Overview
- McDonald's, which disclosed Tuesday it will add a crafted drink lineup, set a nationwide U.S. rollout for May 6.
- The six drinks include three lemonade‑based refreshers—Strawberry Watermelon, Mango Pineapple with popping boba, and Blackberry Passion Fruit—and three crafted sodas: Sprite Berry Blast, Orange Dream, and Dirty Dr Pepper.
- Restaurants are training now and some locations have the drinks early, with availability easiest to verify in the McDonald's app, according to a company marketing director.
- To execute at scale, about 14,000 U.S. restaurants are adding a beverage specialist with a dedicated prep area, part of a strategy to attract younger, social‑media‑driven customers and lift profit per order.
- The move draws on recipes and process lessons from the short‑lived CosMc's pilot and joins a fast‑food drinks race led by rivals like KFC, Taco Bell, and Wendy's, with Canada beginning its rollout around May 5.