Applebee’s August $1 drink of the month is a Mai Tai

Summer is coming to an end soon and before you know it, we’ll be swapping swimsuits for sweaters and fall will officially take over.

But before you start ordering your pumpkin spice lattes, Applebee’s wants you to sip on something else this August — their new $1 Neighborhood Drink of the Month, a Mai Tai.

That’s right, my cocktail-loving friends, you can escape to the tropics with a Mai Tai for just $1 at participating Applebee’s all month long. Served in a 10-ounce mug, Applebee’s twist on the Polynesian drink is a vibrant red-and-yellow layered tiki cocktail made with rum, pineapple, passion fruit, orange, black cherry and lime flavors.

Even though it’s only $1, it still includes the most important part of a tropical cocktail — the tiny umbrella.

The deal is good all day, every day through Aug. 31.

While you could order one as soon as they open, if you hold off until happy hour (which varies, depending on your location), you can also get half-priced appetizers and other discounted drinks in case you want to try something else instead.

Of course, just because the drinks are only $1 doesn’t mean you should overdo it. As always, make sure you have a safe ride home from your Applebee’s island adventure.

Even if you don’t have an Applebee’s nearby, you don’t have to miss out on this taste of the tropics this summer. You can easily make your own Mai Tai right in your own kitchen. This recipe from Epicurious calls for two kinds of rum, Cointreau or triple sec, orange and lime juice and a few other ingredients — and it has plenty of rave reviews.

Will you be heading to your local Applebee’s for a $1 Mai Tai before summer is over?