McDonald’s Has Temporarily Stopped Selling Espresso Drinks at Some US Locations
McDonald’s has temporarily halted the sale of espresso-based drinks at certain U.S. locations following a safety issue with its espresso machines. The machines, which are used to make popular McCafé beverages like iced lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos, have been decommissioned while the problem is investigated.
The affected machines, manufactured by Melitta, are valued at $3,000 each. Melitta informed McDonald’s of the issue, which has led to the temporary suspension of espresso drink sales across multiple locations. The company has not disclosed the specific nature of the safety problem but confirmed that an investigation is underway to identify the cause and implement a solution.
In a statement to CNN, Melitta said it “recommended a temporary stop use for the affected customers” and is working to resolve the issue.
As a result, customers at impacted McDonald’s locations will not be able to order espresso-based drinks, including macchiatos, Americanos, and iced lattes. However, McDonald’s clarified that brewed coffee, both hot and iced, remains available for sale.
The outage appears to be widespread, with affected locations spanning several cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh, New York, and Tampa, Florida. The full scope of the issue is still being determined by McDonald’s, but it seems to be affecting multiple markets.
This disruption comes at a challenging time for the fast food chain, which has recently focused on expanding its coffee offerings. Coffee sales are a significant part of McDonald’s business, with the chain serving nearly 8 million cups daily. The company also recently launched a new specialty coffee-focused restaurant, CosMc’s, to tap into the growing demand for high-quality coffee beverages.
McDonald’s is still working to resolve the issue, but this pause in espresso drink sales adds to the challenges it faces after a recent E. coli outbreak that negatively impacted its sales and customer traffic. To recover, McDonald’s has announced a $100 million investment in marketing and support for the franchises most affected by the outbreak.
