McDonald's Tests New Beverage Lineup in Select US Markets

McDonald's will test a new beverage lineup in select US markets, including Wisconsin and Colorado, featuring options like vanilla cold brew, strawberry watermelon refresher, and toasted vanilla frappé. The test aims to assess operational effectiveness and customer engagement, with a focus on enhancing the overall beverage experience. The move is part of McDonald's global direction in the beverage category.

McDonald's has announced plans to test a new beverage lineup at more than 500 restaurants across Wisconsin, Colorado, and surrounding areas. The test, which begins later this summer, aims to assess the operational effectiveness and customer engagement of the new offerings. The new drinks include Creamy Vanilla Cold Brew, Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Toasted Vanilla Frappe, Sprite Lunar Splash, and Popping Tropic Refresher, among others [1].

The initiative is part of McDonald's broader strategy to enhance its beverage offerings and better compete with specialty coffee chains and other fast-food rivals. The company has been struggling with afternoon sales slumps and seeks to capitalize on the growing demand for flavorful, customizable drinks among younger consumers, particularly Gen Z [2].

The test menu is inspired by lessons learned from the company's failed CosMc's venture, which focused on unique drinks and snacks. While CosMc's struggled to gain traction, the insights gained from its operations will be used to inform the new beverage lineup. The drinks are designed to be operationally feasible while offering innovative flavors that appeal to different consumer preferences and dayparts [3].

McDonald's has been facing challenges in recent quarters, with U.S. same-store sales falling by 3.6% in the first three months of 2025. The company hopes that the new beverage offerings will help drive customer traffic and boost sales [4].

The new drinks will be available starting September 2, 2025, at participating McDonald's locations. The test phase will allow the company to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments before potentially expanding the beverage lineup to more markets.

References:

[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/24/mcdonalds-tests-cosmcs-drinks.html
[2] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcdonalds-cosmcs-beverages/
[3] https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/nation-world/mcdonalds-cosmcs-inspired-drinks-test/507-df5311dc-d272-4024-90f7-2332c3396ee7
[4] https://www.9news.com/article/news/nation-world/mcdonalds-cosmcs-inspired-drinks-test/507-df5311dc-d272-4024-90f7-2332c3396ee7