After a 2025 regional test generated enough pull-through to force the decision, Zaxby's is pushing its NERDS Strawberry Milkshake into all 1,000-plus units across 24 states beginning August 31 — available for a limited time while supplies last.
The LTO pairs the chain's hand-spun Strawberry Milkshake base with Original NERDS candies blended throughout, then finishes with NERDS Gummy Clusters, Rainbow NERDS, whipped cream, and a Maraschino cherry. It's a textbook candy-brand collab: a recognizable, nostalgia-driven confectionery property grafted onto a core beverage platform to drive incremental check and social media lift at a moment when QSR operators are leaning hard into limited-time dispensed beverage innovation.
Why the Collab Works
Patrick Schwing, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Zaxby's, framed the partnership in straightforward terms: "The NERDS brand is such a fan-favorite, iconic candy, and we knew its signature sweet-and-tangy crunch would take our hand-spun Strawberry Milkshake to a whole new level." The sweet-tart flavor bridge between a fruit milkshake and tangy candy clusters is a proven formula — similar candy-infused beverage collabs have moved the needle for QSR chains seeking to break through summer promotional clutter without a platform overhaul.
For c-store operators watching the competitive foodservice landscape, the Zaxby's move is another data point in the broader pattern of QSR chains doubling down on beverage-forward LTOs as an accessible traffic driver. Dispensed beverage and frozen-drink programs have long been a margin pillar at the forecourt — operators running proprietary foodservice programs know that flavor collabs tied to a nationally recognized brand can compress the marketing cost of driving trial. The NERDS name does the awareness work; the chain just has to execute on the back-of-house consistency.
Footprint and Channel Context
With more than 1,000 locations across 24 states, Zaxby's sits squarely in the tier of regional QSR chains that can credibly claim a national rollout while still leaving white space in major metro markets. The Atlanta-based chain earned QSR Magazine's Transformational Brand of the Year recognition in 2025, a signal that its positioning efforts — including licensing plays like the NERDS partnership — are registering with the trade. Orders are available in-restaurant, through zaxbys.com, and via the Zaxby's app, keeping digital and loyalty engagement in play for the duration of the run.
For c-store retailers benchmarking their own limited-time beverage and foodservice strategies, the Zaxby's NERDS launch illustrates how a recognized candy IP can serve as a low-friction demand signal for consumers already familiar with both brands. The key operational question — whether the multi-topping build creates throughput friction during peak dayparts — will likely determine how aggressively the chain re-ups the concept next season.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
