A recent change to the way McDonald's restaurants work has got many on social media talking about the idea of "changing consumer habits," but what they're really talking about could be much more controversial.

The catchphrase has been spreading on Twitter / X throughout May 2026, and some people are taking it in a much different way than others.

So, what does "changing consumer habits" mean, and why has it become such a big meme? Here's what we know about the cryptic phrase.

What Is The 'Changing Consumer Habits' Meme?

At the beginning of May 2026, the official Polymarket Twitter account posted some news about McDonald's. The post reads, "McDonald's to eliminate self-serve soda stations nationwide by 2032, citing 'changing consumer habits.'"

Self-serve soda stations have been a staple of McDonald's restaurants for a long time, marking a big change for American McDonald's lovers.

The post gained a lot of attention, with over 15,000 likes and 10 million views in about a week. However, many of the comments weren't too kind, as some Twitter users decided that "changing consumer habits" was a reference to Black people and immigrants.

How Is 'Changing Consumer Habits' Used In Memes?

In an attempt to wrap their heads around why McDonald's would get rid of self-serve soda fountains, some vocal Twitter users began blaming Black people and immigrants, even though there's no evidence that any group of people inspired the change.

The idea behind the claim, which many have since labeled racist amid the meme's spread, is that certain demographics or people who aren't American citizens are misusing and taking advantage of the self-serve fountains because of a lack of respect and greed, leading to a shift from America as a "high-trust society" to a "low-trust society," where even the trust that goes into properly operating a drink fountain is taken away.

The phrase "changing consumer habits" has now resulted in a whole lot of controversial memes, where it is largely being used as a dog whistle to subtly refer to groups of people they dislike and want to blame for the contentious change.

What Are Some More 'Changing Consumer Habits' Memes?

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For the full history of the Changing Consumer Habits memes, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.