McDonald’s is planning big changes to its drinks menu, with new energy drinks and fruit-flavored refreshers expected to be available in US locations soon.
McDonald’s is planning to add several new drinks to its menu, including a Red Bull Dragonberry flavor, plus other sodas and fruit drinks, according to The Wall Street Journal.
McDonald’s is making this change to grow its business in the popular beverage market, as drinks like energy drinks and customized sodas are becoming increasingly popular.
McDonald’s plans new energy drinks and refreshers rollout
According to internal documents and people with knowledge of the company’s plans, the new beverages could start appearing in stores as soon as May 2026, and energy drinks are anticipated to launch in August.
McDonald’s is adding new drinks like a Dirty Dr Pepper and Mango Pineapple Refresher to offer customers more choices. They also plan to price these drinks lower than similar options at places like Starbucks, Dutch Bros, and Sonic.
For years, the company has been secretly experimenting with ideas like these. Their former CosMc’s restaurant offered drinks such as Sour Cherry Energy Burst and Blackberry Mint Green Tea, which allowed them to see how customers felt about more unique drinks.
After initially closing its CosMc’s test locations in 2025, McDonald’s broadened its testing to about 500 restaurants to improve its drink offerings. Charlie Newberger, who leads global beverage development, explained that customers preferred fun, treat-like drinks over more unusual flavors like matcha or turmeric lattes.
Franchise owners are getting ready to launch the new drinks, and many are buying new equipment to make them. The company believes these drinks will be very profitable without slowing down service.
This move is happening as large restaurant chains try to benefit from the growing popularity of specialty drinks. Competitors like Taco Bell already sell ‘dirty sodas,’ and KFC introduced a Mountain Dew version of the drink back in 2025.
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2026-04-13 17:50