Many people have begun to notice a difference at their local McDonald’s restaurants. You may soon start to notice this too.
The fast-food giant announced in 2023 that it would phase out self-serve soda fountains at restaurants nationwide and expects to eliminate them entirely by 2032. Customers will be asked to refill their drinks at the counter.
“This change is designed to create a consistent experience for customers and associates at all ordering points, whether McDelivery, app, kiosk, drive-thru or in-restaurant,” the company said in a statement to USA TODAY in 2023.
The USA TODAY Network’s State Journal-Register reported in 2023 that multiple locations in Illinois had already made the switch. Owner-operators said at the time that food safety, theft prevention and a lack of dine-in customers influenced the decision.
Brad Davis, who owns multiple McDonald’s in Springfield, Ill., said in 2023 that one of his restaurants was selected to be part of a new “waiter and pour” system in which staff would refill customers’ drinks, the State Journal-Register reported. He told the outlet that while the experience was an adjustment for customers and employees, complaints had been minimal.
Although this was announced in 2023, some customers recently took to Reddit to point out the changes as it gradually rolls out in the U.S.
The company did not clarify at the time whether financial or health factors influenced the decision. The company told USA TODAY on Monday, May 4, that it had no new information to share about the decision at this time.
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McDonald’s launches new refreshing drinks and craft sodas on menu
Meanwhile, McDonald’s has added a new lineup of six specialty drinks to its menu, including caffeinated refreshments and dirty sodas.
The six new drinks include three lemonade refreshing drinks and three so-called dirty sodas. Check out the full lineup:
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Strawberry Watermelon Refresher: Lemonade base that combines strawberry and watermelon flavors with freeze-dried strawberries.
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Mango Pineapple Refresher: With a lemonade base, it’s blended with tropical mango and pineapple flavors and strawberry popcorn.
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Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher: Based on lemonade, it combines the flavors of blackberry, passion fruit and freeze-dried dragon fruit.
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Sprite Berry Explosion: Sprite is infused with blue raspberry syrup and topped with cold foam.
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orange dream: Hi-C Orange Lavaburst blended with vanilla and topped with cold foam.
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Dirty Dr. Pepper: Dr Pepper is blended with vanilla and topped with cold foam.
