May 4, 2026, 1:22 p.m. ET
Many have started to notice a difference at their local McDonald’s restaurant. And you may start to notice it soon, too.
The fast food giant announced in 2023 it would slowly transition away from self-serve soda fountains in dining rooms across the country, with a complete phaseout expected by 2032. Customers will be required to ask for refills at the counter.
“This change is intended to create a consistent experience for both customers and crew across all ordering points, whether that’s McDelivery, the app, kiosk, drive-thru or in-restaurant,” the company said in a 2023 statement to USA TODAY.
The State Journal-Register, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported in 2023 that several locations in Illinois had already made the shift. Owner-operators said at the time that food safety, theft prevention and a lack of dine-in customers impacted the decision.
Brad Davis, who in 2023 owned multiple McDonald’s in Springfield, Illinois, said at the time one of his restaurants was selected to be part of the new “crew pour” system, where workers refill customer drinks for them, according to the State Journal-Register. He told the outlet that while the experience was an adjustment for customers and staff, complaints were minimal.
Although this was announced in 2023, some customers have taken to Reddit recently to point out the changes as it has been rolled out gradually across the U.S.
The company did not clarify at the time whether financial or health factors impacted the decision. The company told USA TODAY on Monday, May 4 there is no new information for them to share regarding the decision.
McDonald’s reveals new refreshers, crafted sodas on menu
Meanwhile, McDonald’s has added a new lineup of six specialty drinks, including caffeinated refreshers and dirty sodas, to its menu.
The six new drinks include three lemonade-based refreshers as well as three so-called dirty sodas. See the full lineup:
- Strawberry Watermelon Refresher: A lemonade base with a mix of strawberry and watermelon flavors and freeze‑dried strawberries.
- Mango Pineapple Refresher: A lemonade base with a mix of tropical mango and pineapple flavors and strawberry popping boba.
- Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher: A lemonade base with a mix of blackberry and passion fruit flavors and freeze‑dried dragon fruit.
- Sprite Berry Blast: Sprite infused with blue raspberry syrup and topped with cold foam.
- Orange Dream: Hi‑C Orange Lavaburst mixed with vanilla flavor and topped with cold foam.
- Dirty Dr Pepper: Dr Pepper mixed with vanilla flavor and topped with cold foam.
“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,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald’s USA’s chief marketing and customer experience officer, in a statement.
The new drinks will be available at McDonald’s restaurants nationwide beginning May 6.
Guillaume Huin, senior marketing director for McDonald’s USA, said in a post on X that restaurants are already “starting to train and prepare” ahead of the drinks officially rolling out on menus.
Contributing: Melina Khan, USA TODAY
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.