McDonald’s New Limited-Edition Holiday Drop Has Fans Lining up at the Drive-Thru

After nearly a year of innovative menu additions that saw the likes of mega-sized burgers, the Chicken Big Mac, and a new McFlurry inspired by Grandma’s purse candy, the fast food chain is heading into the final stretch of 2024 with even more fun items.

It recently brought back its beloved Holiday Pie, but perhaps even more exciting, is the return of the McRib, which is expected to hit menus next month. Now, McDonald’s is hoping to add some extra holiday cheer to your morning brew with a new line of McCafé cups.

McDonald’s New McCafé Doodles Cups

On Nov. 18, McDonald’s began rolling out McCafé beverages in limited-edition holiday cups that feature designs by Doodles, an art and entertainment company specializing in digital storytelling. The new cups are covered in illustrations of characters from the whimsical Doodles universe. Instead of the classic red and green color palate typically associated with Christmas, these playful designs emphasize blue, purple, pink, and yellow tones to create magical holiday scenes. 

McDonald’s hopes that customers see the designs as a cheerful way to start the day. “It may not be the first thing you think about when you talk about McDonald’s, but coffee is an integral part of the McDonald’s experience,” said Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer of McDonald’s USA. “This year, we’re making our coffee even more special by giving our seasonal packaging a fresh and unexpected collaboration with Doodles, the perfect partner as so much of their content revolves around mornings and coffee moments.”

Customers who purchase a McCafé drink through the chain’s app can receive exclusive digital collectibles from Doodles, like character accessories and avatars, and special access to Doodle’s animated content. The cups are available in three sizes at McDonald’s locations nationwide, though some customers are reporting their local stores aren’t yet familiar with the new design. 

“Mcdonald’s, please educate/inform employees/managers of these promos…I went to 2 restaurants this morning and neither had any idea of what I was talking about. They claimed I was ‘confused’ as to this cup promo, ugh!,” said one frustrated commenter on a recent McDonald’s Instagram post. 

McDonald’s later replied to another fan and said that they should be available in all locations by Nov. 21. So, the next time you’re at McDonald’s, why not add a coffee to your order? And if you already forgot, don’t forget to cash in on the final weeks of its Free Fries Friday promo, which ends on Dec. 27.