McDonald's New Crafted Drinks: A Sugar-Free Letdown

Finding a refreshing, ice-cold drive-thru drink is a daily mission during a hot summer day. When McDonald's announced their massive new lineup of refreshers and crafted sodas, I was ready to pull right up to the speaker box. I have lived a sugar-free lifestyle for over a decade, and I am constantly hunting for the next great guilt-free beverage to feature here on Sugar Free Dad.

Unfortunately, this new menu is a major disappointment for anyone watching their sugar intake.

The Sugar-Heavy Lineup

McDonald's went all out on flavor and aesthetics with their six new specialty drinks, but they entirely bypassed the growing demand for low-sugar options. Here is a look at what is actually in these cups.

• The Refreshers: The Strawberry Watermelon, Mango Pineapple, and Blackberry Passion Fruit refreshers are built on a standard lemonade base mixed with sugary fruit purees. A small Strawberry Watermelon Refresher packs 36 grams of carbohydrates, stemming entirely from the added syrups and juices.  

• The Crafted Sodas: The Dirty Dr Pepper, Orange Dream, and Sprite Berry Blast lean heavily into the popular dirty soda trend. Instead of utilizing zero-sugar soda bases, they rely on full-sugar Sprite, classic Dr Pepper, and Hi-C Orange Lavaburst. A small Orange Dream hits a staggering 50 grams of carbs.  

A Massive Missed Opportunity

The most frustrating part of this rollout is how easily McDonald's could have made the menu inclusive. The dirty soda craze is booming, and the shops that specialize in it always offer Diet Coke or Sprite Zero as a foundation. McDonald's already has Diet Coke, Sprite Zero, and Diet Dr Pepper flowing from the fountain at many locations.

If they had simply introduced a few sugar-free flavor shots and a sugar-free cold foam, they could have captured a huge demographic of low-carb and keto customers. Instead, their new cold foam is loaded with cane sugar and corn syrup, and the flavor add-ins are packed with high fructose corn syrup.

The Verdict

For now, we will have to stick to the usual unsweetened iced tea or a plain Diet Coke. The new crafted menu might look fantastic on social media, but it is a complete pass for anyone committed to a sugar-free diet.