Latest news with #AlyssaBuetikofer
The Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
McDonald's to begin testing viral ‘dirty sodas' and cold coffees in over 500 locations
Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice McDonald's is planning to launch a range of 'dirty sodas' as part of a new 'futuristic' menu range for the Fall. Taking inspiration from fans, the fast-food chain said it was leaning into its drinks spin-off brand, CosMc's, to 'turn up the flavor' and create an exciting range of drinks that resonates with younger Gen-Z audiences. However, the Thursday announcement comes months after the chain began shuttering all CosMc's locations, just over a year after they launched in Bolingbrook, Chicago, plus six more in Texas. Over 500 restaurants across Wisconsin, Colorado, and surrounding areas will begin rolling out the new lineup of drinks, McDonald's said. A dirty soda is a drink made up of a base soda, usually a popular brand such as Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, or Sprite, and then spiked with a syrup or a flavored coffee creamer. It's particularly popular among teens and those who prefer not to drink alcohol. McDonald's is launching five new drinks across over 500 restaurants ( McDonalds ) 'Think cold coffees, fruity refreshers, crafted sodas, and energizing sips—all created to bring a little extra joy to your day,' it added. The new flavor lineup will include Toasted Vanilla Frappé, Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Sprite Lunar Splash, Popping Tropic Refresher, and Creamy Vanilla Cold Brew. The fast food chain said the soda range was designed for every occasion, from a morning lift to an afternoon refresher, or even as a small treat. '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,' said Alyssa Buetikofer, chief customer experience and marketing officer of McDonald's USA. '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,' she added. All five drinks are planned to be tested starting September 2. The 'dirty soda' trend has gained popularity in Utah — where the large Mormon population doesn't typically drink alcohol — since the early 2010s. But Olivia Rodrigo has also been credited with propelling the trend to the next level when she posted about it in late 2021. The news also follows the news that both Coke and Pepsi plan to launch new prebiotic soda drinks, suggesting a boom in the market as competitors race to create innovative new flavors.
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
McDonald's to test five crazy new drinks
While generally conservative with both its menu and any spin-offs of its brand, McDonald's (MCD) briefly tried testing a new restaurant concept rooted in the small-store format and nostalgia. Between 2023 and 2024, the fast-food chain opened five CosMc locations in Illinois and Texas, only to shutter them all by mid-2025. The original idea was to establish a small store with custom drinks to rival Starbucks (SBUX) and Dunkin' (DNKN) named after the part-alien, part-car character that the chain featured in commercials between the late 1980s and early 1990s. The concept, however, ultimately proved too difficult to roll out. "We've learned so much, so quickly from the CosMc's test," McDonald's said in a statement. "It allowed us to test new, bold flavors and different technologies and processes - without impacting the existing McDonald's experience for customers and crew." Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter As such, the Golden Arches will now redirect to testing new coffee and flavored soda drinks initially planned for CosMc at 500 regular McDonald's locations in the Midwest. These include a Toasted Vanilla Frappé, a Strawberry Watermelon Refresher and Popping Tropic Refreshers, a Creamy Vanilla Cold Brew, and a Sprite Lunar Splash, as well as others not yet announced by the chain. The drinks will be sold at Wisconsin and Colorado locations from Sept. 2 and are designed to show McDonald's what kind of flavors sell, as well as whether the demand for the new items makes it worth investing in a wider rollout. Related: Taco Bell to add three popular desserts to permanent menu "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," McDonald's USA Chief Marketing Officer Alyssa Buetikofer said in a statement. "It's a great opportunity for us to meet our U.S. customers' evolving tastes and show up in new moments, like afternoon refreshment or snack breaks." The drinks are also meant to attract customers with eye-popping colors and extravagant toppings. The Sprite Lunar Splash adds a bright pink topping to the drink's signature clear color, while the Strawberry Watermelon Refresher is decorated with chunks of strawberry floating inside the bright pink drink. These offerings also open the door for potential future collaborations with various soft drink brands. McDonald's competitors have already made similar moves. Wendy's (WEN) recently launched three new summer sour drinks in partnership with Powerade earlier this summer, while Yum! Brands (YUM) -owned KFC launched a "dirty soda" made with Mountain Dew in April. More Food News: McDonald's menu finally brings back most-wanted fan favoritePopular fast-food burger chain to open first store in new marketWalmart makes deal to open popular food chain in stores Worth $629.2 billion globally in 2024, the soft drinks market is expected to reach as much as $886.2 billion by 2033. The specific drinks spiking demand include both canned and bottled versions purchased in stores and the customizable soft drinks sold inside cafes and pioneered on the large scale by companies like Dutch Bros (BROS) . The new McDonald's drinks will feature CosMc branding and be marketed as flashy new menu items with which visitors can spice up their regular orders. Related: McDonald's brings back experimental menu item 13 years later The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
McDonald's to test new beverage lineup in select US markets
McDonald's has announced plans to test a new beverage lineup from 2 September 2025 across 500 store locations in the states of Wisconsin and Colorado, and surrounding US markets. The initiative aims to explore premium beverage options, drawing on insights gained from its spinoff brand, CosMc. The test lineup will feature options such as vanilla cold brew, strawberry watermelon refresher, toasted vanilla frappé, Sprite lunar splash and popping tropic refresher. McDonald's beverage category lead Charlie Newberger stated: 'We're not just adding drinks to the menu – we're advancing our global beverage platform that fits naturally with how people already enjoy McDonald's. 'We've got the structure, the tools and the team to move fast and scale what works. This first test in the US market is a big step in our global direction.' The test is designed to assess operational effectiveness and customer engagement in the US market. McDonald's highlighted the importance of restaurant teams and owner/operators in this process, noting that their experiences will be crucial in refining aspects such as equipment and execution to enhance the overall beverage experience for customers. McDonald's USA chief customer experience and marketing officer Alyssa Buetikofer stated: 'We're seeing real momentum in beverages, with more people – especially our Gen Z fans – turning to cold, flavourful drinks as a go-to treat. '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.' In May 2025, McDonald's announced its plan to shut its standalone beverage concept, CosMc's. "McDonald's to test new beverage lineup in select US markets" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
McDonald's will test 10 CosMc's-inspired drinks at restaurants
McDonald's plans to test 10 new drinks in hundreds of U.S. stores as the restaurant chain seeks to quench Gen Z customers' taste for bold drink combinations. "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, McDonald's chief customer experience and marketing officer, said in a statement. "It's a great opportunity for us to meet our U.S. customers' evolving tastes and show up in new moments, like afternoon refreshment or snack breaks." The new drink lineup is inspired by what the fast-food giant learned through its failed coffee and drinks chain, called CosMc's, that McDonald's launched in 2023. The company shuttered the chain in May. Instead of operating standalone stores, McDonald's will bring a lineup of at least five different CosMc's-branded beverages to 500 McDonald's restaurants across the U.S. The drinks, which McDonald's describes as "cold coffees, fruity refreshers, crafted sodas and energizing sips," will first be available at restaurants in Wisconsin, Colorado and the surrounding areas, according to the company. Tew drinks include: The venture aims to expand and capitalize on growing customer demand for flavorful drinks. "We're not just adding drinks to the menu – we're advancing our global beverage platform that fits naturally with how people already enjoy McDonald's," Charlie Newberger, McDonald's beverage category lead, said in a statement. "We've got the structure, the tools and the team to move fast and scale what works." The drinks will be available in stores starting Sept. 2, according to the company. McDonald's recently re-introduced its popular Snack Wrap and Spicy Egg McMuffin sandwich as it seeks to boost sales and lure inflation-weary customers back to its stores. Same-store sales dropped 3.6% in the first quarter, marking the company's largest drop since the COVID-19 pandemic, when the the chain was forced to close stores nationwide.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
McDonald's will bring 10 CosMc's inspired drinks to restaurants
McDonald's said it is testing 10 new drinks to hundreds of U.S. stores as it enters the next stage of its "beverage journey." The burger chain said it's responding to Gen Z customers' preferences for bold drink combinations. "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, McDonald's chief customer experience and marketing officer, said in a statement. "It's a great opportunity for us to meet our U.S. customers' evolving tastes and show up in new moments, like afternoon refreshment or snack breaks." The new drink lineup is inspired by lessons the fast-food giant learned through its failed venture called CosMc's, a chain launched in 2023 that focused on coffee and other drinks, with offerings similar to Starbucks drinks. The company shuttered the chain in May. Instead of operating standalone stores, McDonald's will bring a lineup of at least five different CosMc's-branded beverages to 500 McDonald's restaurants across the U.S. The drinks, which McDonald's describes as "cold coffees, fruity refreshers, crafted sodas, and energizing sips," will first be available at restaurants in Wisconsin, Colorado and the surrounding areas, according to the company. Here are some of the new drink offerings: The venture aims to expand and capitalize on growing customer demand for flavorful drinks. "We're not just adding drinks to the menu – we're advancing our global beverage platform that fits naturally with how people already enjoy McDonald's," Charlie Newberger, McDonald's beverage category lead said in a statement Thursday. "We've got the structure, the tools and the team to move fast and scale what works. This first test in the U.S. market is a big step in our global direction." The drinks will be available in stores starting Sept. 2, according to the company. McDonald's recently re-introduced its popular Snack Wrap and Spicy Egg McMuffin sandwich as it seeks to boost sales and lure inflation-weary customers back to its stores. Same-store sales dropped 3.6% in the first quarter, marking the company's largest drop since the COVID-19 pandemic, when the the chain was forced to close stores nationwide.
