McDonald’s at Cabin John Village, which was saved from closure by a neighborhood petition in 2023, reopened this week after a month-long renovation. The space has been completely reimagined with updated seating and floors, a fresh color scheme, and a new layout that includes kiosks for digital ordering. The kids’ play area is still intact, but the self-serve soda bar is gone — which means no more free refills from the fan favorite Diet Coke machine. All McDonald’s restaurants are phasing out self-serve soda machines, owner Kari Swenson tells us, and coffee will now be served from a pot at your table. Longtime customers will notice one other change at the Cabin John McDonald’s: Just outside the entrance, where countless kids have snapped a photo with Ronald McDonald, there’s a whole new bench… and a whole new Ronald.