How do you retrieve files from obsolete CD disks?

You need to get and use an external USB DVD/CD drive.

You can over pay for a > https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD564LL/A/apple-usb-superdrive

Or... you can get and use a less expensive LG DVD/CD drive from BestBuy, Target or Walmart.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-8x-external-usb-double-layer-dvdrw-cd-rw-drive-black/5852919.p?skuId=5852919

https://www.target.com/p/lg-portable-external-dvd-rw-drive-black-sp80/-/A-15701034

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD564LL/A/apple-usb-superdrive

Not really obsolete yet. Just less commonly used. There's still plenty of optical drives in the market including Apple's own super drive you can use to read data CDs and DVDs.

Are you having a specific issue?

yikes3 wrote:

My current iMac no longer has a CD drive. Is there a service that will retrieve files from CD/DVDs that you know of? Would an Apple Store do it?

You can buy a cheap external CD drive:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=External+CD+drive&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

With a Computer and a CD/DVD drive...?

What's the problem?

Connect a CD/DVD player to your Mac and Copy and paste the files. One option is:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MRSSDSDT8X/

That's a great price for that OWC portable. I actually picked up my LG SP80NB80's some years ago, when they were on sale for $29.95.