Six new menu items are hitting McDonald’s menus Wednesday, but they aren’t burgers, chicken or fries: They’re “specialty” drinks.
The drinks — three new “Refreshers,” and three crafted sodas — join other chains like KFC, Wendy’s and Taco Bell, that have elevated their beverage offerings in order to lure customers away from rivals like Starbucks and Dutch Bros.
“Think freeze-dried fruit inclusions, smooth, velvety cold foam and popping boba,” a release from McDonald’s said. The Chicago-based company added that the drinks will all be permanent additions to menus.
Starting May 6, fans can try six new specialty drinks made to match every mood and moment.
“Our fans have an obsession with beverages – to them, drinks are more than just drinks,” Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, McDonald’s USA said in the release. “And soon, our beverages won’t just be a reason you come to McDonald’s, they’ll be the reason.”
The new drinks also come as McDonald’s has said it’s also adding a “beverage specialist” role at its 14,000 U.S. restaurants, with employees having dedicated spaces behind the counter where they can focus on drinks.
Initially, high-performing employees will be selected for those roles, but eventually all employees will be encouraged to rotate through the beverage positions, MCDonald’s said.
The new role and new beverages follows McDonald’s plan to phase out self-service soda machines in all U.S. restaurants. By 2032, all beverage stations at McDonald’s will be “crew managed” — which means customers will no longer be handed by employees a cup to fill up themselves.
McDonald’s confirmed the change to NBC Chicago in 2023, saying it is meant to create a more consistent experience across all ordering points.
In addition to the new drinks, McDonald’s has partnered with designed Susan Alexandra to sell six limited-edition beaded drink carriers.
We teamed up with designer Susan Alexandra to drop six limited-edition beaded drink carriers that free up your hands and elevate your look.
All six new drinks hit McDonald’s restaurants nationwide Wednesday.
“And stay tuned,” McDonald’s said. “We’ve got more brewing.”
A full list of the new beverages can be found below. All refreshers contain caffeine, McDonald’s said.
- Strawberry Watermelon Refresher* blends sweet strawberry and watermelon flavors with a lemonade base, plus freeze‑dried strawberries for an extra burst of flavor and visual flair.
- Mango Pineapple Refresher* mixes tropical mango and pineapple flavors with a lemonade base and strawberry popping boba to deliver a juicy burst of flavor.
- Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher* pairs bold blackberry and passion fruit flavors with lemonade alongside freeze‑dried dragon fruit for a touch of sweetness and a pop of color.
- Sprite® Berry Blast infuses our iconic Sprite® with a sweet blue raspberry syrup – topped off with decadent cold foam as the final touch.
- Orange Dream is a twist on the fan-favorite Hi‑C® Orange Lavaburst at McDonald’s mixed with a hint of vanilla flavor and finished with cold foam for a smooth, dreamy citrus sip.
- Dirty Dr Pepper® layers classic Dr Pepper® flavor with a vanilla flavor and a cloud of cold foam to create a rich finish.
