Does McDonald's Still Offer Free Drink Refills?

Ah, there's nothing like a refreshing soda to go with your McDonald's order. In fact, there's a reason the restaurant's soft drinks taste so good (better than at other fast food chains). The perfected ratio of ice, carbonated water, and syrup makes it easy to guzzle down a cup, so refills are practically inevitable. However, the standard of free refills may become a thing of the past within the next decade.

The concept of free refills started in American coffeehouses in the 19th century and rose in popularity when soda jerks in diners started offering them so that guests were more likely to hang out. The practice became commonplace in fast-food restaurants in the late 1980s with the introduction of value meals. But, it looks like that era is coming to an end with McDonald's removing self-serve soda machines that have been installed since 2004. The transition started in the summer of 2024, and several franchise owners in Central Illinois revealed to The State Journal-Register plans for the drink stations to be completely gone by 2032.

Soon after, McDonald's customers expressed disappointment on social media and complained about having to pay for refills at the counter now. Chef Mike Haracz, a former corporate chef for the company, told a story on TikTok about a woman's dismay when she asked for a free refill and was told it was no longer available. Some commenters on the video confirmed that their McDonald's locations don't offer free refills anymore either, while others were happy that their locations still do. Based on this trend, it seems like the free refills will go as more self-serve soda machines are removed, but each location can decide whether or not to charge for refills.

When McDonald's decided to remove its self-serve soft drink machines, Central Illinois franchise owners told The State Journal-Register in September 2023 that many factors were at play. Mikel Petro, a franchise owner, told the newspaper, "It's an evolution towards convenience and (the result of) the growth of digital service." However, eliminating free refills wasn't one of them.

The biggest factor was an increased number of customers getting orders to go, whether they pick up the order themselves or have it delivered by a third party. With restaurant staff already filling drinks for these orders and the dine-in crowd shrinking, having self-serve drink stations just isn't as viable as it once was. On top of that, the automated beverage systems that the staff uses minimize human contact to improve food safety while prohibiting theft and making the dine-in experience more relaxing.

At the time, franchise owners said that a no-refills policy wasn't the plan. Kim Derringer, a franchise owner, told the newspaper, "Free refills are a big draw for people. I don't see anything taking that away." However, Uber Eats driver Nathan Selkirk told Marketplace in May 2024 that he was already seeing his Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, McDonald's charge for refills. And unfortunately, experts think the move will become widespread. FoodserviceResults CEO Darren Tristano said, "McDonald's tends to be a leader in the industry. And very often, when they make big changes, other restaurants follow suit." Case in point, McDonald's soft drinks were the first to increase in size among fast food chains. Plus, Reddit users say that free refills haven't been offered in restaurants in the UK or Australia for years.