Taco Bell's former boss says McDonald's is making a mistake with its new Red Bull drink
Former Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed criticized McDonald's new Red Bull-based drink lineup for lacking brand identity and originality. He argued that the chain should focus on creating distinct, signature beverages rather than generic partnerships.
Why it matters
Beverages are a high-margin growth engine for fast-food chains, and this critique highlights the strategic tension between brand identity and trend-chasing in the competitive quick-service industry.
McDonald's has unveiled a new suite of drinks. Taco Bell's former CEO says they miss the mark. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto Greg Creed, the former CEO of Taco Bell, has some harsh words for McDonald's new drink lineup. In a LinkedIn screed, he said the Red Bull partnership was not distinctly "McDonald's." McDonald's new "Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer" will hit stores on August 17. The former CEO of Taco Bell says McDonald's new drink menu lacks originality. Greg Creed, who served as Taco Bell's chief marketing officer when the chain introduced the popular "Baja Blast" drink over 20 years ago, shared some feedback this week on McDonald's new menu of "refresher" drinks. "Any brand could have come up with these flavors," Creed wrote on LinkedIn. "If I was McDonald's, I'd be thinking how to make those beverages distinctively McDonald's in design and name."
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