McDonald’s Refreshers & Crafted Sodas: Flavors, Caffeine & Prices
McDonald’s added its first Refreshers and crafted sodas nationwide on May 6, 2026, then a Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer and Vanilla Swirl sodas on August 17. Here’s every flavor, what’s in it, its calories, sugar and caffeine, and which ones have a reduced-sugar version.
McDonald’s Refreshers and Crafted Sodas Prices
A Small Refresher typically costs $3.89, a Small Sprite Berry Blast $3.89, a Small Dirty Dr Pepper $2.99 and a Small Orange Dream $3.39. The Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer runs about $5.19. Medium and Large cost more.
| Drink | Type | Typical price (Small) |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Watermelon Refresher | Refresher | $3.89 |
| Mango Pineapple Refresher | Refresher | $3.89 |
| Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher | Refresher | $3.89 |
| Sprite Berry Blast | Crafted soda | $3.89 |
| Dirty Dr Pepper | Crafted soda | $2.99 |
| Orange Dream with Hi-C | Crafted soda | $3.39 |
| Orange Dream with Fanta | Crafted soda | $3.39 |
| Vanilla Swirl with Coca-Cola | Crafted soda | — |
| Reduced Sugar Vanilla Swirl (Diet Coke) | Crafted soda | — |
| Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer (22 oz) | Energizer | $5.19 |
| Reduced Sugar Red Bull Dragonberry (M) | Energizer | $5.19 |
*Typical prices reported online in October 2026; your restaurant sets its own price. Calories: McDonald’s USA data. “—” means no reliable price yet.
What’s in Each McDonald’s Refresher and Crafted Soda
Every Refresher is a lemonade base with two fruit flavors and a topping you can see: freeze-dried fruit or popping boba. The crafted sodas start with a fountain soda, add a flavor syrup and finish with a layer of cold foam.
| Drink | Base | Flavors | Topping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Watermelon Refresher | Lemonade | Strawberry and watermelon | Freeze-dried strawberries |
| Mango Pineapple Refresher | Lemonade | Mango and pineapple | Strawberry popping boba |
| Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher | Lemonade | Blackberry and passion fruit | Freeze-dried dragon fruit |
| Sprite Berry Blast | Sprite | Blue raspberry syrup | Cold foam |
| Dirty Dr Pepper | Dr Pepper | Vanilla | Cold foam |
| Orange Dream | Hi-C Orange Lavaburst or Fanta Orange | Vanilla | Cold foam |
| Vanilla Swirl | Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Coke Zero Sugar | Vanilla | Cold foam |
| Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer | Red Bull (or Red Bull Zero) | Blue raspberry | Freeze-dried dragon fruit |
Refreshers Calories and Sugar
A Small Refresher has 160 to 180 calories and 34 to 39 g of sugar. The cold-foam crafted sodas are richer, at 240 to 260 calories and about 45 to 49 g of sugar in a Small, because the foam adds fat and more sweetener.
| Drink (Small unless noted) | Calories | Sugars | Added sugars | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Watermelon Refresher | 160 | 34 g | 30 g | 0 g |
| Mango Pineapple Refresher | 180 | 39 g | 34 g | 0 g |
| Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher | 170 | 35 g | 30 g | 0 g |
| Sprite Berry Blast | 240 | 45 g | 45 g | 6 g |
| Dirty Dr Pepper | 250 | 47 g | 46 g | 6 g |
| Orange Dream with Hi-C | 260 | 49 g | 48 g | 6 g |
| Orange Dream with Fanta | 250 | 49 g | 49 g | 6 g |
| Vanilla Swirl with Coca-Cola | 260 | 49 g | 48 g | 6 g |
| Reduced Sugar Vanilla Swirl (Diet Coke) | 150 | 23 g | 23 g | 6 g |
| Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer (22 oz) | 200 | 48 g | 46 g | 0 g |
| Reduced Sugar Red Bull Dragonberry (M) | 100 | 24 g | 22 g | 0 g |
McDonald’s USA nutrition data. The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 g; a Small Orange Dream or Vanilla Swirl reaches about 48 g.
How Much Caffeine Is in McDonald’s Refreshers?
A Small McDonald’s Refresher has 45 mg of caffeine, about half a Small Iced Coffee (85 mg). The Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer has 80 mg. Sprite Berry Blast and Orange Dream are caffeine-free, and Dirty Dr Pepper has 25 mg from the Dr Pepper.
| Drink | Caffeine (McDonald’s USA) |
|---|---|
| Strawberry Watermelon Refresher | 45 mg |
| Mango Pineapple Refresher | 45 mg |
| Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher | 45 mg |
| Sprite Berry Blast | 0 mg |
| Dirty Dr Pepper | 25 mg |
| Orange Dream with Hi-C | 0 mg |
| Orange Dream with Fanta | 0 mg |
| Vanilla Swirl with Coca-Cola | Not listed |
| Reduced Sugar Vanilla Swirl (Diet Coke) | Not listed |
| Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer (22 oz) | 80 mg |
| Reduced Sugar Red Bull Dragonberry (M) | 80 mg |
McDonald’s doesn’t publish caffeine for its Coca-Cola-based Vanilla Swirl. Compare every drink in our McDonald’s drinks menu and caffeine chart.
Reduced-Sugar Refreshers and Sodas
Since August 17, 2026, McDonald’s offers reduced-sugar versions of its crafted sodas made with Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Diet Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Zero Sugar or Sprite Zero Sugar where available, and a Red Bull Zero version of the Energizer.
| Reduced-sugar option | Calories | Sugars | vs regular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reduced Sugar Vanilla Swirl with Diet Coke (Small) | 150 | 23 g | 110 fewer calories than with Coca-Cola |
| Reduced Sugar Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer (Medium) | 100 | 24 g | Same 80 mg caffeine, half the calories |
The cold foam and flavor syrup still add sugar, so “reduced sugar” isn’t zero sugar. The Refreshers don’t have a reduced-sugar version yet.
Refreshers and Crafted Soda Allergens
The three Refreshers and the Red Bull Energizer list none of the nine major allergens. Every cold-foam crafted soda contains milk, from the foam.
| Drink | Contains |
|---|---|
| Refreshers (all three) | None of the 9 major |
| Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer | None of the 9 major |
| Sprite Berry Blast, Dirty Dr Pepper, Orange Dream, Vanilla Swirl | Milk (cold foam) |
McDonald’s USA allergen data. Ask for no cold foam to remove the milk.
When McDonald’s Refreshers Launched
McDonald’s built its specialty drink lineup in two waves in 2026.
| Date | What arrived |
|---|---|
| May 6, 2026 | Strawberry Watermelon, Mango Pineapple and Blackberry Passion Fruit Refreshers; Sprite Berry Blast, Orange Dream and Dirty Dr Pepper |
| August 17, 2026 | Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer, Vanilla Swirl sodas, Orange Dream with Fanta and reduced-sugar crafted sodas |
McDonald’s describes the May lineup as permanent menu items at participating restaurants, not a limited-time offer.
Which McDonald’s Refresher Should You Order?
Pick by what you want from the drink.
| If you want | Order |
|---|---|
| A light caffeine boost | Any Refresher (45 mg in a Small) |
| The most caffeine | Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer (80 mg) |
| No caffeine | Sprite Berry Blast or Orange Dream |
| The fewest calories | Strawberry Watermelon Refresher (160) or Reduced Sugar Vanilla Swirl (150) |
| Something to chew | Mango Pineapple Refresher with popping boba |
| A dairy-free crafted soda | Any crafted soda without cold foam |
McDonald’s Refreshers FAQ
Are McDonald's Refreshers available everywhere?
They're on the menu at participating US restaurants nationwide. A few locations may not carry every flavor or size.
Do McDonald's Refreshers have real fruit?
They include freeze-dried strawberries or dragon fruit, or strawberry popping boba, in a flavored lemonade base.
Is the Dirty Dr Pepper limited time?
No. It launched with the permanent crafted soda lineup on May 6, 2026.
What sizes do Refreshers come in?
Small, Medium and Large. The Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer comes in its own sizes, including a 22 oz cup.
Can kids drink McDonald's Refreshers?
They contain caffeine, 45 mg in a Small, so they're better suited to teens and adults. The caffeine-free crafted sodas are an option for kids.
How We Checked This Post
- Official menu: McDonald’s USA drinks menu
- Launches and ingredients: McDonald’s USA announcements of April 29, 2026 (Refreshers and crafted sodas) and August 11, 2026 (Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer)
- Nutrition, caffeine and allergens: McDonald’s USA product data
- Prices: typical US prices reported online in October 2026; your restaurant sets its own price
Menu Facts USA is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by McDonald’s Corporation. McCafé and related names are trademarks of McDonald’s. Sprite, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Fanta, Hi-C, Dr Pepper and Red Bull belong to their owners. If you have a food allergy, confirm ingredients with your restaurant before ordering.
