Seasonal Menu

Muse & Co rotates seasonal specials throughout the year. These are limited-time drinks that are only available for a few weeks or a couple of months. They keep the menu fresh, give customers a reason to come back, and let us experiment with new flavors.

How Seasonal Specials Work

The Cycle

Seasonal specials typically follow this pattern:

Season	Timing	Flavor Direction
Winter / Holiday	December - February	Warm spices, chocolate, peppermint, cozy flavors
Spring	March - May	Floral, light fruit, fresh flavors
Summer	June - August	Tropical, refreshing, cold-brew, bright fruit
Fall	September - November	Pumpkin, chai spice, warm caramel, apple

Not Every Season Has a Special

Some seasons we run a special, some we do not. It depends on what ingredients are available, what sounds good, and whether we have time to develop and test a new recipe. There is no fixed schedule -- specials are announced when they are ready.

How a New Drink Gets Added

1. Idea stage: Management or a team member proposes a new seasonal drink concept
2. Recipe development: The recipe is tested and adjusted until it tastes right and looks good
3. Costing: Ingredient costs are calculated to set the price
4. Training: All team members are trained on the new recipe before launch
5. Announcement: The drink is promoted on social media, our website, and in-store signage
6. Limited run: The drink is available for the announced period, then removed from the menu

How Long Do Specials Last?

Most seasonal specials run for 4-8 weeks. Some popular ones may be extended. When a seasonal drink is about to end, management will let the team know with enough notice to use up remaining specialty ingredients.

Learning a New Seasonal Drink

When a new seasonal drink is announced, here is what you need to do:

Before Launch Day

1. Read the recipe card in the recipe binder (photos)
2. Make it yourself at least once during a slow period to get comfortable with the process
3. Taste it so you can describe it accurately to customers
4. Know the price and any special toppings that pair with it
5. Ask questions if anything about the recipe is unclear

During the Limited Run

• Be ready to describe the drink when customers ask "What is that?"
• Suggest it as a special when customers seem undecided or ask for recommendations
• If we run out of a specialty ingredient mid-shift, let the team know immediately so we can 86 the item (mark it as unavailable) rather than making a bad version

Selling Seasonal Specials

Seasonal drinks are the easiest upsell on the menu. "Have you tried our [seasonal drink]? It is only available for a few more weeks." The limited-time nature makes customers more likely to try something new.

Inventory for Seasonal Items

Seasonal specials often require ingredients that are not part of the regular stock:

What to Watch	Why It Matters
Specialty syrups	May not be reorderable after the season ends
Fresh ingredients	Perishable items with short shelf life
Specialty toppings	May be unique to the seasonal drink
Packaging or signage	Seasonal cups, stickers, or menu inserts

Track Specialty Ingredients

If you notice a seasonal ingredient is running low, tell the shift lead right away. Some ingredients have long lead times for reorder, and running out mid-promotion is a bad experience for customers who came in specifically for that drink.

Current Specials

The current specials are on Drink Categories, with recipes on Specials & Blended Drinks. Seasonal drinks are announced by management with a recipe card in the binder; don't make up or promise drinks that aren't on the menu.

Proposing a New Seasonal Drink

If you have an idea for a seasonal drink, we want to hear it. Here is how to propose one:

1. Write down the concept: What is the drink? What does it taste like? What season does it fit?
2. Think about ingredients: Can we get the ingredients easily? Are they expensive?
3. Consider the prep: How complicated is it to make? Will it slow down the line during a rush?
4. Share it with management: Bring it up during a team meeting or send a message

Good seasonal drink ideas are:

• Visually distinctive -- looks different from the regular menu
• Easy to describe -- customers should understand it from a sentence
• Practical to make -- should not add more than 1-2 extra steps versus a regular drink
• Reasonably priced -- specialty ingredients should not push the price too far above the regular menu

When a Seasonal Drink Ends

When a seasonal drink is retired:

1. Remove signage and any menu inserts from the counter
2. Stop suggesting it to customers
3. Use up remaining ingredients in other drinks if possible, or set them aside for management to decide
4. If a customer asks for a retired seasonal drink, let them know it was a limited-time offering and suggest something similar from the regular menu

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Last updated: March 2026