McAlister’s Just Launched a Huge Iced Tea Upgrade

National Iced Tea Day was June 10, which means two things. First, yes, apparently National Iced Tea Day is a real holiday. Second, McAlister’s Deli is celebrating it by making its drinks a lot more customizable.

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From June 10 through June 14, McAlister’s is offering up to three free flavor shots with the purchase of any beverage. That means guests can customize iced tea, lemonade, and fountain drinks with flavors including peach, strawberry, black cherry, and pineapple―all at no extra cost. For some people, this will be a fun way to create the perfect summer drink. For others, it will be an opportunity to discover firsthand why pineapple and black cherry should never have met. Either way, the experimentation is free.

Your McAlister’s Tea Order Just Got More Complicated

The promotion, called Flavor Shots on Us, is simple enough. Buy a drink, add up to three flavor shots, and see what happens. Of course, giving people the freedom to combine three different flavors also introduces the possibility that someone, somewhere, is about to create a beverage that should probably be reviewed by a panel of experts before being served to the public.

But there are plenty of combinations that actually sound good. Peach tea is already a classic. Strawberry lemonade has proven itself. Black cherry tea feels like it could have serious potential. And if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, nothing is stopping you from combining all three.

McAlister’s has long been known for its tea, so it makes sense that the chain would use National Iced Tea Day as an excuse to give customers a little more control over what’s in their cup. While flavored teas aren’t exactly a new concept, free customization is always easier to get excited about than paid customization. Especially when the cost is exactly zero dollars.

The Promotion Is Also Kicking Off a Bigger Summer Campaign

National Iced Tea Day also marks the start of CommuniTEA Connections, McAlister’s new initiative focused on recognizing the people who help keep local communities running. As part of the campaign, the chain will be distributing Free Tea Passes to various groups throughout the summer ahead of McAlister’s Free Tea Day on July 16.

The recognition schedule includes:

• June 15–21: Medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, ambulance workers, and first responders
• June 22–28: Education professionals, including teachers, professors, and school administrators
• July 6–12: Public safety and security professionals, including firefighters and police officers

The campaign is designed to spotlight community members who often work behind the scenes, while giving them a little free tea in the process.

Mark Your Calendar

If free flavor shots sound like your kind of Iced Tea Day celebration, you’ll want to stop by McAlister’s before June 14.

After that, the promotion disappears and you’ll have to go back to making important decisions like whether your tea needs peach flavoring or whether you’ve simply been influenced by seasonal marketing. Either way, it’s a pretty good excuse to celebrate National Iced Tea Day.