Signature drinks can be a financial boon for restaurant owners, and they don’t need to contain alcohol. Establishing a few delicious mixed drinks that can be enjoyed by anyone can provide a significant boost to revenue and make your restaurant stand out.

There are several ways to come up with ideas:

• Solicit input from your employees
• Hold a social media contest with your followers
• Remove the alcohol from traditional favorites
• Piggyback on trending flavors
• Incorporate healthy ingredients

Here are a few of our favorite recipes to help inspire your own creations:

Iced Melon Moroccan Mint Tea

Ingredients:

2 cups water

12 fresh mint leaves

4 individual green tea bags

1/3 cup sugar

2-1/2 cups diced honeydew melon

1-1/2 cups ice cubes

Additional ice cubes

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from the heat; add mint and tea bags. Cover and steep for 3-5 minutes. Discard mint and tea bags. Stir in the sugar.
• In a blender, process honeydew until blended. Add 1-1/2 cups ice and tea; process until blended. Serve over additional ice.

Hibiscus, Orange, and Vanilla Agua Fresca

Ingredients:

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

1 Thai chile, split in half lengthwise

4 3-inch strips orange zest

½ cup dried hibiscus flowers or 24 hibiscus tea bags

½ cup sugar

½ cup fresh lime juice

Thin lime wheels (for serving)

Directions:

• Scrape vanilla seeds into a medium saucepan; add pod, chile, orange zest, hibiscus, sugar, and 2 cups boiling water. Let steep until infusion cools to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing on solids.
• Stir in lime juice and 2 cups cold water; chill agua fresca 1 hour.
• Divide agua fresca among ice-filled glasses. Garnish with lime wheels.

Blackberry Virgin Mojito

Ingredients:

FOR MINT SYRUP

1/2 c. packed fresh mint leaves

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. water

FOR MOJITO

1 c. blackberries

1 tsp. granulated sugar

1/2 c. lime juice

Ice

2 (12-oz.) cans seltzer

Fresh mint, for garnish

Directions:

• In a small pot using a wooden spoon or using a mortar and pestle, crush mint leaves. Add sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let boil 3 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then strain out mint leaves, pressing with a wooden spoon to help release all liquid.
• In a small bowl, add blackberries and sugar, and using a wooden spoon, crush blackberries until broken down.
• Divide blackberries between 4 glasses and add 2 tablespoons simple syrup and 2 tablespoons lime juice to each glass. Fill glasses with ice and top off with seltzer, then garnish with mint.

As with any new menu item, you’ll want to advertise your new drinks on social media, create specials and maybe even give a few away to build awareness.