Food

McDonald's unveils new drink menu to take on Starbucks and Dutch Bros

Tonya Costoff Medeiros

14 Apr 2026 — 1 min read

The new drink menu will be available in May with a variety of offerings, including fun soda blends called "Refreshers" ©Image Credit: Wikicommons / Boaventuravinicius

The competition for the best fast-food chain drink menu is on, and McDonald's has thrown its hat into the ring. Starting in May, an all-new drink menu will be released with "Refresher" drinks being the main push.

If there's one thing that McDonald's does really well, it's creating exciting menus. Their summer drink menu has become iconic, with customers counting down the days until it starts.

McDonald's is clearly going all in, attempting to carve out a niche when competing with Dutch Bros and Starbucks.

McDonald's has people asking what a crafted soda is

The new focus will be on "Refresher" beverages, which are described as crafted sodas. Never heard of a crafted soda before. You aren't alone.

Think of it as a fancy way to call a soda blend. The flavors available will include Mango Pineapple, Dirty Dr Pepper, and later in the year, Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer.

“Our fans’ love for McDonald’s beverages runs deep, from rallying for the return of Hi-C Orange Lavaburst to coining the term ‘Spicy Sprite,'” the company said in an email statement.

“We’ll have more to share soon, and we’re excited for fans across the country to taste what’s next," continued the statement.

Watch for energy drinks to make a big push

McDonald's isn't the only one recognizing the energy drink trend. Dutch Bros has gone hard on the category, promising to give customers the "boost" they need.

McDonald's first started testing energy drinks in Colorado. You can bet there will be some winners from those initial phases.

What makes this promotion even smarter is that these drinks will arrive just in time for summer. They could be the perfect way to cool down on a hot day.

Sources: NRN

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