McDonald's confirms major 'permanent' change to Aussie menu
McDonald’s has confirmed it will “permanently” be removing a popular soft drink from its menu in all Australian stores.
The fast-food giant told Yahoo News Australia on Saturday that customers will no longer be able to purchase a Diet Coke with their meal from January 11.
A spokesperson for McDonald’s Australia said the decision is in response “to customer feedback and growing popularity for other low to no-sugar beverages”.
“At McDonald’s, we are committed to providing great-tasting, great-value food and drinks our customers know and love,” they said. “We regularly review and evolve our menu to meet changing consumer tastes and preferences.
“McDonald’s continues to offer a range of beverage choices for consumers, including Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite Zero Sugar and Frozen Coke No Sugar.”
The news — which has undoubtedly left some Aussies annoyed — was first revealed by a disgruntled Queensland customer who inquired about the soft drink. In a response seen by 7News, the assistant manager of the McDonald’s restaurant told the diner that “Diet Coke will be permanently taken off the menu once we sell all of our current stock”.
“You will still be able to order Coke No Sugar if you wish to,” they wrote. “We appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback and hope your next visit to a McDonald’s restaurant is a pleasant one.”
Fury after McDonald's ditches Sprite
The recent move is not the first time the fast-food chain has left some fans baffled. In October, McDonald’s revealed it had ditched Sprite, choosing instead to offer sugar-free Sprite Zero in its restaurants nationwide.
At the time, a spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia there were no other plans to switch all soft drinks to sugar-free versions.
Customers had a lot to say about the sudden change, with some claiming “McDonald’s Sprite was the best drink”. Others supported the move to Sprite Zero Sugar, while some questioned why Macca's “couldn't have both”.
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