If pride celebrations this year seem more subdued and less colorful than years past, you’re not imagining it. In May and June of 2022, there were fewer than 400 posts calling for Pride-related boycotts. This year, in May alone, there were more than 15,000, according to RILA Global Consulting. Companies like Budlight and Target have faced immense backlash for their queer-inclusive campaigns, leading to a lot less glitter on the menu for consumers.
But some companies continue to charge ahead. And we here at Spoon love a delicious way to support. Here’s a rundown of the top five fast food treats for Pride this year, plus Starbucks’ much-awaited (inedible) contribution.
1. Shake Shack
Shake Shack is keeping it simple with sprinkles this Pride. Add rainbow sprinkles to any shake or custard for fifty cents, and the proceeds from those sprinkles go to PFLAG National, “the first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families.”
Though not directly related to Pride, new summer shakes also launched June 1 — the Oreo Cookie Funnel Cake shake and Triple Chocolate Brownie shake. The Shack never fails to disappoint us when it comes to Pride.
2. M&M’S
M&M’S, too, are keeping it simple. On some candies, the typical “M” has been surrounded with a heart, and on others it’s been replaced with the phrase “love is love” or a design of hands forming a heart. Love it!
3. Skittles
While its had its stumbles, the candy company that trademarked the phrase “Taste The Rainbow” did not disappoint with its serving of pride this year.
“We’ve given up our rainbow so the LGBTQ+ community can share theirs,” the Skittles Pride site reads. Skittles partnered with five artists and members of the community to design special edition packages of Skittles. Designs include bright colors, messages like, “Joy is resistance” and “Black trans lives matter,” and QR codes to a page about each artist on the Skittles Pride site.
Furthermore, for each package of Skittles sold, $1 will be donated to GLAAD, “a non-profit organization focused on LGBTQ advocacy and cultural change” that acts as “a storyteller, media force, resource, and advocate” to “ensure fair, accurate, and inclusive representation and… national and local programs that advance LGBTQ acceptance.”
Finally, comedian, writer, and actor Cameron Esposito will host a special miniseries in her podcast Queery to “dive deeper into queer storytelling and the artists that designed this year’s SKITTLES Pride Packs.” These special packages will run through the middle of July.
But there’s even more! Skittles has also partnered with Audible to make LGBTQ+ stories freely accessible to all listeners for June. Now you can taste, support, and listen to the rainbow this Pride.
4. The Habit Burger Grill
The Habit Burger Grill is serving up a new rainbow shake this pride month, dreamed up by their facilities manager Jorge Guevara, himself a member of the LGBTQ+ community. This shake is vanilla ice cream mixed with rainbow cereal, topped with strawberry puree, raspberry syrup, passion fruit puree, whipped cream, and then even more rainbow cereal.
For every Rainbow Shake sold, $1 will be donated to the It Gets Better Project, up to $50,000 while supplies last.
5. Dunkin’
Like Skittles, Dunkin’ has taken a multi-pronged approach to Pride. For Pride-themed e-gift cards purchased on DunkinCoffeeBreak.com during the month of June, Dunkin’ will donate $1 “the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, specifically toward hunger relief for LGBTQ youth organizations, up to $5,000.”
There’s also limited-edition rainbow tumblers and reusable straws, available in just 2,600 stores across the country
But your tastebuds won’t miss out: the Sprinkled With Pride Donut, “an Old-Fashioned Cake Donut that is fully coated” with rainbow sprinkles, will also be appearing in Dunkin stores this June.
6. Starbucks
Although we’ll miss the tastiness of previous Starbucks Pride products, like the Glitter Frappuccino that hit London stores in 2018, the lineup for 2023 has people just as excited. Enter a new line of special edition tumblers, designed by artist Tim Singleton as the first installment of Starbucks’ new Artist Collaboration Program which “works to promote artists from around the world.”
You can read more about Singleton’s work, see the eye-popping designs, and catch some tips on how to catch one of these rare tumblers for yourself here.
Wishing you a happy, and tasty, Pride!
Of course, if you’ve got more love (and $) to share, consider directly supporting these organizations! Nothing is sweeter than social change.