McDonald’s Feels New Strain in Coca-Cola Partnership as It Pushes Into Specialty Drinks
McDonald’s is testing how far it can take its partnership with Coca-Cola, adding more specialty drinks to its menus, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. The 70-year tie-up, started with a 1955 handshake between Coca-Cola’s Waddy Pratt and Ray Kroc, is under strain as McDonald’s tries to attract younger customers with options like custom sodas, refreshers and energy drinks. Specialty drinks are gaining ground on U.S. menus. McDonald’s rolled out six new permanent drinks nationwide on May 6: Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Mango Pineapple Refresher, Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher, Sprite Berry Blast, Orange Dream, and Dirty Dr Pepper. The lineup includes lemonade bases, freeze-dried fruit, cold foam, and popping boba. “Fans see drinks as more than just drinks,” said McDonald’s USA
