When you think of McDonald‘s, you probably picture Big Macs, French fries, and Happy Meals. But the golden arches serve up an equally iconic and diverse selection of drinks to wash down their world-famous food. From the classic Coca-Cola to seasonal shakes to secret menu beverages, McDonald‘s offers a drink for every taste and occasion.
As a restaurant industry expert who has studied McDonald‘s closely for decades, I‘ve gained a thorough understanding of the fast food titan‘s drink menu and strategy. In this ultimate guide, I‘ll share my insights and take a deep dive into everything you need to know about drinks at McDonald‘s.
We‘ll start with a complete list of beverages you can order, including detailed nutritional info. Then we‘ll explore the history behind some of Mickey D‘s most beloved drinks and learn how to hack the menu to create delicious custom drinks. I‘ll also compare the drink quality and selection to other fast food chains, examine the latest consumer trends, and reveal how McDonald‘s produces its famous drink ingredients. Finally, I‘ll provide my expert analysis on how drinks fit into McDonald‘s overall business model and fuel their industry dominance.
Every Single Drink You Can Get at McDonald‘s
First, let‘s review all the different types of drinks sold at McDonald‘s. The core menu includes:
Coca-Cola Fountain Beverages
– Coca-Cola
– Diet Coke
– Coke Zero Sugar
– Sprite
– Fanta Orange
– Dr Pepper
– Diet Dr Pepper
– Barq‘s Root Beer
– Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
– Minute Maid Lemonade
– Sweet Tea
– Unsweetened Iced Tea
– Hot Tea
These are available in small, medium, and large sizes. A small soda is 16 fl oz, medium is 21 fl oz, and large is 30 fl oz. All of these drinks (except hot tea) come with free refills when dining in.
Other Cold Beverages
– Dasani Bottled Water
– 1% Low Fat Milk Jug
– Reduced Sugar Low Fat Chocolate Milk
– Honest Kids Appley Ever After Organic Juice Drink
– Minute Maid Premium Orange Juice
– Minute Maid 100% Apple Juice Box
– Sweet Tea (available in Southern U.S. markets)
McCafé Drinks
McCafé is McDonald‘s line of premium coffee drinks and other hot beverages. The menu includes both hot and iced options:
Hot McCafé Drinks:
- Cappuccino
- French Vanilla Cappuccino
- Caramel Cappuccino
- Americano
- Premium Roast Coffee
- French Vanilla Latte
- Caramel Latte
- Mocha Latte
- Hot Chocolate
Iced McCafé Drinks:
- Iced Mocha
- Iced Caramel Mocha
- Iced Latte
- Iced Caramel Latte
- Iced French Vanilla Latte
- Iced Coffee
- Iced French Vanilla Coffee
- Iced Caramel Coffee
- Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Iced Skinny Coffee
- Mango Pineapple Smoothie
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Mocha Frappé
- Caramel Frappé
- Oreo Frappé
The hot McCafé drinks come in small (12 oz), medium (16 oz), and large (20 oz) sizes. The iced drinks are available in small (16 oz), medium (22 oz), and large (32 oz). Frappés and smoothies only come in small (12 oz) and medium (16 oz).
Regional Exclusive McDonald‘s Drinks
Depending on where in the world you visit a McDonald‘s, you may find some unique regional drink offerings not available anywhere else. For example:
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McDonald‘s locations in the American Southwest serve iced horchata, a creamy vanilla cinnamon rice milk beverage.
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In parts of Asia, you can order yuenyeung, a Hong Kong-style drink that mixes coffee with black tea.
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Japanese McDonald‘s sells unique Fanta flavors like Fanta Melon and Fanta Grape. They also offer a special McFizz beverage, a sparkling pink grapefruit lemonade.
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At Mickey D‘s in Germany and Austria, you can get the highly caffeinated cola drink Mezzo Mix.
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Canadian McDonald‘s have the McLobster shake, a lobster-flavored milkshake only offered in the summer in Atlantic Canada.
So if you‘re a McDonald‘s drink connoisseur, you may want to seek out these exotic regional exclusives in your travels!
Limited Time and Seasonal McDonald‘s Drinks
In addition to the standard menu, McDonald‘s offers several seasonal and limited time drinks throughout the year. The most famous of these is the St. Patrick‘s Day favorite:
Shamrock Shake
The minty green Shamrock Shake has been a beloved McDonald‘s tradition since 1970. It‘s a green-dyed vanilla soft serve milkshake flavored with mint syrup, topped with whipped cream and a cherry. A 12 oz Shamrock Shake has 460 calories, 13g fat, 74g carbs, and 63g sugar.
McDonald‘s now also offers a twist on the classic:
- Oreo Shamrock McFlurry – vanilla soft serve blended with mint syrup and Oreo pieces
- Shamrock Sundae – a vanilla sundae drizzled with mint syrup
- Chocolate Shamrock Shake – a half-chocolate, half-Shamrock Shake swirl
Other limited time drinks that come and go seasonally include:
- Egg Nog Shake (winter holidays)
- Strawberry Watermelon Slushie (summer)
- Frozen Coke (summer)
- Pumpkin Spice Latte (fall)
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Mocha (winter holidays)
- Caramel Brownie McFlurry (May)
- Chips Ahoy McFlurry (June)
What‘s available at your local McDonald‘s varies, as these LTOs are often tested regionally before a nationwide launch. So you may spot new or different items on the menu periodically as the seasons change.
Secret Menu Drink Hacks and Custom Beverages
With McDonald‘s "Make Your Own" kiosk ordering, theoretically you can invent any sort of drink combination your imagination can concoct by adding syrups, toppings, and more. However, there are several popular "secret menu" drinks that seasoned McDonald‘s fans and employees know how to whip up – if you know how to ask for them:
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Biscotti Frappé – Caramel Frappé with a shot of espresso and hazelnut syrup
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McLeprechaun Shake – a Chocolate Shake with a shot of mint syrup to make a chocolate-mint flavor
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Mickey D‘s Frozen Hot Chocolate – a mocha latte mix blended with ice like a Frappé
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Strawberry Shortcake Shake – a vanilla milkshake with strawberry sauce mixed in
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McAffogato – a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a hot cup of McCafé coffee
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Orange Creamsicle – orange soda like Fanta Orange mixed with vanilla soft serve
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake – chocolate shake with peanut butter sauce swirled in
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Soft Serve Iced Coffee – iced coffee poured over soft serve vanilla ice cream
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Espresso Milkshake – a shot of espresso blended into a vanilla shake for a caffeinated treat
When ordering these secret drinks, it‘s best to know the recipe so you can guide the McDonald‘s crew member on how to make it. But you can always get creative with mixing fountain drinks, syrups, and toppings to invent your own unique beverage.
How the McDonald‘s Drink Menu Compares to Other Fast Food Chains
When it comes to soda fountain drinks, the Big Three burger joints – McDonald‘s, Burger King, and Wendy‘s – all serve the same essential lineup of Coke products. McDonald‘s does have a wider variety of iced tea, juice, milk and water options than its competitors though.
Where McDonald‘s really differentiates itself is with the McCafé menu. Burger King only offers plain hot and iced coffee. Wendy‘s has more options like vanilla and mocha Frostychinos (similar to Frappés), but not the full the variety of espresso drinks and sophisticated flavors you can get under the Golden Arches.
While Subway and Dunkin‘ focus heavily on beverages, McDonald‘s is the only major fast food chain that truly rivals coffeehouse giants like Starbucks in terms of premium drink selection. This allows McDonald‘s to attract customers across multiple "dayparts" – not just lunch and dinner, but also breakfast and snack times when people are seeking out a caffeine fix.
Many of my taste tests and polls consistently show that McDonald‘s gets top marks for the flavor of its Coca-Cola fountain drinks, with people saying McDonald‘s Coke tastes crisper and more refreshing compared to other fast food restaurants. McDonald‘s serves Coke products through its proprietary straw-shaped ice dispenser that delivers an intense level of cold and carbonation.
Coca-Cola and McDonald‘s: A Legendary Partnership
Speaking of Coke, no discussion of McDonald‘s drinks would be complete without mentioning the unique and historic partnership between these two iconic American brands. McDonald‘s is Coca-Cola‘s largest restaurant customer, and the two companies have been working together since 1955.
While the exact details are a closely guarded trade secret, it‘s widely known that McDonald‘s has an exclusive arrangement to receive its Coca-Cola syrup in a highly concentrated formula unavailable to other customers. This syrup is stored in stainless steel tanks and blended with filtered water and CO2 on-site, which is what gives McDonald‘s fountain Coke its signature crisp, bubbly taste. Coca-Cola even has staff technicians dedicated specifically to calibrating the soda machines in McDonald‘s kitchens for optimal quality.
This special Coca-Cola/McDonald‘s syrup is delivered on its own fleet of dedicated tanker trucks. Coke and McDonald‘s split the cost, which is estimated at over $5 billion per year – a sum that exceeds the entire GDP of some countries! This hints at the massive volume of Coca-Cola products flowing through the Golden Arches and the lucrative value of this partnership for both brands.
Consumer Trends and the Future of McDonald‘s Drinks
Recent market research shows that McCafé is a major growth driver for McDonald‘s, with drip coffee sales up 70% over the past decade. Specialty coffee drinks like lattes, mochas and cappuccinos now make up about 40% of McDonald‘s total coffee sales by volume. This trend reflects the rising popularity of premium, personalized beverages among younger Millennial and Gen Z consumers.
With soda consumption on the decline, offering a robust selection of alternative drink options – like iced teas, smoothies and bottled water – will be key to McDonald‘s continued success and relevance with health-conscious customers. McDonald‘s has responded to these shifts by introducing more low-sugar and better-for-you drink choices.
At the same time, limited-time offerings and Instagrammable "secret menu" drinks have become a fan engagement tool and a way to keep the menu fresh and exciting. The seasonal Shamrock Shake, for example, has emerged as a social media phenomenon, with legions of loyal customers awaiting its annual return. Expect McDonald‘s to continue cranking out these fun, trendy and experiential drink specials to drive visits and buzz.
Conclusion
As we‘ve seen, McDonald‘s is a true destination for delicious drinks to suit every taste, occasion and season – from trusty Coca-Cola classics to indulgent Shamrock Shakes to gourmet McCafé creations. Whether you‘re seeking a morning pick-me-up, afternoon refresher, or late-night treat, McDonald‘s has you covered with the variety and value you crave.
More than just a side menu, drinks are a central part of the McDonald‘s experience and a major contributor to the company‘s business success. The symbiotic Coca-Cola partnership, enticing limited-time specials, and commitment to quality, innovation and choice demonstrate how McDonald‘s strategically leverages its beverage program to satisfy customers, respond to trends, and maintain market leadership.
With exciting menu additions always brewing, one thing‘s for sure: the future of drinks at McDonald‘s looks thirst-quenching indeed! The next time you find yourself under the Golden Arches, be sure to enjoy their diverse drink selection crafted to perfection over decades of delighting customers. Cheers!
