McDonald’s is removing self-serve beverage stations from its US fast-food restaurants and may soon start charging for refills in some locations.
Last year, the fast food chain announced plans to gradually remove machines, with the goal of removing them from all stores by 2032. Some Golden Arches franchisees have already begun to transition away from self-serve drinks, the State Journal-Register states in part. A USA TODAY Network article reported last year.
McDonald’s now says that customers may be charged for refills of drinks, depending on the location they visit.
The company confirmed in an email to USA Today on Tuesday that each franchisee will decide whether to charge refills at their restaurants.
The company has previously said its motivation for eliminating self-service machines is to promote a consistent experience across all ordering methods, including delivery, mobile, kiosk, drive-thru and dine-in.
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Some McDonald’s restaurants have already eliminated self-service drink stations.
For now, customers visiting most stores can continue to pour and refill their own drinks, but some stores have already begun the transition.
“This is an evolution toward convenience and a result of the growth of digital services,” Mikel Petro, owner of more than a dozen McDonald’s restaurants in central Illinois, previously told the USA Today Network.
Last fall, at one of Petro’s locations in Lincoln, about 55 miles northeast of the state capital, Springfield, crews were filling customers’ initial soft drink orders in-store and delivering them to their tables with their meals. Ta.
At the time, Petro said the restaurant’s renovation project began in October and was to include a drinks station behind the counter for crew to refill drinks.
The announcement comes after McDonald’s pledged to focus on affordability.
According to its website, the company has more than 38,000 locations worldwide and employs more than 2 million people worldwide.
The move comes after the fast-food giant announced plans to focus on affordability after rising prices alienated some customers.
Rising costs in recent years have led to less revenue from lower-income customers and reduced foot traffic at restaurants, leading CEO Chris Kempczinski to say during the company’s first-quarter earnings call in late April that McDonald’s needs to “refocus on affordability.”
The company promised in May to lower prices and said it would explore further ways to win back customers.
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“McDonald’s has lost its mind”
The announcement that self-service drinks stations could be phased out and charging for refills sparked an immediate reaction on social media.
“McDonald’s is making over $25 billion in profits this year and they’re still charging for soda refills. Ridiculous,” one X user wrote.
Another person posted to X, “The beef patty is now smaller than the bun and the price is comparable to higher end restaurants. You can get more food elsewhere for the same price. Refills cost more than you could pay anywhere else. McDonald’s has lost their minds.”
Some users reported that their local McDonald’s doesn’t have self-service drink stations or hasn’t had one in some time.
“My local McDonald’s stopped giving free refills years ago,” one person posted on X.
“One of my local McDonald’s doesn’t have drink machines in the store, you have to ask for refills at the counter,” another person posted on the social media site.
Contributors: Mary Walrus Holdridge, Gabe Hauari, Natalie Morris
Natalie Neisa Alland is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Contact her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her at X @nataliealund.
