Watch squirrels eat their own ‘Happy Meals’ outside McDonald’s
A squirrel was spotted taking a snack break on top of a trash can near a McDonald’s in Massachusetts.
Many people are starting to notice the difference in their local McDonald’s restaurants. And you may soon start noticing it too.
The fast food giant announced that it plans to gradually phase out self-service soda fountains in its cafeterias across the country in 2023, with plans to phase them out completely by 2032. Customers must ask for refills at the counter.
“This change is aimed at creating a consistent experience for both customers and crew across all ordering points, including McDelivery, apps, kiosks, drive-thrus and in-restaurants,” the company said in a statement to USA TODAY in 2023.
The State Journal-Register, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported in 2023 that some locations in Illinois have already made the transition. Owner-operators said at the time that food safety, theft prevention and a lack of dine-in customers influenced their decision.
Brad Davis, who owned several McDonald’s in Springfield, Illinois, said at the time that one of his restaurants had been selected for a new “crew pour” system in which employees refill customers’ drinks, according to the State Journal-Register. He told the store that the experience had been an adjustment for customers and staff, but complaints had been kept to a minimum.
It was announced in 2023 but is being rolled out in stages across the US, with some customers recently pointing out the changes on Reddit.
The company did not say at the time whether financial or health factors influenced the decision. The company told USA TODAY on Monday, May 4, that it had no new information to share regarding this decision.
McDonald’s unveils new refresher, craft soda, on menu
Meanwhile, McDonald’s has added a new lineup of six specialty drinks to its menu, including caffeinated soft drinks and dirty sodas.
The six new drinks include three lemonade-based soft drinks and three so-called dirty sodas. See the full lineup:
- strawberry watermelon refresher: Lemonade base with strawberry and watermelon flavors mixed with freeze-dried strawberries.
- Mango Pineapple Refresher: A lemonade base mixed with tropical mango and pineapple flavors and strawberry popping boba.
- blackberry passion fruit refresher: Lemonade base mixed with blackberry and passion fruit flavors and freeze-dried dragon fruit.
- sprite berry blast: Sprite infused with blue raspberry syrup topped with cold foam.
- orange dream: Hi‑C Orange Lava Burst mixed with vanilla flavor and topped with cold foam.
- Dirty Dr. Pepper: Dr. Pepper mixed with vanilla flavor and topped with cold foam.
“Our fans are obsessed with drinks. To them, a drink is more than just a drink. And soon, our drinks will not only be a reason to come to McDonald’s, but a reason,” Alyssa Butikofer, chief marketing and customer experience officer for McDonald’s U.S., said in a statement.
The new drink will go on sale at McDonald’s stores nationwide from May 6th.
In a post on X, Guillaume Huynh, senior marketing director for McDonald’s US, said in a post on X that restaurants have already “begun training and preparation” ahead of the drink’s official menu rollout.
Contributor: Melina Khan, USA TODAY
Gabe Hauari is USA TODAY’s national trends news reporter. You can follow him at X @gabehauari Or email Gdhauari@gannett.com.
