For the last 20 years, McDonald’s customers have enjoyed the convenience of filling and refilling their soft drinks. However, the restaurant chain is now beginning to phase out this service.
In 2004, McDonald’s introduced self-serve soda machines, allowing customers to fill their own cups and even refill them with more of their chosen beverage if desired.
According to Nation’s Restaurant News, McDonald’s announced that they will be transitioning away from self-serve beverage stations in dining rooms across the U.S. by 2032. This change aims to provide a consistent experience for customers and staff across all ordering points, whether it’s McDelivery, the app, kiosk, drive-thru, or in-restaurant.
McDonald’s did not specify how the removal of self-serve machines would affect drink refills. They did mention to Business Insider that free refills may still be available at the discretion of individual restaurant owner/operators. This means that while some locations may no longer offer free refills, others might still provide them upon request from customers.
McDonald’s is getting rid of free drink refills — and more fast-food chains may follow https://t.co/RsSeeUVCkg pic.twitter.com/w2hcRwnwse
— New York Post (@nypost) May 14, 2024
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many fast-food restaurants discontinued the use of self-serve drink machines for public safety. While some McDonald’s locations eventually allowed customers to use the machines again, others chose to keep them out of service.
The National Restaurant Association provided recommendations for eateries during the pandemic, including regular sanitizing of tables and using rolled silverware. They advised that restaurants maintaining self-serve drink stations remove lemons and unwrapped straws while ensuring regular cleaning of the stations.
McDonald’s has made several other changes in recent years, such as opening an automated restaurant near Fort Worth, Texas, introducing revamped burgers with “pillowy” buns, and offering Krispy Kreme donuts at select locations.
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