McDonald's Quietly Changed This Classic Menu Item And Customers Aren't Loving It

A little-known fact about McFlurries is that they were launched in Canada as the brainchild of Ron McLellan circa 1995. Since then, they've become a phenomenon enjoyed around the world. With Oreo as the first topping mixed throughout its vanilla soft serve ice cream, the McFlurry has been available in multiple flavors over the years, which originally included Smarties and SKOR at its New Brunswick home location. In the United States, the McFlurry became available in many flavors, like M&M's and Butterfinger. Although McFlurries are currently served with only Oreos and M&M's, this isn't what fans are complaining about. Instead, it's McDonald's quiet cessation of mixing the McFlurry toppings into its soft serve treat. To be clear, there's no publicly stated wording on how a McFlurry should be made, but that hasn't stopped the public from reacting.

McDonald's customers on social media have voiced their concerns, with some users questioning whether McFlurries are supposed to be mixed. One Redditor expressed frustration at the unblended pile of M&M's sitting on their McFlurry's surface, with commenters joking that stirring the toppings into the ice cream would be an extra charge. Others on Facebook took to groups like McDonald's Complaints, wondering what happened to both the frosted dessert and its unique, square-shaped spoon. Following TikToker @sa.nd.ee venting about their experience, some commenters questioned why one wouldn't just mix the McFlurry themselves, with another believing that the McFlurry is McDonald's answer to the Blizzard and should be pre-mixed. In this case, however, staff informed the TikToker that the ice cream machine was broken, explaining the unmixed pile of candies. True or not, @sa.nd.ee's dismay at the McFlurry mirrors that of other McDonald's diners.

While there's no McComment on why McFlurries aren't mixed, we can make a few guesses. In a 2022 Reddit post, alleged McDonald's employees stated that while they were trained to use the machine for mixing toppings into McFlurries before serving, some only did it upon request or simply wouldn't during a rush, as it slows down service. This non-practice may then have gradually become commonplace at some McDonald's. Additionally, mixed McFlurries may not appear to contain the correct amount of toppings. Another self-described McDonald's employee on Reddit stated that when they mixed a McFlurry, customers often assumed they'd been shorted toppings. Since pleasing the customer is vital, piling toppings on top would at least offer proof of quantity. 

Finally, according to a 2023 McDonald's corporate press release, McDonald's underwent a "sustainable glow-up," swapping the McFlurry's uniquely square spoon for a smaller black one made from fewer materials, and installing reusable spindles to its McFlurry machines. Those spindles must be cleaned after each use, and if McDonald's staff were already avoiding mixing McFlurries for the sake of speed back in 2022, that extra step could have been the critical blow to the mixed McFlurry. 

Admittedly, we cannot confirm these social media users' employment or the veracity of their statements. If true, they do at least provide some potential insight into what happened to the beloved McFlurry. Regardless, perhaps McDonald's could rebrand the dessert, since not mixing the ingredients is becoming all too common.