McDonald's is rolling out refreshers and crafted sodas to all U.S. locations
The chain plans to price the new drinks below competitors such as Starbucks and Dutch Bros, according to The Wall Street Journal
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Starting this month, refreshers and crafted sodas are coming to McDonald's $MCD locations throughout the U.S., according to a statement from the chain. Among the drinks debuting on the menu are a Mango Pineapple Refresher and a Dirty Dr Pepper $DPS, The Wall Street Journal reported, breaking the news ahead of McDonald's announcement.
The Journal also noted that energy drinks are slated to hit store shelves in August. On pricing, McDonald's intends to undercut what chains like Starbucks $SBUX, Dutch Bros, and Sonic charge for similar beverages.
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The push into specialty drinks is connected to McDonald's shuttering of CosMc's, its five beverage-focused experimental locations, which closed last year after the company used them to explore that market segment. A promise made in May 2024 to migrate select CosMc's menu items into the main restaurant chain is now being fulfilled.
The new drinks arrive as McDonald's has been pushing deeper into discount territory to attract budget-conscious diners. The chain's recent U.S. moves include a $4 breakfast meal deal and a lineup of menu items capped at $3, both introduced earlier this month. That effort extends nearly two years of value-focused moves, including $5 meal deals in 2024, $1 options added in January 2025, and a franchisee deal last fall to cut combo-meal prices.
Foot traffic data showing more frequent visits from lower-income customers gave CEO Chris Kempczinski reason to declare in February that the value-focused approach was gaining traction.