On September 2nd, 2025, McDonald’s released a couple of new drinks, only increasing customers’ love. These drinks include Toasted Vanilla Frappe, Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Sprite Lunar Splash, Popping Tropic Refresher, and Creamy Vanilla Cold Brew. It’s believed that this is a way to compete with Starbucks in the drink category, while also increasing their reputation, attracting new or returning customers, and giving people the opportunity to discover a potential new favorite sweet treat.
According to Shauna Stuart, “Industry experts believe the lineup of beverages is the fast-food chain’s way of trying to compete with Starbucks in the specialty coffee and drink category”. Later on, she states, “In an interview with CNN, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said the specialty coffee business was an ‘attractive and fast-growing category.’” This represents the slight competition or inspiration McDonald’s had from Starbucks. With Starbucks offering a wider variety of drinks, McDonald’s also sought to introduce this feature. It’s also important to note that they couldn’t just add a whole bunch of drinks. Productivity and kitchen operations still play a crucial role.
In that same article, Stuart states, “But he also noted the fast-food chain couldn’t just add several new drinks to the menu without compromising kitchen operations and slowing down service.” Kitchen operations are incredibly important. The more they slow down or get backed up, the more customers will come, which makes it even harder for the cooks to keep up. Making sure they didn’t overdo it with new drinks avoided this issue. These new drinks were also targeted towards Gen Z. 
Alyssa Buetikofer, a marketing officer, says, “We’re seeing real momentum in beverages, with more people — especially our Gen Z fans — turning to cold, flavorful drinks as a go-to treat”. This statement suggests that there has been a surge in beverage consumption, particularly among Gen Z. Therefore, McDonald’s decision to introduce these new drinks was a wise move, as it caters to people’s desires and provides an opportunity to have a new “go-to” sweet treat. Adding these drinks is an excellent addition to how people already enjoy McDonald’s.
Charlie Newburger states, “We’re not just adding drinks to the menu – we’re advancing our global beverage platform that fits naturally with how people already enjoy McDonald’s,” and continues to say, “We’ve got the structure, the tools and the team to move fast and scale what works.” This statement represents how they can add these new drinks, so why not try it out? These newly added drinks will, if they get good reviews, uplift customers’ love for McDonald’s even more.
McDonald’s clearly listens to customers and follows the trend of new food or beverage items. By adding these drinks, not only will repeat customers come in more often, but new ones will be intrigued to try this new beverage flavor. Besides the food, these drinks will offer people something exciting and new to try, enhancing their experience. Because McDonald’s did this, their reputation will become even greater than it was before. With people posting about it on social media, articles and news companies going over it, their fame will only increase.
