McDonald’s is moving strongly into the drink business in the United States. On May 6, 2026, it launched six new specialty drinks at participating restaurants nationwide, and those drinks are now on McDonald’s U.S. menu. The lineup includes three Refreshers and three crafted sodas, such as the Mango Pineapple Refresher with strawberry popping boba, the Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher with dragon fruit, Orange Dream, and Dirty Dr Pepper with cold foam. (corporate.mcdonalds.com)

This idea did not start overnight. McDonald’s first tested bold drink ideas through CosMc’s, a small beverage-focused brand that opened in late 2023. In May 2025, the company said it would close those stand-alone pilot stores and use what it learned in regular McDonald’s restaurants instead. The new drinks are made to look fun and colorful, with toppings like cold foam, freeze-dried fruit, and boba. (corporate.mcdonalds.com)

There is also a business reason behind the change. AP reported that McDonald’s often has weaker sales in the afternoon, between meal times, so drinks could bring in more customers at that time. The same AP report said CEO Chris Kempczinski had called beverages a $100 billion category with strong margins. In other words, a pretty cold drink is not only a snack but also a smart way to grow sales. (apnews.com)

McDonald’s is not alone in this trend. KFC says its Kwench line, with sparkling lemonades, boba refreshers, shakes, and iced coffees, is rolling out across the U.K. during 2026. Taco Bell also says drinks are a major growth area: it launched Refrescas nationwide in June 2025 and expanded its Live Más Café concept, where special drinks are made by “Bellristas” inside selected Taco Bell stores. Fast-food chains once competed mainly with burgers and fries, but now many of them also want to become your favorite drink stop. (kfc.co.uk)