McDonald's started serving the Caramel Apple Frappé on Aug. 18, adding a limited-time fall drink to its beverage lineup just as summer is still hanging on. The new drink blends McDonald's bold coffee with apple and caramel flavoring, then finishes it with salted caramel whipped cream and apple pie crumble.
The timing makes the rollout stand out. McDonald's is promoting a fall-themed beverage in August, and fans in Michigan can find the new drinks at locations across the state this month, putting a seasonal coffee drink on sale before the season it is meant to evoke has really arrived.
The Caramel Apple Frappé is only one part of the broader beverage push. A day earlier, on Aug. 17, McDonald's rolled out the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer, made with Red Bull or Red Bull Zero, blue raspberry syrup and freeze-dried dragon fruit. The chain also said it will sell cans of Red Bull and Red Bull Zero, while the Vanilla Swirl pairs vanilla and cold foam with Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Coke Zero.
There is also a more practical side to the menu shift. McDonald's is adding reduced-sugar options with Diet Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Zero Sugar, Sprite Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Coke Zero, a sign that the new lineup is not built around one flavor family alone. Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing and customer experience officer for McDonald's USA, said the company has seen growing enthusiasm for crafted sodas and refreshers and wants to give fans nationwide the energy they have been craving with Red Bull.
That broad pitch leaves one thing unanswered: how long the Caramel Apple Frappé will stay available. McDonald's has only said it is a limited-time drink, which means customers in Michigan and elsewhere have a narrow window to try it before it disappears from the menu.
