Every summer seems to come with a new “drink of the season.” One year it’s whipped coffee, the next it’s matcha, dirty sodas, protein coffees, fruit refreshers, or customizable lemonades loaded with flavored syrups and fruit. While viral foods have their moments, beverages consistently dominate TikTok, and Instagram, racking up millions of views and inspiring long lines at coffee shops and fast-food chains.
But why are drinks — not burgers, sandwiches, or pasta dishes — the thing everyone is obsessed with online? From their endless customization options to their colorful appearance, beverages are uniquely designed for the age of social media. Here’s a look into why drinks may have become the internet’s biggest food trend every summer.
Marketing On Social Media
A huge factor for a drink’s popularity may be due to the brand’s marketing. With the rise of social media, marketing and advertising products has become incredibly easy. You can now get the word out about a product with a simple 30 second TikTok or Instagram reel. Many brands and companies have been taking advantage of this perk, but drink brands seem to do this the best. To understand why and how, I spoke with marketing professor Matthew Godfrey from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst about the importance of marketing.
While social media has changed the way food trends spread, Godfrey says it hasn’t necessarily made marketing more important, but has simply changed how brands connect with consumers.
“The channels that are being used to kind of reach customers have changed, but also the spokespeople for the brands are changing too,” he explains. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, brands are increasingly successful when consumers hear about products from people they trust. “It’s most effective when it’s sort of more of a grassroots thing, and people kind of pick up on a brand’s messaging or products and then start naturally spreading that messaging,” he adds.
Gen Z’s relationship with digital media plays a major role in how quickly trends catch on. Growing up immersed in digital media has changed “the way that people respond to marketing and value the kinds of things that brands offer,” Godfrey says. [The foods and drinks Gen Z tries] are inspired from things that are circulating online.”
Brands also tend to be more successful when they tailor their messaging to specific audiences. “A lot of times, products appeal to a wide range of consumers,” he explains, “but the way that the brand might communicate the value of that product or service to different groups should differ.” Whether a drink is marketed as a wellness beverage, an aesthetic coffee, or a customizable treat, the product may stay the same — but the messaging changes depending on who the brand is trying to reach.
Why Drinks Keep Going Viral
So why does this marketing shift make drinks more viral than foods? One reason is because of their aesthetics and easy customization. Drinks don’t have this problem because of how easy it is to change one drink to become another. Unlike a hamburger, one ingredient can change a coffee from one aesthetic to another. Brands like Starbucks and Dunkin’ do this year round to keep up with the latest fads and continue to go viral. With one drop of food dye and a new flavored syrup, a drink goes from a Valentine’s Day cold brew to a Saint Patrick’s Day latte.
Another reason for drinks’ virality is the difference in convenience between drinks and food. Whether it’s a quick coffee run before work or a fun drink in between meals, drinks are easier for people to get their hands on. They’re also easier to try to recreate at home. A drink requires much less to make than a specific dish. Sometimes it’s as easy as pouring a few ingredients in a cup and mixing. Someone who successfully remakes a viral drink at home may post and share their success, further driving the popularity of the drink. Making food is a much bigger and more intimidating task.
And finally, the fact that drinks generally cost less than food is an important factor. Teens and young adults who often contribute to viral posts of products are cost conscious. They are more likely to purchase and participate in viral trends that are less expensive.
It’s likely that all these factors contribute to the difference between the amount of viral foods and viral drinks. Unlike most meals, drinks combine customization, aesthetics, affordability, and shareability, making them perfectly suited for social media platforms where visual appeal and personal expression drive engagement.