By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images
Major changes are coming to McDonald’s future. It’s going to be a tough adjustment for McDonald’s goers to see the place without self-serve soda machines.
By 2032, McDonald’s plans to officially remove self-serve soda fountain machines. The fast-food chain wants to restructure and build something new for the future. The old model might seem played out in the management’s eyes.
The news of the changes has prompted many people on social media to comment. It’s a move many McDonald’s customers weren’t expecting. It has been a big part of their lives for years to serve their own drinks. Many of the drinks customers would see include Sprite, Coca-Cola, Fanta, Powerade, and Hi-C.
We are not sure how it will be for countries with McDonald’s locations. In the United States, it’s expected to be gone in the next couple of years. For some customers opposed to this decision, it will cause them to skip road trip stops or even swing by the territory. Loyal customers are sensitive when management makes decisions that will not sit well with them.
It’s curious to think what the management of Burger King, Wendy’s, Starbucks, and even Dunkin’ Donuts is thinking about this move from McDonald’s. Are they seizing the opportunity to try something different? Do they think that McDonald’s is up to something that will prompt them to develop a strategy of their own?
That’s the uniqueness of competition. In business, it’s a war, but in a healthy way. All of these companies are competing to deliver better products and win more customers than the others. The world will continue to go digital, and McDonald’s may want to pursue something truly innovative and unconventional.
The future is uncertain, but we will pay close attention to what McDonald’s will be adding to its brand over the next 10 years. McDonald’s has been doing well in the first quarter of this year. The food chain got off to a strong start after a struggling 2025 season. CEO Chris Kempczinski has used social media and a strong marketing campaign to elevate McDonald’s. Kempczinski has been with the company since 2015.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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