McDonald's Adds 6 Fast Food Drinks to U.S. Menus May 6
McDonald’s said it will add six crafted beverages to fast food menus in U.S. restaurants on May 6. The lineup includes three refreshers and three crafted sodas, while the company is also creating a beverage specialist role across its 14,000 U.S. restaurants.
Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald’s USA chief marketing officer, said in a statement: "Our fans have an obsession with beverages – to them, drinks are more than just drinks. And soon, our beverages won’t just be a reason you come to McDonald’s, they’ll be THE reason". The company said it is adding the drinks because visual appeal and drinks as a form of self-expression matter more to customers.
McDonald’s May 6 lineup
McDonald’s said the new drinks will include mango pineapple with strawberry boba, blackberry passion fruit with freeze-dried dragon fruit, and a dirty Dr Pepper with vanilla flavoring and cold foam. The company did not list the full six-item menu in the facts provided, but it said the launch will split evenly between refreshers and crafted sodas.
The chain said high-performing employees will be selected first for the beverage specialist roles. Those workers will have dedicated spaces behind the counter to make drinks, and McDonald’s later plans to have all employees rotate through those positions.
CosMc's and afternoon sales
The beverage push follows years of work on drinks. McDonald’s announced in late 2023 that it would open small stores called CosMc’s to sell customizable drinks and treats for afternoon snackers, then closed its eight CosMc’s locations last spring after Chris Kempczinski said many of the drinks were too complex for regular store operations.
Kempczinski said in late 2023 that drinks were part of a large business opportunity, calling it "a $100 billion category that’s growing faster than the rest of (casual dining) and with superior margins." McDonald’s has said its sales often slump in the afternoon between mealtimes, and the company now plans to test some drinks in U.S. stores.
Fast food drinks race
McDonald’s is not the only fast food chain building a separate beverage business. Taco Bell opened its first Live Mas Café at the end of 2024 and added 30 more locations last year, while KFC’s Kwench drink menu is rolling out to 3,000 stores this year in the U.K., Australia and Canada.
For McDonald’s customers, the change means new drinks will arrive on the menu May 6, with beverage-focused staffing built into the restaurants where the company says the category can do more business.
