McDonald’s Red Bull drinks are getting a new entry on August 17, when the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer goes on sale in U.S. restaurants. The drink pairs Red Bull with blue raspberry syrup and freeze-dried dragonfruit inclusions, and customers can choose Red Bull Zero as the base for a reduced-sugar version.
Alyssa Buetikofer on testing
Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald’s USA Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, said the chain has seen growing enthusiasm for its crafted sodas and refreshers. She said, “We’ve seen growing enthusiasm for our crafted sodas and refreshers as fans look for more variety and options to fit every occasion.”
She also said, “They loved the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer when we first tested it in the U.S., so we're excited to give fans nationwide the energy they’ve been craving with Red Bull. And we're just getting started,” a signal that McDonald’s used the earlier test to shape the wider rollout.
McValue menu and drink lineup
The energy drink launch sits alongside other beverage changes McDonald’s has already put in motion. In May, the company announced a drink lineup that includes Mango Pineapple Refresher with strawberry popping boba and Dirty Dr Pepper with cold foam, after it began testing dirty sodas with customers at more than 500 locations across America last summer.
That push also overlaps with a simpler McValue menu introduced in April, with 10 items that cost $3 or less. McDonald’s is adding Vanilla Swirl to the menu as well, giving Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Coke Zero Sugar a vanilla flavor and cold foam, while also offering the same flavor swirl with Orange Dream with Fanta.
Red Bull Zero and reduced sugar
McDonald’s is also adding reduced sugar options including Diet Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Zero Sugar and Sprite Zero Sugar. The Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer will use 8.4-ounce Red Bull cans, and the option to swap in Red Bull Zero gives customers a lower-sugar path without leaving the same drink format.
For customers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: the drink is scheduled to appear in U.S. restaurants on August 17, alongside a broader menu shift that gives McDonald’s a more varied beverage lineup. What remains to be watched is whether the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer stays on the menu after launch or is used as a limited-time test of demand.
