The holiday-drink race is on, and McDonald's is getting in with five new drinks at participating U.S. locations from November 3, for a limited time. It is a bigger seasonal push than the chain usually makes: instead of one festive latte, there are hot, iced and blended coffee options plus two caffeinated and non-caffeinated cranberry drinks.
The cranberry drinks
The Red Bull Frosted Cranberry Energizer and the Frosted Cranberry Splash with Sprite share an orange-cranberry flavor and come topped with cold foam and cranberry sprinkles. According to People, the Energizer can be made with regular Red Bull or Red Bull Zero. It is McDonald's second Red Bull drink after the Dragonberry Energizer launched in August, which tells you the chain sees energy drinks as a lasting part of the menu rather than a stunt.
The Cookie Butter drinks
On the McCafé side, there is a Cookie Butter Latte, a Cookie Butter Iced Coffee and a Cookie Butter Frappé. They are described as caramel and spice, finished with vanilla whipped cream and caramel cookie crumbs, and they replace this fall's Caramel Apple Pie lineup. If you have been following the holiday menus, you will notice Dunkin' is also bringing Cookie Butter back on November 4, so this is shaping up as the flavor of the season.
McDonald's pitches the Red Bull version as "made for packed holiday schedules and festive adventures," and Parade reports it carries 80 milligrams of caffeine. That is worth knowing before you order one at 4 p.m. on a shopping day. The Frosted Cranberry Splash, for its part, is McDonald's own Sprite recipe with orange and cranberry, not a bottled seasonal soda.
Which to try
If you like Biscoff-style spiced cookies, the Cookie Butter Iced Coffee is the easy everyday order and the least likely to feel like dessert at 8 a.m. The Frappé is the treat. The Frosted Cranberry Splash is the pick if you want something festive and bright without caffeine. Just remember that the Red Bull version very much has caffeine.
The meal deal that comes first
The drinks are not the only November news. According to WRTV, McDonald's is also offering an $8 Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal from November 2 for a limited time, with medium fries and a drink. Pair that with a holiday drink and you have the kind of errand-day lunch that feels a little festive without a sit-down bill.
Good to know
Availability and prices vary by location, and seasonal items run while supplies last. Check the McDonald's app for your local restaurant before you drive over, since participating stores can differ even within the same town.
Sources: QSR Magazine, Parade, GeekSpin, citing McDonald's, Allrecipes and People.
