McDonald’s has put an expiration date on its fill-it-yourself soda era. The chain says all self-serve drink stations in its roughly 14,000 US restaurants will be gone by 2032, as it continues shifting away from dine-in service toward the drive-thru, delivery, and takeout, per Quartz. The outlet reports that digital orders now generate about 40% of the chain’s US revenue. The move, rolled out gradually as restaurants remodel, will put drink-pouring entirely in employees’ hands, letting the company better control portion sizes and cleanliness and keep equipment maintenance costs down—as well as ending free refills for those who still eat inside the restaurants.
Per a recent Reddit post cited by Today, at least one McDonald’s has already “removed the drink station and the ketchup from the lobby.” The timing lines up with a broader beverage play. McDonald’s recently added six specialty drinks—three lemonade-based, caffeinated “refreshers” and three “crafted sodas” topped with cold foam—after testing them at its now-closed CosMc’s concept, per Quartz. The drink push is happening in tandem with more value-focused offers, including a $4 breakfast deal and a $3-and-under lineup, as the largely franchisee-run chain leans into discounts and higher-margin drinks to keep customers coming back. McDonald’s has indicated it also plans to add behind-the-counter “beverage specialists” at its US locations, reports the AP.
