GoKawiilMcDonald's, Taco Bell Escalate Energy Drink Rivalry as Upstarts Gain Ground
McDonald's launched a Dragonberry Energizer drink in partnership with Red Bull, and days later Taco Bell countered with three new energy refreshers, according to Restaurant Business. Both fast-food giants are pushing deeper into beverages as customer spending rises and drinks attract new visitors.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
While McDonald's and Taco Bell battle for afternoon drink customers, faster-growing beverage-only chains like 7 Brew and Dutch Bros are quietly stealing market share, with 7 Brew adding nearly 300 locations and boosting per-store sales by a third last year. The real fight for fast food's beverage dollars may not be between the two giants at all.
- McDonald's added a Red Bull-branded Dragonberry Energizer to compete for afternoon drink sales.
- Taco Bell aims for beverages to reach $5 billion in sales, rivaling chains like Wingstop or Pizza Hut.
- Smaller chains like 7 Brew and Dutch Bros are outpacing both giants in beverage-driven growth.
Red Bull Energy Drink 12-Pack — If the McDonald's x Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer has you eyeing a 3 p.m. pick-me-up, a fridge pack of Red Bull is the drive-thru-free version. Keep a case at your desk and you can skip the line entirely when the afternoon slump hits.
See Red Bull Energy Drink 12-Pack on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: entrepreneur.com — Jon Small, 2026-08-31
Published there as: “McDonald’s and Taco Bell Are Fighting Over Your 3 P.M. Pick-Me-Up — Here’s Who’s Winning”
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