This article was written by

Follow

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

American brands are going all in on red, white and blue as the country prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday.

From $17.76 burger deals and eagle-shaped coffee cups to collectible Coca-Cola cans and limited-edition snacks, companies are rolling out patriotic promotions tied to America’s semiquincentennial.

Steak ‘n Shake

Steak ’n Shake is offering two “Liberty Meals” for $17.76 throughout July.

The meal includes a double grass-fed Steakburger, beef tallow fries and a Patriot milkshake, according to the chain.

“$17.76 for two Liberty Meals — all July long!” the burger chain wrote on X. “A Liberty Meal includes a double grass-fed Steakburger, beef tallow fries, and a Patriot milkshake. Can’t touch this, Mr. Five Guys.”

Steak ’n Shake announced in March that its Patriot Milkshake now comes with a dark chocolate Statue of Liberty and will be priced at $2.50 for the rest of the year.

BANK OF AMERICA CARDHOLDERS CAN VISIT 250 MUSEUMS FREE DURING JULY 4 WEEKEND

Dunkin’

The “Eagle Cup” also includes a promotional code for $3 medium Refreshers or Dunkin’ Zero beverages for 30 days. (Dunkin’)

Dunkin’ is marking the occasion with a limited-edition “Eagle Cup,” themed merchandise and a summer menu tied to America’s 250th birthday.

The collectible cup features a clear base and a sculpted eagle lid. Dunkin’ said customers can purchase it for $10.99 and receive a free medium beverage.

The cup also includes a promotional code for $3 medium Refreshers or Dunkin’ Zero beverages for 30 days.

“Like summer fireworks, this drop won’t last forever. Quantities of the Eagle Cup are limited, so head to your local Dunkin’ soon before it flies off the shelves,” Dunkin’ said in its June 29 announcement.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola said each mini-can features a design tied to one of the 50 states, Puerto Rico or Washington, D.C. (Coca-Cola Co.)

Coca-Cola said its America250 campaign includes limited-edition packaging, custom bottles and its first America250 collectible mini-cans.

Each mini-can features a design tied to one of the 50 states, Puerto Rico or Washington, D.C., with local symbols such as Georgia’s peach and California’s surf culture.

General Mills

General Mills is rolling out 79 limited-edition products inspired by America’s 250th birthday across brands including Cheerios, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Fruit Roll-Ups and Blue Buffalo. (General Mills)

General Mills is rolling out 79 limited-edition products inspired by America’s 250th birthday across brands including Cheerios, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Fruit Roll-Ups and Blue Buffalo.

The lineup includes Birthday Cake Cheerios, Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Stars & Stripes, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Root Beer Float, Fruit Roll-Ups Star-Spangled Cherry, Betty Crocker America’s Birthday Cake cookie mix and red, white and blue Pillsbury cookie dough.

“For 160 years, General Mills has been a cornerstone of American pantries, with our brands in over 90% of households across the country,” Courtney Hamacher, vice president and interim chief creative and marketing excellence officer at General Mills, said in a statement. “As America celebrates its 250th birthday, we’re incredibly proud to help families add joy to the table, celebrating the moments, big and small, that matter most.”

BELOVED PIZZA CHAIN TURNS AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY INTO SUMMER-LONG CELEBRATION

Oreo

Oreo is joining the patriotic push with its Firecracker Pop cookie, which reportedly hit stores on May 4.

Oreo is joining the patriotic push with its Firecracker Pop cookie, which reportedly hit stores on May 4. (Mondelez International)

Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen is offering a Stars & Stripes Misty Slush Float for $2.50 from June 29 through July 5. (Dairy Queen)

Dairy Queen is offering a Stars & Stripes Misty Slush Float for $2.50 from June 29 through July 5.

The drink features layers of cherry Misty Slush, soft serve and blue raspberry Misty Slush with star sprinkles.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s announced it was bringing back its fried apple pie at participating U.S. restaurants for a limited time starting June 23, marking its first broad U.S. rollout in more than 30 years. (McDonald’s)

McDonald’s announced it was bringing back its fried apple pie at participating U.S. restaurants for a limited time starting June 23, marking its first broad U.S. rollout in more than 30 years.

“Summer tends to move fast – but the moments worth remembering don’t. And with America’s 250th birthday around the corner, we’re bringing back a fan-favorite and bona fide national treasure made for slowing down and savoring the season: the Fried Apple Pie,” the company said in a press release.
 

Burger King 

Burger King is adding a Firecracker Cookie Pie, a chilled dessert with cream, a sugar cookie crust and red, white and blue star-shaped sprinkles. (Burger King)

Burger King is adding a Firecracker Cookie Pie, a chilled dessert with cream, a sugar cookie crust and red, white and blue star-shaped sprinkles.

STEAK ’N SHAKE SHAKES UP POPULAR ‘PATRIOT MILKSHAKE’ WITH NEW, EDIBLE TWIST AVAILABLE ONLY IN 2026

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme is offering a patriotic doughnut collection featuring red, white and blue designs, including a Cookies n’ Kreme-filled USA Doughnut, a Firework Doughnut and a Freedom Ring Doughnut. (Krispy Kreme)

Krispy Kreme is offering a patriotic doughnut collection featuring red, white and blue designs, including a Cookies n’ Kreme-filled USA Doughnut, a Firework Doughnut and a Freedom Ring Doughnut.

Bank of America

Bank of America’s expanded “Museums on Us” program includes museums, historic sites and cultural institutions across 43 states and 158 cities. (Bank of America)

Bank of America announced it is expanding its signature “Museums on Us” program for the July 4th weekend, offering eligible cardholders free admission to 250 museums and cultural institutions nationwide as the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary.

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is marking America’s 250th anniversary with a nationwide pricing push aimed at giving U.S. customers a break. (Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images)

Ford Motor Company is marking America’s 250th anniversary with a nationwide pricing push aimed at giving U.S. customers a break.

The Michigan-based automaker launched its “American Value. For American Values” campaign, offering employee pricing to all U.S. customers on most new 2025 and 2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles through July 6. 

Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel, an official America250 partner, launched a “Fuel Your Summer Road Trip” sweepstakes.  (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Cracker Barrel, an official America250 partner, launched a “Fuel Your Summer Road Trip” sweepstakes. The promotion will give 250 rewards members $1,000 each in food and fuel prizes.

“The promotion launches as the nation looks ahead to its 250th anniversary, a milestone rooted in classic American travel traditions and shared experiences that Cracker Barrel has been part of for generations as a familiar stop along the journey,” Cracker Barrel said in a statement.

Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew has temporarily rebranded as “American Dew” for the summer. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Mountain Dew has temporarily rebranded as “American Dew” for the summer.

PepsiCo, which owns the soda brand, said the rebranded cans feature American flag-themed labels and packaging.

This article was written by

Follow

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

This Fourth of July marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S., and while Americans around the country are celebrating the occasion, it also serves as an opportunity to reflect on what helped make the U.S. the world’s largest economy and the reasons it’s still a great place to invest.

Joseph P. Quinlan, head of CIO market strategy for Merrill and Bank of America Private Bank, authored a piece breaking down the 10 reasons as to why the firm is bullish on the long-term prospects of investing in America.

Here’s a look at Quinlan’s 10 reasons to celebrate America on the nation’s 250th birthday.

The U.S. has the world’s largest economy and its deepest financial markets. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

#1 Economic diversity and dynamism

“Think of our economy as a hydra-headed superpower, leading the world in such diverse activities as aerospace, agriculture, finance, energy, technology, healthcare, education and numerous other industries,” Quinlan said.

BANK OF AMERICA’S LEGACY OF BUILDING THE AMERICAN DREAM

He noted that while the U.S. has just over 4% of the world’s population, it accounts for about one-quarter of all global gross domestic product (GDP), with measures like economic output and per capita income far surpassing emerging countries like China and India.

“Never have so few people produced so much output, creating so much wealth,” Quinlan added.

America’s geography and natural resources have given it a unique advantage in the world economy. (iStock)

#2 Geographic superpower

The U.S. stands in contrast to many of history’s leading world powers by virtue of having friendly neighbors and vast oceans on its flanks, Quinlan said. He said that the U.S. is in “one of the most favorable geographic positions on Earth” and noted how the Great Plains, Mississippi River system and Great Lakes offer space for farming, waterways for commerce and reserves of freshwater that are unmatched around the world.

“At a time when water scarcity, food security, energy supplies and geopolitical tensions are increasingly important, America’s geographic advantages are becoming more valuable – not less,” he noted.

AMERICA 250: BLACKROCK’S LARRY FINK SAYS LONG-TERM INVESTING CAN PERFORM A KIND OF ‘CIVIC MIRACLE’

#3 Startup culture

“America’s economic metabolism is different from the rest of the world. No country creates and destroys as manically as America,” Quinlan wrote, noting that since 2010, about 40% of the companies in the Fortune 500 list have either gone bankrupt, been acquired or ceased operations.

He cited Census Bureau data showing that nearly 6 million new businesses have been formed in the U.S. over the last 12 months – a record high and well above the average of the last decade – as evidence that the country’s “startup itch has only grown stronger in the past few years.”

Entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, help spur innovation and growth in the U.S. economy. (Chesnot/Getty Images)

#4 Magnet for foreign investment

Quinlan noted that investors move their capital to where it’s treated the best, which shows that “global investors continue to favor the U.S.”

“At last count, the amount of foreign capital invested in the U.S. was around $50 trillion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Bullish on America, the U.S. investment stakes of foreigners have increased nearly five-fold since the start of the century,” he wrote. “No country in the world has been at the receiving end of so much foreign capital this century.”

BELOVED PIZZA CHAIN TURNS AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY INTO SUMMER-LONG CELEBRATION

#5 Brand haven

The global economy is spurred by intellectual property and brands, and Quinlan noted the U.S. is home to nine of the world’s top 10 global brands in 2026, according to BrandZ.

“These brands are more than commercial success; they are expressions of American soft power,” he wrote, saying they demonstrate how “American culture, technology and business extends far beyond its borders.”

The U.S. has the world’s most capable military. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

#6 Unmatched hard power

The U.S. military is the most capable in the world and serves as a critical backstop to America’s economic strength through deterrence and the ability to respond to aggression, while it also brings economic benefits amid the backdrop of geopolitical threats from countries like China and Russia.

“America’s defense leadership is not merely a strategic asset – it is also an important economic advantage, supporting innovation across aerospace, cybersecurity, AI and advanced manufacturing,” Quinlan wrote.

MCDONALD’S BRINGING BACK FRIED APPLE PIE TO CELEBRATE AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY

#7 Tech leadership

The entrepreneurial culture of risk-taking in the U.S. has helped the country maintain its edge in tech innovation despite China’s economic rise, Quinlan said, adding that the market cap of firms like Nvidia, Google-parent Alphabet, and Apple are larger than many countries’ economic output.

“America is the largest market in the world for research and development spending and, in terms of AI, investment in AI in the U.S. is light years ahead of most of Europe and the rest of the world,” he said.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, co-founder of the world’s most valuable company, was born to Taiwanese immigrants who brought him to the U.S. at a young age. (Akio Kon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

#8 Academic excellence

Quinlan wrote that U.S. colleges and universities are among its greatest assets, with the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings’ top 100 placing 26 in the U.S., including four of the top five and eight of the top 20.

“Many of the world’s most innovative companies were founded or co-founded by immigrants who first arrived in America as students. Talent follows opportunity, and opportunity still flows disproportionately toward the U.S.,” he noted.

BANK OF AMERICA CARDHOLDERS CAN VISIT 250 MUSEUMS FREE DURING JULY 4 WEEKEND

#9 Dollar dominance

“Predictions of the dollar’s demise have become a recurring feature of modern finance. Yet the greenback remains the world’s dominant reserve currency, the primary medium of global trade and finance, and the ultimate safe-haven during periods of crisis,” Quinlan wrote.

He added that the dominance of the dollar has given the U.S. what has historically been known as an “exorbitant privilege” that manifests itself in the ability to borrow, invest and transact that few nations can rival, and that, for the time being, “there remains no credible global substitute to the buck.”

The dollar is the world’s reserve currency. (Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images)

#10 Competitive drive

Economic competitiveness allows countries to adapt, innovate, bring in talent and drive growth – all categories that Quinlan said the U.S. is among the world leaders in, adding that the U.S. is “positioned to remain among the world’s most competitive economies.”

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

“Summing it all up: At 250 years old, America remains the world’s leading economic, financial, technological and military power,” Quinlan wrote. “The entrepreneurial DNA of 1776 continues to run strong through our nation – think the willingness to take risks, challenge conventions, attract talent, and reinvest itself. That’s worth celebrating.”

This article was written by

Follow

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ARCC, NLY, EPD either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Beyond Saving, Philip Mause, and Hidden Opportunities, all are supporting contributors for High Dividend Opportunities. Any recommendation posted in this article is not indefinite. We closely monitor all of our positions. We issue Buy and Sell alerts on our recommendations, which are exclusive to our members.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

This article was written by

Follow

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of SMH either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

The analysis is provided exclusively for informational purposes and should not be considered professional investment advice. Before investing, please conduct personal in-depth research and utmost due diligence, as there are many risks associated with the trade, including capital loss.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.