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McDonald’s Sets May 6 Rollout for Six Specialty Drinks, Including “Crafted Sodas”

The move extends a Utah-born dirty soda trend to the mainstream.

Overview

  • McDonald’s will add six specialty beverages nationwide on May 6, split between three refreshers and three items the company calls crafted sodas.
  • The crafted sodas — Sprite Berry Blast, Orange Dream, and Dirty Dr Pepper — mix soda with flavored syrups and a cold foam topping, which aligns with the dirty soda style.
  • The refreshers come in Strawberry Watermelon, Mango Pineapple, and Blackberry Passion Fruit flavors, offering a fruit-forward option for cold drink fans.
  • McDonald’s paired the launch with a Susan Alexandra partnership that sells beaded drink holders in colors that match each new beverage.
  • Dirty soda grew out of Utah soda shops like Swig, which trademarked the term in 2014, and wider interest surged after a Hulu reality series as chains such as Dunkin’, Sonic, Taco Bell, and select AMC theaters added similar drinks.