Say Goodbye To Easy Refills: McDonald's Vows To Ditch This Self-Serve Feature By 2032

You may have previously heard small rumors about it, but it sounds like McDonald's is taking the fun out of fountain soda by eliminating its self-service drink options (but don't worry, not immediately). Fox Business reports that McDonald's is slowly changing its store design to reflect the growing number of customers who prefer using the drive-thru, delivery, or takeout options over dining in the restaurant — reducing the appeal of unlimited refills. However, the news outlet says we still have a while; those self-service stations will likely be phased out by 2032, with individual locations only making the change when it's time for a remodel.

Fox Business reports that the change has already taken place at some McDonald's locations (for what it's worth, mine still lets you refill your own). So the joys of mixing every single flavor together may be but an old memory someday, like the landline or the fax machine. McDonald's hasn't issued an official statement on the switch, so we'll keep an ear out for you if we hear any firmer details.

While the prospect of the all-you-can-drink spigot going away is pretty depressing, McDonald's has been working on its drink game. It recently released a lineup of six new specialty beverages, all of which are a little more sophisticated than your usual soda on tap. These include drinks like the moderately caffeinated fruit-flavored Refreshers, along with a set of dirty sodas. These have long been in the making; McDonald's former spin-off chain, CosMc's (which is now closed), was heavily focused on testing new drinks.

The new beverages require some additional steps to be mixed, so that wouldn't be something you can serve yourself from a machine anyway. Plus, soda fountains are notorious for requiring regular maintenance, which is why they can be breeding grounds for bacteria. Eliminating them would be one less headache for employees, while McDonald's can potentially rein in any losses on self-service refills at the same time. If you find pleasure in being your own soft drink sommelier, just know that eventually all good things do come to an end, so have fun with it while you still can.