McDonald's set to trial a novel drink service in Wisconsin and Colorado
McDonald's is set to expand its CosMc's beverage lineup by testing at least five to ten new drinks in over 500 existing McDonald's locations primarily in Wisconsin, Colorado, and surrounding areas starting September 2, 2025. This move follows the closure of standalone CosMc's beverage store locations earlier in 2025, with McDonald’s pivoting from operating separate outlets to integrating successful drink concepts into its main restaurants.
The new CosMc's drinks include cold coffees, fruity refreshers, crafted sodas, and energizing beverages, with specific examples such as the Toasted Vanilla Frappe, Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Sprite Lunar Splash, Popping Tropic Refresher, and Creamy Vanilla Cold Brew. These drinks aim to capture growing consumer demand for flavorful, cold beverages, especially among Gen Z customers who are drawn to refreshing snack-time drinks.
Alyssa Buetikofer, chief customer experience and marketing officer with McDonald's USA, stated that they are seeing real momentum in beverages, with more people, especially Gen Z fans, turning to cold, flavorful drinks as a go-to treat. This initiative is part of McDonald’s broader beverage strategy to increase sales and store traffic during non-meal times by meeting evolving customer tastes with bold and specialized drink options.
In terms of competition, McDonald’s expansion in specialty drinks directly responds to moves by rivals like Taco Bell, which recently expanded its own in-store beverage offerings (Live Mas Live). The specialty beverage market among fast food chains is intensifying, with McDonald’s leveraging learnings from CosMc’s to refine and scale concepts compatible with their existing kitchens and operations.
McDonald's is looking to beverages to potentially generate more sales and more traffic. By integrating successful drink concepts into its main restaurants, McDonald's can capitalize on the trendy and growing specialty beverage segment without the operational challenges of standalone stores, aiming for scalable growth through existing restaurant infrastructure.
References:
[1] McDonald's USA. (2025). McDonald's Announces Expansion of CosMc's Beverage Lineup. [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-us/news/press-releases/2025/mcdonalds-announces-expansion-of-cosmcs-beverage-lineup.html
[2] Bloomberg. (2025). McDonald's Plans to Expand Beverage Lineup as Sales Weaken. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-15/mcdonald-s-plans-to-expand-beverage-lineup-as-sales-weaken
[3] Reuters. (2025). McDonald's to Test New Beverages in U.S. as Competition Heats Up. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mcdonalds-beverages/mcdonalds-to-test-new-beverages-in-u-s-as-competition-heats-up-idUSKCN25327X
[4] Business Insider. (2025). McDonald's is testing new drinks as it looks to compete with chains like Taco Bell and Dutch Bros. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-is-testing-new-drinks-as-it-looks-to-compete-with-chains-like-taco-bell-and-dutch-bros-2025-8
The expansion of McDonald's beverage offerings, including cold coffees, fruity refreshers, and crafted sodas, indicates a shift towards improved customer experience, capitalizing on the growing demand for flavorful, cold beverages, particularly among Gen Z customers. This move in restaurant finance is part of McDonald's broader strategy to boost sales and store traffic, leveraging technology to refine and scale successful drink concepts compatible with their existing kitchens and operations.
