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McDonald's Unveils New Specialty Drinks Coming to US Stores
The lineup includes three refreshers and three dirty sodas as McDonald’s aims to tap a growing beverage market and boost profits.
- Starting May 6, McDonald's will launch six specialty drinks nationwide, including caffeinated refreshers and crafted sodas, marking what the company calls a "new era" for its beverage strategy.
- After experimenting with new beverages at 500 locations, the chain is rolling out the permanent lineup nationwide, following closure of its experimental CosMc's concept in 2025.
- The menu features three lemonade-based refreshers—Strawberry Watermelon, Mango Pineapple, and Blackberry Passion Fruit—plus three crafted sodas including Sprite Berry Blast and Dirty Dr Pepper.
- To ensure consistent service, McDonald's is introducing "beverage specialist" roles at its 14,000 U.S. restaurants, with staff currently training ahead of the May 6 launch.
- The $100 billion beverage category offers higher profit margins than food, with TikTok fueling demand for "dirty sodas" and colorful, photogenic drinks that fast-food chains are now racing to offer.
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23 Articles
23 Articles
McDonald’s hops on the ‘dirty soda’ trend with colorful new drink lineup
Starting May 6, McDonald's is building on the "special connection" fans have with their drinks with the launch of six new specialty drinks, including three new refreshers and three crafted sodas coming to restaurants nationwide.
·New York, United States
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McDonald’s launches Refreshers, crafted sodas in May 2026
CLEVELAND, Ohio – McDonald’s is diversifying its beverage menu with six new specialty drinks starting May 6. The starting lineup includes three new Refreshers (which contain caffeine) and three crafted sodas.
·Cleveland, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources23
Leaning Left4Leaning Right2Center13Last UpdatedBias Distribution68% Center
Bias Distribution
- 68% of the sources are Center
68% Center
L 21%
C 68%
11%
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