With the holiday season coming up, many companies such as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and IHOP are offering special beverages and festive foods. 

Other non-restaurant companies like grocery stores also include these festive items. At Harris Teeter, a variety of special foods are sold during the holiday season. “We have limited edition candies like candy cane and gingerbread flavored chocolate,” SGA President and junior Sami Saeed, who works at Harris Teeter, said. “[We also have] these little holiday cookie assortments that I’ve tried a few myself and I think they’re really good and creative too.”

Other stores like CVS sell a wide range of colored candy canes during the holiday season and a variety of holiday chocolate such as Christmas themed mini M&Ms. 

Starbucks and IHOP are among the most popular stops for exclusive holiday items. Some students say that their favorite products come from the holiday menus. “My favorite holiday product is [the peppermint mocha] because it’s on a special occasion… I look forward to this Frappuccino drink because it tastes so good and is minty sweet,” sophomore Nhi Le said.

For some, visiting certain establishments during the holiday season has become a tradition between family or friends. “[IHOP]  became a tradition among my friends to go there on special occasions… during the holiday season, they have so many festive menu items,” Saeed said.

McDonalds is also involved in sharing the holiday love. They serve a festive custard pie for a limited time only. Wendy’s features the peppermint Frosty.

Coffee companies like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts get creative during the holidays. When you order a drink, they’ll serve it to you in a special cup, exclusive to the holiday season. In fact, Starbucks’ red holiday cup has become a symbol of December. Starbucks also features the creative and fun reindeer cake pop.

Although special restaurant menus can be great, some students like to stick to the classic, homemade holiday foods. “I like hot chocolate because it’s chocolate and has marshmallows inside,” junior Jeho Choi said. “[I would try eggnog because] I’ve never had it before and it sounds weird.” 

However, some curious students are willing to expand their palates by trying something new and different. “I would like to try winter wonderland pancakes from IHop because it sounds like something I have never tried before and I would like to try new things,” Le said.