McDonald's forced into backflip over 'unacceptable' menu change: 'About bloody time'

McDonald’s has been forced to backflip on its decision to replace a popular soft drink item with a sugar-free alternative following mass “outrage” from customers on social media. The Australian franchise of the global fast-food conglomerate ditched Sprite from its menus nationwide in October 2022 in place of the sugar-free Sprite Zero – a move that had thousands of consumers reeling online.

Now more than a year later, the burger chain has confirmed it will be rescinding the menu change following widespread backlash from consumers.

“In response to customer feedback, McDonald’s will be transitioning from Sprite Zero Sugar to Sprite across restaurants nationwide from April to June,” a McDonald’s spokesperson said in a statement provided to Yahoo Lifestyle Australia. “We regularly review and evolve our menu to meet changing consumer tastes and preferences.”

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The fast-food juggernaut also confirmed that Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Frozen Coke Zero Sugar would continue to be available for customers looking for low to no sugar alternatives.

McDonald’s customers still fuming over Sprite flip-flop

But despite the change of heart, customers are seemingly still up in arms over the soft-drink debacle. In a comment under McDonald’s Australia’s most recent Instagram post, user @sonicsmith wrote that it was “about bloody time” Sprite returned to Macca’s menus.

“Next time don’t make changes without asking your customers first!” the comment read. “If people want sugar free lemonade they can go to the shops!!! You didn't even inform your customers you were changing to Sprite Zero!! No communications with the customers!! Not acceptable!!”

In another comment on Facebook, user Mat Barber wrote: “Why are you removing Sprite Zero completely? Make up your mind, why are you only offering one or the other? I want a zero sugar option but don’t want caffeine, now you’ve caved to TikTok whingers and dumped it, just sell both, not everyone wants full sugar. You got rid of Diet Coke so you have the capacity to sell both full and zero-sugar Sprite”.

Others, however, responded wholly positively to the news. On X, @WayneReardon commented that it was a “good move bringing back the real Sprite”. “No one is going to Macca’s for a healthy meal,” he wrote.

It comes after the initial news of the menu change broke on TikTok in 2022 via a video posted by food blogger Russ Eats that has now racked up more than 300,000 views and over 1100 comments.

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At the time, the Newcastle foodie said he was “devastated” about the menu change. “McDonald’s has done the dirty apparently and switched full sugar Sprite for Sprite Zero sugar, it makes no sense to me,” he said.

Posts and comments in a similar vein circulated online as more customers shared their disappointment at the decision. On Reddit, one user wrote: “This is a bloody outrage it is”, while another on TikTok wrote, “so strange, why not just have both? Very very weird idea”.

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