McDonald’s Is Bringing Back The Best CosMc’s Drinks With a New Dirty Soda Twist
McDonald’s spent two years testing wild drink ideas through CosMc’s, then suddenly pulled the plug on the entire concept in early 2026. Fans of the colorful refreshers and over-the-top soda creations assumed the experiment was finished, but it turns out that the chain had other plans.
Dirty sodas were taking over social media feeds, and refresher drinks were becoming a fast-food obsession. Now, McDonald’s is rolling out six new drinks nationwide, and several of them feel like direct descendants of CosMc’s most talked-about menu items.
McDonald’s Goes All-In On Trendy Drinks
The new lineup officially launched on May 6 at participating McDonald’s locations across the United States. The menu includes three refreshers and three dirty soda-style drinks topped with cold foam.
The dirty soda trend first exploded in Utah, where soda shops built cult followings by mixing soft drinks with cream, flavored syrups, and fruit. McDonald’s version keeps the same idea but gives it a more dessert-heavy spin. The standout names include Dirty Dr. Pepper, Orange Dream, and Sprite Berry Blast.
Orange Dream combines Hi-C Orange Lavaburst with vanilla syrup and cold foam, thus creating something reviewers compared to a melted creamsicle. This nostalgic angle is important because McDonald’s knows it’s chasing younger customers who want drinks built for social media but still tied to familiar flavors.
Sprite Berry Blast embraces the sugar-rush side of the menu. The electric blue drink mixes Sprite with blue raspberry syrup and cold foam. Early reactions described it as tasting like an ICEE crossed with a Jolly Rancher.
The Dirty Dr. Pepper is a great addition to the bunch. The creamy vanilla foam softens the soda’s spice-heavy flavor, so it tastes like something closer to a float.
CosMc’s Influence Is Still Present
Image via Wikimedia Commons/BanjoZebra
Several drinks feel pulled straight out of the CosMc’s playbook. Sprite Berry Blast immediately drew comparisons to CosMc’s Sprite Moonsplash. McDonald’s also carried over the layered presentation style that made CosMc’s drinks stand out online. The bright colors, freeze-dried fruit, cold foam, and popping boba are now available alongside burgers and fries at regular McDonald’s locations.
Reports earlier this spring suggested franchisees invested in upgraded equipment specifically designed to handle these more complicated drink builds at high speed. The company also seems focused on price. Industry reports claim McDonald’s plans to undercut competitors like Starbucks and Dutch Bros.
The Refreshers Push McDonald’s Into New Territory
The refresher side of the menu may have the biggest long-term impact. McDonald’s now offers a Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Mango Pineapple Refresher, and Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher. The drinks include lemonade bases, fruit inclusions, freeze-dried toppings, and even strawberry popping boba in the mango pineapple version.
The Strawberry Watermelon Refresher earned some of the strongest early reviews for balancing sweet strawberry flavor with tart lemonade. The Blackberry Passion Fruit option is lighter and fruitier, while the Mango Pineapple version pushes tropical flavors harder and leans into the boba trend.
McDonald’s reportedly plans to keep all six drinks on menus permanently. The company is also preparing to expand deeper into energy drinks later this year. Reports tied to the beverage rollout mentioned a future Red Bull collaboration expected to arrive in August.