Invented in 1995 by a McDonald's (MCD) Canadian franchise owner, the combination of vanilla ice cream mixed in with candy or cookie crumbles known as the McFlurry quickly earned itself dessert cult status alongside other chain favorites like the handheld pies.
Over the years, different locations around North America have seen limited-edition versions with everything from Red Velvet Cake and Mississippi Mud Pie to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
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Another frozen dessert, the McCafé Oreo Frappé was first introduced in the summer of 2015 as a limited-time, seasonal promotion. Similar in style to the Starbucks (SBUX) Frappuccino, the frozen drink combines blended iced coffee with chocolate and Oreo pieces.
McDonald's takes on Starbucks with returning frozen dessert drink
Now found on McDonald's U.S. online menus, the coffee drink that is closer to a dessert than one's morning cup of joe is described as a "sweet treat made with rich chocolate flavor, a hint of coffee and Oreo Cookie Pieces" that is "blended with ice then hand topped with whipped light cream and a few more Oreo Cookie Pieces for good measure."
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McDonald's has already briefly returned the McCafé Oreo Frappé once before in the summer of 2023 and this time around it is also a limited-time promotion that will go away at some point (most likely as the weather turns cooler.) While prices may vary, it currently costs $4.19 for a small size in locations around New York and California.
It is hardly a light snack as the smallest size clocks in at over 550 calories while the largest one is almost half of the average person's daily recommendation at 870 calories. Starbucks Frappuccinos are similar dessert drinks that many purchase to satisfy a sweet, creamy craving.
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These are some of the other things that have been happening at McDonald's (there's a lot)
Over the last year, the Golden Arches have experimented with a number of additions and small changes to its menus. Along with opening the first drive-thru offshoot CosMc in Illinois, McDonald's also launched a new "Remix Menu" that combines classics like the cheeseburger and chicken sandwich for a Chicken Cheeseburger in April 2024.
A month earlier, the chain had also expanded its partnership with donut company Krispy Kreme (DNUT) to sell their Original Glazed Donut, the Chocolate Iced With Sprinkles Donut, and the Chocolate Iced Glazed Donut at more locations across the country as part of an effort to expand the chain's breakfast offering.
In announcing the news, McDonald's Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer Tariq Hassan said that this provided the "opportunity to unlock new business opportunities in the breakfast category and throughout the day."
"Our fans' love for Krispy Kreme runs deep and we can't wait to make it even easier for them to satisfy their sweet tooth at McDonald's restaurants across the country," Hassan said further.
Along with permanent Oreo and M&M versions, the newest McFlurry currently available at McDonald's restaurants across the U.S. is another limited-edition Strawberry Shortcake version that is described to be "as colorful as spring" with "creamy vanilla soft serve [and] strawberry flavored clusters and crispy, buttery shortbread cookies."
