Is it a straw or a spoon? McDonald's is ditching those 'spindles' in McFlurry cups (2024)

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Is it a straw or a spoon? McDonald's is ditching those 'spindles' in McFlurry cups? ›

In May 2021, McDonald's went so far as to give a free Caramel Brownie McFlurry to customers who have mistaken the spoon for a straw. McDonald's says “true McFlurry fans know the spoon doubles as a spindle,” a tool the chain's workers have used to attach to a machine that stirs toppings into its soft serve.

In the past, customers have mistaken the spoon for a straw due to its hollow handle, and have been confused by its design, to which McDonald's says "true McFlurry fans know it doubles as a spindle" to help mix toppings into the frozen treat.

The real reason behind the hollow square spoon's design is that it actually doubles as kitchen equipment. When a McDonald's employee prepares your McFlurry, that spoon clicks onto a mixing machine, and as the device is turned on, it serves as the paddle that stirs your McFlurry ingredients together.

The McFlurry spoon, which sparked confusion among its fans for being hollow, is being phased out as the fast food chain says it seeks more sustainable alternatives. The clear plastic spoon doubled as a spindle, with the utensil being inserted into the McFlurry machine to mix the toppings into the ice cream.

It's a mixer, not a straw

The way it works is the McDonald's employee fills a cup with soft-serve ice cream and scoops whatever topping you ordered onto the top. Next, they push the spoon handle onto the mixer and hold the cup under it until the toppings are mixed well.

No longer will the bulky spoon be used as a mixer and handed off to the customer: Once mixing is complete, all McFlurrys will be served with the same smaller black spoon with which its Sundaes are served, which uses less plastic. McDonald's says the change will help reduce single-use plastic waste in its restaurants.

The new cups require no changes to the McFlurry preparation process, and the top flaps conveniently fold down to protect the creamy soft-serve dessert inside.

The Kit Kat Banana Split McFlurry will be available at participating McDonald's restaurants nationwide while supplies last starting Wednesday, July 10. According to USA TODAY, the new McFlurry features vanilla soft serve blended with banana and strawberry clusters and pieces of Kit Kat wafer bites.

okay, so they're hollowed out and they're square. and a lot of people think that it's for drinking, but it's not. it's actually used for stirring.

The reason for the utensil's unusual form: It's inserted into the McFlurry machine to mix in the toppings, and then it's left in the dessert to be handed over to the customer. Now, McDonald's said, its U.S. restaurants are changing how they mix the McFlurry.

What is the new spoon at McDonald's? ›

Once the mixing magic is complete, your McFlurry will be served with a smaller black spoon that uses less plastic (the same one that comes with our Sundaes). This small change will help reduce single-use plastic waste in restaurants – while giving customers the same delicious McFlurry they know and love.

People were using them to measure and snort cocaine. Cocaine use was rampant in the 1970s, and there was a growing movement to stem drug use by going after the sale and use of drug paraphernalia. The McDonald's coffee spoon became an unfortunate scapegoat in that effort.

in an effort to reduce single use plastic waste, McDonald's is scrapping its iconic. hollow Mcflurry spoons.

The Grandma McFlurry will be available only for a limited time. This summertime treat will be available only while supplies last, so be sure to grab a cup before it's gone!

Unfortunately, the real reason is far less creative... For the blissfully unaware, the hole is there to be attached to the ice cream machine and mix the McFlurry – and you're not alone in finding this out in 2022 for the first time.

Published October 27, 2023 • Updated on October 27, 2023 at 12:03 pm. Say goodbye to the McDonald's McFlurry straw. Or was it a spoon? According to the Chicago-based chain, it was actually a "spindle." Either way, McDonald's is moving away from the utensil, an announcement posted to McDonald's corporate site said.

If you're like me and 15% of Frosty fans whom Wendy's asked, you enjoy dunking a salty fry in the sweet treat. This option, the chain said, was most likely chosen by Gen Zers. The largest crew, 70%, goes for the good old spoon, and the other 15% are straw sippers.

Most straws are made from plastics such as polypropylene and polystyrene. Julian Kirby, plastics campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “For too long the debate has been stuck on recycling and how to deal with waste once it is created.