Australia In Turmoil After McDonald's Drops Regular Sprite For Zero Sugar Version

McDonald's Sprite is somewhat of a legacy; for years, customers have claimed that Sprite at McDonald's tastes better than Sprite in any other medium. Twitter is flooded with folks who feel this way. "Thinking about him, but by him I mean a large sprite from McDonalds," one tweet read. Another person wrote, "McDonald's sprite never misses."

Believe it or not, there's an explainable reason why Sprite served at McDonald's rises above. "We have four different levels of filtration before the water makes it to our soda tower," McDonald's franchise owner James McIntyre said to Reader's Digest. "We change the water filters at least every six months, and the water is pre-chilled before mixing with the syrup." These factors along with regular quality inspections help soft drinks at McDonald's stay tasty. Furthermore, food interactions can also make beverages taste different. "A bit of salt may enhance your perception of sweetness," Monell Chemical Senses Center's Paul Wise said of pairing your beverage with french fries.

The end of the era may be upon us, however, as the same thing that has Twitter users rejoicing is what Australian McDonald's fans are now mourning.

The internet was highly disappointed this week as the news of a swap broke out in Australia. "McDonald's Australia has recently moved to Sprite Zero Sugar across its restaurants nationwide," a representative said to The Takeout. "We look forward to hearing customer feedback on the new beverage option."

This was first reported on TikTok by food blogger @russ.eats. In his video, he requested a "regular Sprite" from an Australian McDonald's and was told, "We've only got Sprite no sugar, sorry." When he asked when Sprite would be returning, the answer was clear: "We're not bringing it back." In the days since the video was posted, it's been overwhelmed with comments mourning the loss. "McDonald's sprite was the best drink," one person wrote. "Oh noo! Sprite was my go to from [McDonald's]," another said. Some commenters understood the need for more sugar-free options but didn't understand why there couldn't be a choice, similar to how Coca-Cola is served. "Have both options so people can make the decision themselves," a TikTok user suggested.

It's unknown if this change will be implemented in other countries in the near future.