McDonald’s will roll out specialty drinks

McDonald’s is adding specialty drinks to its United States restaurants, starting this month with refreshers and crafted sodas before a broader push in May. (cnbc.com) McDonald’s told Reuters the new drinks will begin appearing in April 2026, and CBS News reported the nationwide rollout of refreshers and crafted sodas is set for May. Energy drinks are planned for later in 2026. (cnbc.com) (cbsnews.com) The Wall Street Journal report cited by Reuters said the lineup includes a Mango Pineapple Refresher, a Creamy Vanilla Cold Brew and crafted sodas such as a Dirty Dr Pepper. It also said McDonald’s is preparing a Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer for later this year. (usnews.com) McDonald’s has been building toward this through CosMc’s, the beverage-focused spinoff it launched in Bolingbrook, Illinois, in December 2023. The company said in May 2025 that drinks inspired by that test would move into hundreds of McDonald’s restaurants in the United States. (corporate.mcdonalds.com) That same May 2025 announcement said McDonald’s would close all five CosMc’s locations starting in late June 2025. The company said the stand-alone stores had served their purpose as a “launchpad for learning” on drinks, flavors and operations. (corporate.mcdonalds.com) (today.com) The beverage push comes as restaurant chains chase higher-margin drink sales and younger customers who buy flavored sodas, refreshers and energy drinks outside traditional meal orders. Reuters said McDonald’s plans to price the new beverages below rivals including Starbucks, Dutch Bros and Sonic. (usnews.com) McDonald’s has framed the move as an expansion of a category customers already notice at the chain, pointing to demand for items such as Hi-C Orange Lavaburst and the fan nickname “Spicy Sprite.” The company told CBS News it would share more details on the expanded beverage lineup soon. (cbsnews.com) For McDonald’s, the next test is whether a drink strategy built in a small side brand can work at scale under the Golden Arches. By May, customers across the United States should start seeing how much of CosMc’s made the jump. (corporate.mcdonalds.com) (cbsnews.com)