The Refresher Racket: How Big Business is Hijacking Our Taste Buds The proliferation of "refreshers" – sweet, syrupy drinks found on menus from Starbucks to McDonald's – has been a boon for the beverage industry.
But beneath their colorful packaging and branding lies a more insidious reality: these drinks are not just a tasty treat, but a calculated marketing ploy designed to manipulate our palates and bank accounts.
One of the most striking aspects of the refresher phenomenon is its adaptability to whatever trend is currently trending online.