McDonald’s bets on boba refreshers and a dirty Dr Pepper to drive growth

McDonald’s is rolling out a new set of “crafted” drinks for U.S. restaurants, signaling how fast-food companies are trying to win customers not just with meals but also with beverage menus designed to look and taste more premium. The company said it will introduce six drinks on May 6, including boba-style refreshers and sodas finished with foams, as it positions drinks as a central draw for the brand.

The refreshers include three options, McDonald’s said, such as a mango pineapple flavor with strawberry boba and a blackberry passion fruit flavor with freeze-dried dragon fruit. The company also plans three crafted sodas, including a “dirty Dr Pepper” with vanilla flavoring topped with cold foam. McDonald’s said the beverages’ visual appeal and customers’ view of drinks as a form of self-expression are increasingly important.

McDonald’s Chief Marketing Officer Alyssa Buetikofer said in a statement that, “Our fans have an obsession with beverages – to them, drinks are more than just drinks. And soon, our beverages won’t just be a reason you come to McDonald’s, they’ll be THE reason.” The company also is rolling out staffing changes tied to the new menu. McDonald’s said it is adding a “beverage specialist” role at its 14,000 U.S. restaurants, with dedicated spaces behind the counter where employees will focus on drinks.

In early stages, McDonald’s said it will select high-performing employees for the beverage specialist roles, but it plans to encourage broader rotation later, so more workers cycle through beverage positions. The company framed the move as part of a longer beverage upgrade effort, and said it wants to improve sales during the afternoon period between mealtimes, when it said sales often slump.

McDonald’s has been developing alternative drink concepts for years. In late 2023, the company announced CosMc’s, describing small stores designed to sell customizable drinks and treats for afternoon snackers. Those locations later closed, and McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said at the time that many of the drinks were too complex for regular McDonald’s store operations, though the company said it would test some drinks in U.S. stores in the future.

Kempczinski also pointed to the business opportunity for beverage-focused concepts when the CosMc’s idea was announced in 2023. In that discussion, he said it was “a $100 billion category that’s growing faster than the rest of (casual dining) and with superior margins” and that McDonald’s believed it had “the right to win” in the category. The AP story also noted that specialty drinks can command higher prices than standard fountain offerings, citing an example in Michigan at a Wendy’s where a small Pineapple Citrus Sparkling Energy drink cost $3.29, while a small Coca-Cola Freestyle machine drink cost $1 less.

Other chains are also expanding beverages in formats and flavors that go beyond fountain sodas and basic coffee. KFC has been rolling out its Kwench drink menu after tests in Manchester, England, with the chain planning to introduce the concept to about 3,000 stores across the U.K., Australia and Canada this year. Kwench includes shakes such as a Strawberry Shortcake Krunch, plus boba refreshers and iced coffees.

Taco Bell, which is owned by Yum Brands, has a separate beverage brand called Live Mas Café, with drinks blended at kiosks inside U.S. restaurants. The AP report said employees dubbed those drink stations “Bellristas,” and that Taco Bell opened its first Live Mas Café at the end of 2024 and added 30 more locations last year. In a November investor call, Yum Brands CEO Chris Turner said that if sales perform well at those 30 locations, the Live Mas Café concept “will likely be part of Taco Bell’s long-term growth plan,” adding, “Through Live Mas Café, (we) add a new consumer use case, which is the destination beverage visit.”

Wendy’s is also adding drink options, the AP report said, including customizable cold foam iced coffees and two sparkling energy drinks that it added to its U.S. menu last fall. Burger King has likewise upgraded its beverage offerings, including a Frozen Cotton Candy drink with an optional foam topping that debuted in 2024 and returned last summer.