NEW YORK (AP) – Say goodbye to refilling that coke. McDonald’s is getting rid of its self-serve soda.
The Chicago-based fast food chain McDonald’s confirmed this week that it plans to phase out self-serve soda machines in US restaurants by 2032. It’s unclear whether locations outside the US will follow suit.
McDonald’s USA said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that the goal of the change is to create consistency across the chain’s offerings for customers and employees — from physical dining to online delivery and drive-thru options.
The company did not say whether financial or sanitation concerns — such as financial or sanitation — influenced the decision to part ways with its self-service machines. For years, McDonald’s customers have used the machines to fill and refill their drinks without making an extra trip to the cashier.
Behind-the-counter soda machines are already in place at some other fast-food chains — and a handful of McDonald’s locations across the country have also begun the transition. According to The State Journal-Record, which First reported Last week, several locations in Illinois, for example, began discontinuing self-serve soda, according to the company’s plans.
In recent years, analysts have also pointed to changes in consumer behavior since the Covid-19 pandemic – including digital and online delivery sales among fast-food restaurants. As a result, some chains have played by increasing driveability or strengthening relationships with food delivery apps — from Chipotle’s expanding curbside pickup locations to Domino’s Pens New collaboration with Uber Eats.
McDonald’s digital sales — through app, delivery and kiosk purchases — accounted for nearly 40% of systemwide sales for the second quarter of 2023. Revenue rose 14% to $6.5 billion for the period, the chain said It was reported in JulyAnd net income more than doubled to $2.3 billion in the quarter — beating analysts’ expectations.
Some of these gains may fade a bit in the second half of the year. The price hikes that helped boost McDonald’s sales will moderate as inflation eases, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said during the July Q2 earnings call.
