According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the fast-food chain is set to offer energy drinks and specialty sodas as part of a broader overhaul of its cold drinks menu at US restaurants later this year.
Internal company documents viewed by WSJ indicate that the new drinks could roll out as early as May 2026, with energy drinks to follow in the fall.
The new cold beverages rolling out next month include a Dirty Dr. Pepper and Mango Pineapple Refresher.
McDonald’s lineup of energy drinks, including a Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer, are slated to be added to menus starting in August.
The chain is also set to price the new drink lineups less than competitors such as Starbucks, Sonic Drive-In and Dutch Bros.
Franchisees are preparing for the rollout by reportedly investing thousands of dollars per restaurant in new equipment to handle the drinks.
McDonald’s has spent years testing out beverage expansion, including drinks such as Sour Cherry Energy Burst and Blackberry Mint Green Tea at the short-lived beverage-forward concept CosMc’s.
Some of the best sellers at CosMc’s included the Island Pick Me Up Punch, Churro Cold Brew Frappe and the Sour Energy Burst. The Fruity Popping Boba was the most popular drink customization.
The concept launched in Illinois in late 2023 and shuttered in 2025. At the time, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski noted that McDonald’s is “committed to going after beverages.”
The new cold beverages rolling out next month include a Dirty Dr. Pepper and a Mango Pineapple Refresher. Christopher Sadowski In May 2025, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said they would be working with individual franchisees to test some of the CosMc’s exclusive beverages on standard menus.
McDonald’s expanded testing to 500 restaurant locations to figure out what worked and what didn’t.
The company found that customers were more interested in drinks that felt like treats rather than niche flavors like matcha or turmeric, according to global beverage head Charlie Newberger.
“They are looking for that little treat, that companion to the day,” Newberger told the Journal last year. “Those play to our strengths.”
McDonald’s expects the new beverages to deliver profit margins will still maintaining consistent service times.
The move comes as the beverage market is booming with demand for energy drinks and “dirty sodas.”
