Cheerwine Surprises Shoppers at Charlotte Food Lion with $0 Grocery Bills

Three cheers for Cheerwine!

Dozens of people shopping at a Food Lion in Charlotte, North Carolina, last week were surprised to find that didn't owe a penny for their groceries thanks to Cheerwine.

Representatives from the soft drink company treated approximately 35 customers to a zero-dollar bill on Friday in celebration of the debut of Cheerwine Zero Sugar. Get it?

According to a news release, the lucky shoppers also went home with a free two-liter bottle of Cheerwine Zero Sugar and a bag with Cheerwine goodies.

The Salisbury-based maker of the beloved beverage announced the new zero-sugar option earlier this month, promising the Diet Cheerwine replacement features "the same effervescence and cherry goodness fans have loved since Cheerwine first launched in 1917."

"Cheerwine Zero Sugar offers the great taste of regular Cheerwine, but without the calories," Joy Ritchie Harper, vice-president of marketing for Cheerwine and fifth generation founding family member, said in a news release. "And fans of Diet Cheerwine can still enjoy the delightful sugar-free cherry taste they love with Cheerwine Zero Sugar."

Cheerwine Zero Sugar is now available in 12-ounce cans and two-liter bottles on grocery store shelves across North Carolina and South Carolina, and select Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland markets.