Now try honeycomb, rose, tiramisu, biscoff… something that feels fun, indulgent, and exclusive to your venue. Run it for 4–6 weeks, tease it in advance, and don’t be afraid to let it run out. Scarcity sells.
3. Talk About It Everywhere
If you’ve got a summer drinks menu, shout about it. Your iced latte shouldn’t just be on the board in your café—it should be on your Instagram grid, your stories, your reels, your email newsletters, your loyalty cards, your window signs. People need to see it more than once to remember it. Repetition is your bestie.
4. Get Your Team Involved
Make sure your staff are excited about your summer drinks too.
If they’re hyped, they’ll naturally talk about it to customers, upsell it, and maybe even create their own behind-the-scenes TikToks or Reels of how it’s made.
Encourage them to put their own twist on it (with permission!)—customers love a “staff favourite” recommendation.
5. UGC is the new billboard
User-generated content is gold. Repost your customers’ iced latte content (with credit!), run little incentives for tagging, or ask them to name your next summer special. Community-led content not only builds trust—it builds buzz.
The takeaway? People aren’t just buying coffee—they’re buying an experience. A little moment of joy. A feeling of “ooh, I need to try that”. If you can create that moment, you’re already winning.
So whether you’re brewing in a backstreet café or running the bar at a swanky city hotel, now’s the time to lean in. Iced latte season won’t last forever—but the impact it can have on your brand, if done right, just might.
Now go forth and pour the good stuff. ✨
