
May 29, 2026

There's a specific feeling that shows up at the end of May in Lancaster County. The mornings are no longer chilly, the evenings stretch out a little longer, and people start trading their winter routines for something that feels a lot more open. Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, the unofficial start of summer is behind us, and now the real season begins — the long stretch of warm days, weekend plans, and slower mornings that make this time of year so easy to enjoy.
At CoffeeCo Café, late May is when we see one of the biggest shifts in how people order. Hot drinks haven't disappeared, but iced coffee, cold brew, and lighter espresso drinks are clearly stepping into the spotlight. It's the moment when summer habits start to take shape — and finding your go-to drink early in the season makes the next few months a whole lot smoother.
The Shift Toward Iced
By the end of May, iced drinks become the natural choice for most of the day. Mornings might still call for something warm, but by mid-morning, the temperature climbs and the cold options take over. It's a slow transition, and it's one of the reasons May is such a fun time to be at the café.
Some of the iced drinks we see customers settling into this time of year:
- Cold brew — smooth, low-acid, and steeped slow for a naturally sweet flavor. The easiest summer sipper there is.
- Iced lattes — espresso, milk, and ice with optional flavors like vanilla, caramel, or hazelnut. A reliable middle ground between bold and creamy.
- Iced Americanos — clean, bold, and refreshing without any heaviness.
- Iced chai or matcha — for the days when you want a break from coffee but still want something cold and satisfying.
If you've been ordering the same hot drink all winter, May is the perfect month to try the iced version. Same flavor, completely different feel.
Finding Your Summer Drink Early Matters
There's a small ritual that happens every year around this time — people start looking for their summer drink. Not just any iced coffee, but the one that becomes their default for the next three or four months. The one they order without thinking. The one that pairs with a porch morning, a beach day, a long drive, or a walk through town.
Settling into that drink early in the season means you get to enjoy it longer. And if you're not sure where to start, our baristas are happy to help. Sometimes it's a small tweak — switching to oat milk, dropping the sugar, adding a flavor — that turns a good drink into your drink.
A Café That Moves With the Season
Summer in Lancaster County is busy in the best way. Farmers markets, weekend plans, festivals, road trips, kids out of school, more time outside. CoffeeCo fits into that rhythm because we're built around it. With locations in Ephrata, Lancaster Shopping Center, Landisville, Lititz, Mill Creek Square, and New Holland, there's almost always a café on the way to wherever you're headed.
That makes it easy to build coffee into the day instead of around it. Heading to Central Market on Saturday? Stop in first. Driving out to Lititz Springs Park? Pick something up on the way. Hosting people for a weekend brunch? Bring home a half-gallon of cold brew or a box of pastries.
Food That Fits Summer Too
Summer eating is lighter, but it doesn't have to be boring. Our breakfast and lunch menus carry that same homemade quality we've built since 1983 — fresh ingredients, made-from-scratch dishes, and a rotation that holds up whether you're sitting down for a slow weekend brunch or grabbing something on the way out.
A few pairings that work especially well this time of year:
- A cold brew with a breakfast sandwich for grab-and-go mornings
- An iced latte with a fresh muffin or scone for a slower start
- A salad or sandwich with iced tea for an easy weekday lunch
- An iced Americano with a slice of pumpkin bread, because some things shouldn't be seasonal
Make CoffeeCo Part of Your Summer
May is the setup month. The habits you build now — your drink, your spot, your routine — are the ones that stick around all summer. We'd love to be part of that.
Stop by your nearest CoffeeCo Café this week, try something new, and find the iced drink that's going to carry you through the next few months. Summer is just getting started, and we're ready for it.











