So, it's no surprise if you've ever stopped by a location just to get a medium Coke and maybe an order of fries, too.

所以，如果你有曾經在麥當勞買過一杯中杯可樂或許加一份薯條，一點都不讓人意外。

It turns out McDonald's and Coca-Cola go way back to the very beginning of the burger chain.

後來發現，麥當勞與可口可樂之間的淵源可以追溯回這個漢堡連鎖店最初期的時候。

When the duo partnered, Coca-Cola helped develop a specialized method for storing the soda in stainless steel tanks that protect the syrup from temperature and light, and McDonald's adopted this same method.

當這兩者搭擋起來，可口可樂研發出了一種儲存可樂特殊的方法，將其裝在不鏽鋼的桶子內以保護糖漿不被溫度和光照所影響，而麥當勞也採用了此方法。

The water flows through insulated tubes to ensure you get the coldest, best Coca-Cola available.

水從一個密封的管子流過，保證你喝到的是最冷、最好喝的可樂。

Between those extra steps and extensive water filtration, it's easy for McDonald's to serve up surprisingly fresh, crisp Coke that keeps customers coming back.

有了這些額外的步驟還有額外的過濾水，麥當勞很容易提供讓顧客不停回購，令人驚訝地新鮮、爽口的可樂。

Today, McDonald's deals for 1 USD include more options than getting a soda in any size.

現在，一美元在麥當勞有除了汽水之外的更多選擇。

Customers can get hot or iced coffee for the same price, and on Fridays, the chain also offers a free medium fry with any 1 USD purchase by Mobile Order and Pay.

顧客可以用相同價格在麥當勞買到熱或冰咖啡，且在每週五如果於行動裝置上下單付款，每一美元的訂單可獲得一份免費的中薯。

The McDonald's dollar menu might be reduced to mostly just drinks these days, but there's a good reason for it.

現在麥當勞的銅板價菜單可能大部分只提供飲料了，但這麼做是有原因的。

With the introduction of 2 for 5 USD menus, and similar options for set periods of time, the chain ends up actually making more money.

有了新的兩件五美元的菜單，在預計評估相同的時間內，麥當勞實際上賺了更多錢。

Even with the 1 USD drink menu alone, Reuters reported sales rose, as did shares of stock.

甚至就單獨一元菜單而言，《路透社》報導麥當勞銷售量上升，股價也上升了。

According to Fortune, the chain smashed expectations with its 1 USD drink promotion and saw nearly a 4 percent increase in sales.

據《財富雜誌》報導，麥當勞的一元飲料的促銷活動打破了預期，且整體銷售量提升了百分之四。

CNBC cited the success of that quarter following the 1 USD drink menu and 2 USD coffee menu as the push behind the introduction of the 1, 2, and 3 USD dollar menu in early 2018.

CNBC 電視台引用了一元飲料和兩元咖啡菜單的成功，認為其成為推動麥當勞 2018 年初推出ㄧ、二、三元菜單的主力。

USA Today reports that the updated menu and even new technology to modernize and streamline the process at the stores have been a profitable success, and the chain believes its strategy of tiered pricing worked to draw customers toward higher-priced items.

《今日美國》報導，更新的菜單與現代化精簡作業流程的技術是能帶來利益的成功決策，且麥當勞相信其分層的定價方式可以引導顧客消費較高價的產品。

"Well it's called the McPick 2 menu, customers are going to be allowed to pay two bucks for two of the following items, be allowed to pay, you get to do this."

「這稱之為『McPick 2』菜單，顧客可以用兩美元買到兩樣指定餐點，絕對負擔得起，你一定也可以。」

So the next time you stop in for nothing more than a medium Coke, keep in mind the smell of those fries or a burger just might be working hard to win you over for a larger order.

所以下次如果去麥當勞只想要買一杯中可，記住薯條和漢堡的香味可能只是努力想讓你多花一點錢買下它們。

With prices so low, how do fast food chains make any money at all?

既然價格如此低廉，速食餐廳到底是怎麼賺錢的呢？

Well, one way the dollar menu becomes profitable is through scale.

銅板菜單能賺錢是透過大規模銷售。

With employees focused on making a large quantity of these items rather than high-quality, customizable products, it winds up cutting costs, according to the BBC.

根據 BBC 報導，這些產品被大量製作，而非高品質、客製化的產品，這樣的生產模式能有效節省成本。

It also helps that soft drinks make up a large portion of McDonald's dollar menu, and even better, Payscale says filling cups from automated soda fountains requires almost zero labor from employees who are paid around the federal minimum wage.

汽水佔了麥當勞菜單很大部分這一點也有助益，且根據 Payscale 報導，餐廳的飲料機可以自動盛裝飲料，基本上員工毋須花勞力在這個作業流程上，而這些員工通常都是領聯邦最低薪資。

The truth of the matter is that these restaurants make their money with promotions and marketing tricks.

這些餐廳真正賺錢的方法是透過推廣和行銷策略。

"Stay cool while you check things off your summer bucket list."

「完成你夏天願望清單是記得保持涼爽。」

"Like summer, any size soft drinks for a dollar won't stick around long."

「夏天，任何大小的一元飲料都輕鬆無負擔。」

Customer Survey Assist says one example is the free menu items that are offered from time to time.

客服部表示，其中一個例子就是不定時提供免費的產品。

Those free items generally end up costing you money because they must be made with a minimal purchase, and even a single dollar purchase can add up over thousands and thousands of customers.

這些免費產品通常最終還是會需要要花錢購買， 因為你必須有最低消費才能拿到免費產品，而就算是一元產品也可能積少成多。

Many chains are more than willing to do away with their dollar menus, but the low prices often get frugal customers inside the door.

許多連鎖餐廳巴不得要取消銅板菜單，但低廉的價格通常能留住勤儉的顧客。

Eat This reported that one study shows people will order and eat 85 percent more food when offered directly from another person, like your server.

Eat This 報導，一個研究指出，當人們被他人直接提供餐點，好比說服務員，點餐量和吃食量或上升百分之 80。

However value menus have grown over the years to include much more than your standard burger, fries, and sodas.

但是這種超值菜單在近幾年已擴展到不只有一般的漢堡、薯條和汽水。

According to Time, while a smaller, more manageable menu with easy-to-make items might turn a decent profit, new value menus with as many as 25 items are nearly impossible to make money on, which is why some restaurants might consider dropping the menus altogether.

根據時代雜誌報導，雖然較精簡、易於管理且易製作品項的菜單可以帶來可觀的利益，新的最多可包含 25 種產品的超值菜單都不太可能有利潤，這也是為什麼許多餐廳考慮將所有菜單整合在一起。

One of the few highly profitable products on the dollar menu, though, are soft drinks.

在銅板菜單上利潤高的產品之一就是汽水。

Those large Coca-Colas are what make the value menu all worth it.

那些大杯可口可樂是讓菜單賺回本的關鍵。

The Motley Fool reported that soft drinks can bring in up to a 90 percent profit margin, which really adds up in the eyes of the restaurant.

The Motley Fool 報導汽水可以帶來高達百分之 90 的利潤，而這樣的利潤使餐廳眼睛為之一亮。

And according to AOL, fast food restaurants like McDonald's are able to cash in a bunch on their any size 1 USD soft drinks, because each one costs them less than a quarter.

且根據 AOL 報導，速食餐廳如麥當勞可以在每個一元飲料中獲得利潤，因為每一杯的成本根本不到四分之一。

Somewhere between 5 to 20 cents to be exact.

準確來說大約是五到二十分之間。

Check out one of our newest videos right here!

點這裡看我們的新影片。

Plus, even more Mashed videos about your favorite fast food chains are coming soon.

還有更多你最愛的速食餐廳相關影片即將上架！

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.

訂閱我們頻道並按下小鈴鐺，才不會漏掉任何一支新影片。