Your McDonald’s McFlurry Is About To Change
Following the phase out of the dessert’s iconic hollow-handled spoon, the chain is now making over its cups.
Photo courtesy of McDonald's
If the McDonald’s McFlurry seems to you like the kind of fast-food item that’s steady and unchanging, you haven’t been paying attention lately. In May, for instance, the brand stirred up excitement by introducing a new limited-edition flavor inspired by the candies in your grandma’s pocketbook (minus the lint).
And last October, it caused a fuss when it phased out its iconic hollow-handled plastic spoons that came with the McFlurry (which doubled as a mixing spindle for the machine that stirred in toppings), and swapped in a more sustainable spoon that used less plastic. When it announced the utensil switch, McDonald’s called it a “sustainable glow-up” for the McFlurry spoon.
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Now, the McFlurry’s makeover is moving beyond the spoon. McDonald’s says it is updating the tricked-out soft-serve ice cream treat’s packaging and offering it in an additional smaller size, again with an eye toward greater sustainability. The new Mini McFlurry will begin to roll out to all participating U.S. locations on September 10 and will be available in all flavors — Oreo, M&M’s and limited-time special flavors as well.
“Got a friend who always wants ‘just a bite’? Instead of grabbing an extra spoon, you can grab them a Mini McFlurry of their own. Or maybe you’re looking for a quick afternoon pick-me-up... the Mini McFlurry is perfect for you, too,” the brand says.
At the same time, as part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, McDonald’s will also begin to phase out its existing McFlurry cups and plastic cup lids.
The Regular McFlurry and the new Mini McFlurry will both now come in a “four-flap cup,” made of “FSC-certified fibers that come from responsibly managed sources,” McDonald’s tells Food Network via email.
“Introducing the environmentally friendly four-flap cup to the U.S. market will help reduce waste and advance our goal of sourcing 100% of primary guest packaging from renewable, recycled or certified materials by the end of 2025,” the brand says.
While the four-flap cup design is new to U.S. locations, McDonald’s in markets including Canada and Indonesia are already eating their McFlurries out of these more sustainable cups.
“Packaging updates like this matter,” Michael Gonda, senior vice president and chief impact officer of McDonald’s North America, says in a statement. “Not only is this a fun new way for our U.S. fans to enjoy the McFlurry; we’re also moving one step closer to fulfilling our packaging and waste commitments.”
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