Menu trends have long been limited to burgers, sandwiches and salads; however, beverages have become the latest vehicle for operators looking to drive sales and increase profits.

But beverage-sales growth isn't coming from traditional carbonated soft drink powerhouses such as Coke and Pepsi. Energy drinks, bottled water and specialty coffees are adding to the drink mix.

“It’s very hard to tell what’s going on,” said John Sicher, editor and publisher of the trade publication Beverage Digest.

Sicher said while soft drink sales continue to thrive at quick-serve and Mexican restaurant chains, bottled water sales are seeing substantial increases at sandwich shops and grab-n-goes.

Coke Classic, which held 17.3 percent of the carbonated soft drink market in 2006, saw its share drop 0.3 percent compared with 2005. And second-place Pepsi saw its market share drop 0.2 percent during the same period, according to a Beverage Digest report.

Meanwhile, a National Restaurant Association survey found that only 6 percent of quick-service restaurant operators reported an increase in the popularity of carbonated drinks in 2006, while operators reported a 65 percent increase in the popularity of energy drinks sold at their establishments. Bottled water came in at 57 percent, with nearly six in 10 quick-service operators saying bottled water is gaining in popularity.

Coffee tops the list

The only trend to beat both bottled water and energy drinks appeared in the espresso/specialty coffee market, which came in at a close 66 percent.

Taking a nod from coffeehouse giant Starbucks, Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s Corp. last year introduced a pricier premium coffee in its restaurants. The switch followed similar moves by Burger King and Dunkin’ Donuts.

McDonald's U.S. restaurants serve more than 500 million cups of coffee each year, accounting for about one in every 10 cups of coffee sold outside the home in the United States.

“McDonald’s has long been a destination for customers seeking great tasting, breakfast menu choices,” said Don Thompson, McDonald’s USA chief operations officer. “With breakfast accounting for roughly two-thirds of all the coffee consumed throughout the day, McDonald’s Premium Roast coffee offers our customers their favorite breakfast and a premium coffee all in one place.”

Per-unit coffee sales rose 15 percent following the introduction of its premium coffee, the company reported.

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