McDonald’s adding energy drinks, craft sodas to US menus, reports say

President Trump gets McDonald's delivered to the Oval Office

President Trump gets McDonald's from DoorDash delivered to the Oval Office before taking questions from the press on a wide range of topics. 

CHICAGO - McDonald’s is reportedly shaking up its beverage menu.

According to reports from the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, the fast-food chain is set to offer energy drinks and specialty sodas. 

McDonald’s adding energy drinks to menu

Big picture view:

According to the WSJ, McDonald’s is set to offer a Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer as part of a broader overhaul of its menu of cold drinks at its U.S. restaurants later this year, according to people familiar with the matter and company documents viewed by the media outlet.

A sign stands outside of a McDonald's restaurant February 9, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) 

In addition, other new beverages, slated to roll out next month, include a Dirty Dr Pepper and Mango Pineapple Refresher. The company’s slate of energy drinks are expected to be sold starting in August.

Dig deeper:

WSJ also reported that McDonald's plans to price the new drinks below offerings from competitors such as Starbucks.

McDonald’s closes CosMc’s restaurants

The backstory:

Last year, McDonald’s pulled the plug on its experimental beverage-forward concept, CosMc’s, which was launched in 2023.

Designed to capture the elusive afternoon snack crowd with colorful drinks that weren’t able to be integrated into McDonald’s existing kitchen systems, CosMc’s quickly made waves online but failed to stick around long-term. 

The small-format stores were optimized for afternoon traffic, offering drinks with names and ingredients more likely to be found at Starbucks or Dutch Bros than the Golden Arches.

RELATED: McDonald's testing CosMc's-inspired drinks at restaurants

Instead, McDonald’s started testing which drinks resonated best with its broader customer base and whether simplified versions could be folded into its permanent menu. 

What they're saying:

"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," Alyssa Buetikofer, the chief customer experience and marketing officer of McDonald’s USA, said at the time. "It’s a great opportunity for us to meet our US customers’ evolving tastes and show up in new moments, like afternoon refreshment or snack breaks."