Beach Reads Meet Beach Drinks: SONIC Launches Sweet Topped Lemonades with the Help of Summer’s Favorite Authors

Available early in the SONIC App starting May 27 and at locations nationwide on June 2, every sip supports local schools and pairs perfectly with any summer read or adventure

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This summer, SONIC® Drive-In is bringing the main character energy with a refreshing new lemonade lineup and by teaming up with three of the most talked-about authors in pop culture – Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez and Ashley Poston – to help launch the collection. The new Sweet Topped Lemonades are a craveable lineup of drinks that make it more delicious than ever to kick back, open a beach read, and take a sip of something exciting – all while giving back to local schools.

The ultimate sidekick for beach bags, book clubs and pool-side page turners, Sweet Topped Lemonades combine tart, all-natural lemonade with velvety smooth cold foam on top for a craveable twist. Available in three delicious flavors, Classic Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Blueberry Lavender Lemonade, these sips are as hard to put down as a summer bestseller.

To celebrate the launch, SONIC has partnered with Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez and Ashley Poston – authors long celebrated for sparking joy, swoons and happy tears – to share with fans just how easy and delicious it is to support public education in their own communities. The trio is helping SONIC turn this summer into something more meaningful by ensuring more students have access to the books and resources they need.

“Summer has always been synonymous with books in my head – required reading, midnight releases and audiobooks on long road trips. To me, there is nothing more quintessentially summer than a Sweet Topped Classic Lemonade and a steamy read,” said Ashley Poston, best-selling author of Sounds Like Love. “Now excuse me while I go kick back in my hammock and sink into a romance to quench my thirst for refreshing meet-cutes and sugar-sweet Happily Ever Afters.”

Abby Jimenez, best-selling author of Say You’ll Remember Me, reflected: “I write stories that make you laugh, cry, and maybe believe in love again – Sweet Topped Lemonades may make you feel that way too. Blueberry Lavender is sweet, a bit unexpected and completely swoon-worthy. Whether you’re reading on the beach or just need a little moment of joy in your day, this flavor is the perfect escape.”

Bestselling author duo Christina Lauren of The Paradise Problem added, “As lifelong book lovers, we'll always jump at the opportunity to foster a love of reading! Some of our best memories are from hot summer days spent getting lost in a book. What better way to spend the summer this year than reading with a Sweet Topped Strawberry Lemonade and supporting public education all at the same time?”

As part of the program, SONIC is partnering with First Book – a nonprofit working to remove barriers to a quality education for children in low-income communities – to distribute 100,000 books in the communities SONIC serves. First Book and the SONIC Foundation share a deep commitment to ensuring every child has access to a quality education. By combining First Book’s expertise in building a world where every child has access to a quality education with the SONIC brand’s investment in public schools, the partnership fosters a love of reading and lays the foundation for lifelong success.

First Book's growing Network of more than 600,000 educators and professionals serves children in need across the country. By providing high-quality, affordable resources to classrooms and programs, First Book helps level the playing field – because education transforms lives.

“This partnership isn’t just about the ultimate summer sip; it’s about fueling a lifelong love of reading,” said Stuart Brown, Executive Director of the Inspire Brands Foundation. “SONIC donates a portion of every drink purchase back to support local schools, each Sweet Topped Lemonade helps get local students the resources they need through the SONIC Foundation’s Limeades for Learning® initiative. Together with these celebrated authors, we’re making it easier for students across the country to turn the page toward a brighter future.”

Through the Limeades for Learning initiative, SONIC donates a portion of all Drink, Slush, Blast, and Shake sales to support public education.* Powered by the SONIC® Foundation, SONIC has donated more than $30 million since 2009 to fund local classrooms, making it one of the largest programs supporting public education in the U.S.

Sweet Topped Lemonades are available early in the SONIC App beginning May 27, and at SONIC locations nationwide starting on June 2.

*SONIC donates a portion of every Drink, Slush, Blast, or Shake purchase to the SONIC Foundation, which is used to support local schools across the communities SONIC serves through partners like DonorsChoose. The SONIC Foundation is a division of the Inspire Brands Foundation. For more information about the SONIC Foundation, visit foundation.sonicdrivein.com.