McDonald’s expands Coca-Cola offerings

McDonald’s Corp. is expanding the line-up of Coca-Cola Co. beverages offered at its U.S. restaurants and making Dr Pepper available nationwide.

The core fountain line-up at McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants will include Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Hi-C Orange, McDonald’s and Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said Monday. Dr Pepper, owned by Plano, Texas,-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group, also will become a core national brand. It’s now offered in about 8,500 U.S. McDonald’s restaurants.

Coca-Cola’s Dasani brand will remain a national core bottle beverage. Coca-Cola’s Powerade Mountain Blast and Vitaminwater XXX also will be available this year as a regional bottle option, meaning local markets can choose to carry the beverages.

For fountain options, regional choices include Diet Dr Pepper and the Coca-Cola-owned Powerade, Sprite Zero, Fanta Grape, Fanta Strawberry, Caffeine Free Diet Coke, Barq’s Root Beer, Minute Maid Lemonade and Minute Maid Lemonade Light. McDonald’s will test Coke Zero as a fountain option.