Fast food lovers are used to seeing their favorite menu items disappear, whether it’s a limited-time sandwich, a popular side dish or a seasonal beverage.
But KFC customers are about to lose something they can’t buy at the grocery store.
With the end of the relationship between Pepsi and KFC, it will also mark the end of the fast-food giant’s exclusive Pepsi soda flavors.
PepsiCo is discontinuing Mountain Dew Sweet Lightning, a peach and honey-flavored soda that has been sold exclusively at KFC restaurants since 2019.
PepsiCo confirmed on October 20 that the drink will continue to be sold at KFC until December 31, 2026, giving fans just over two months to enjoy the drink before it disappears from the chain.
The decision comes after KFC announced it was ending its nearly 40-year partnership with PepsiCo and switching to selling Coca-Cola products in the United States.
Sweet Lightning’s departure may not be permanent, however.
PepsiCo confirms deadline for exclusive Mountain Dew flavors
Mountain Dew Sweet Lightning debuted in 2019 as a permanent addition to KFC’s beverage lineup.
Unlike regular Mountain Dew or Baja Blast sold in stores, Sweet Lightning was developed specifically for the fried chicken chain and has never been sold in retail bottles or cans.
This exclusivity makes its removal particularly disappointing for customers who order the drink as part of their KFC order.
More restaurants:
- Hooters Restaurants closes more restaurants as bankruptcy comes back
- These are the real gourmet kitchen spots that closed in Chapter 11
- Oprah-backed chain permanently closes 12 restaurants after filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy
PepsiCo Chief Marketing Officer Scott Finlow confirmed in a statement to Allrecipes on October 20 that Sweet Lightning will remain at KFC until the end of December.
He also said PepsiCo is exploring ways to retain the flavor after partnerships with restaurants end.
“After that, we plan to find new ways for fans to continue to enjoy it,” Finlow said.
PepsiCo has yet to announce whether Sweet Lightning will eventually appear in grocery stores, return through another restaurant partner or be relaunched in a different format.
When PepsiCo launched Sweet Lightning in 2019, it described the drink as a permanent product designed to complement KFC’s fried chicken.
Its disappearance highlights how exclusive restaurant beverages that often become customer favorites can disappear when chains switch suppliers.
Eamon M. McCormack/Getty Images
KFC turns to Coca-Cola, ending decades-long Pepsi partnership
On October 15, KFC announced a new partnership with Coca-Cola, ending its partnership with Pepsi-Cola that began in 1986.
The transition will begin in January 2027, with Coca-Cola products expected to be available in all 3,600 KFC restaurants in the U.S. by spring.
The move is part of a broader effort by KFC to modernize its menu, expand its beverage offerings and attract more customers.
For PepsiCo, the change means losing a major restaurant partner. But under the renewed agreement, the company will continue to supply beverages to Taco Bell and international KFC restaurants.
RELATED: Bath & Body Works makes big move for the holidays