The End Of Self-Serve Soda Stations At McDonald's

(KMDL-FM) The McDonald's that we now have is not the McDonald's of our youth. Even if your youth was just a few years ago. Now, as someone whose "youth" has been long gone since before the Arch Deluxe, The McDLT, and even McSalad Shakers, this news arrived with a bit of trepidation.

I guess that's because McDonald's is so much more than a place to eat. For a lot of us, it's where we earned our first paycheck that didn't come from a relative or a friend of our parents. It was the place where we hung out with friends, sometimes to the chagrin of the McDonald's manager on duty.

McDonald's Nationwide Change is a Reflection of the Food Industry Today

So, anytime there is a sweeping change at McDonald's, it hits us right in the feels, especially for those of us who have strong feelings for nostalgia. Oftentimes, we like to debate whether McDonald's should have made the change, and despite the fact that I wish this weren't the case, I absolutely understand the business decision that was made.

Mario Tama

To help you understand the reasoning behind the recently announced decision by McDonald's, let me ask you a question, maybe two. When was the last time you went inside a McDonald's to eat? For that matter, when was the last time that you went inside any fast food restaurant to sit down and eat?

Oddly enough, I can remember that occasion, for me it was March 14th, 2020. Now, here's another question: What happened in 2020 that may have changed the way people use fast food restaurants?

Get our free mobile app

That's right, the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions are still being felt across the retail landscape, and nowhere have those changes manifested themselves more than in the quick-service food industry. More and more of those style restaurants are discovering that people aren't coming in to eat. They are driving through.

Nutthaseth Vanchaichana

McDonald's Is Slowly Removing These From Every Restaurant Nationwide

That is one of the main reasons why you will soon not see a kid's favorite reason for visiting the lobby of a McDonald's restaurant. In the coming months, or in some cases years, you will notice that the soda fountain stations are disappearing.

So, no, you won't be able to do those mash-up mixed drinks like tea and Sprite blended with Fanta orange. You can still get them; you'll have to ask a counter worker to blend that drink for you, but yeah, the soda stations are soon to be a thing of the past.

The plan, based on a story published by MSN, suggested that soda stations will be removed from all McDonald's nationwide by the year 2032. Some stores have already begun the transition. One article we read suggested that 75% of all fast food meals are consumed off-premises. So, the reason for the high-tech soda station is no longer there.

And if you're wondering, "Why does it take six years to pull out a soda fountain?" the answer is a lot more technical than just unplugging a machine and pulling a few hoses. There's a lot of tubing, electrical, and other technical stuff behind the walls that will require a little more time to remove.

Again, with fewer customers choosing to dine inside, it makes sense to save the dollars.