McDonald’s is giving its iconic McFlurry a bit of a makeover. On Sept. 10, the chain will introduce the Mini McFlurry at participating restaurants across the U.S., available alongside regular-sized McFlurrys. The company didn’t disclose the number of ounces in a mini, but McDonald’s website notes that there are 410 calories in a regular Oreo McFlurry versus 240 calories in a Mini McFlurry.
All sizes will also include updated, more sustainable packaging. McDonald’s is phasing out the product's cup lids and replacing them with a four-flap cup, which is expected to reduce waste and contribute to the chain’s goal of sourcing 100% of primary guest packaging from renewable, recycled or certified materials by the end of 2025.
“Packaging updates like this matter,” chief impact officer of North America Michael Gonda said 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.”
The four-flap cups are currently available in several other international markets like Canada and Indonesia, while Mini McFlurrrys have also been available in other markets, including the United Kingdom.
In October, McDonald’s U.S. first announced its intentions to make its McFlurry more sustainable, including with a smaller McFlurry spoon, which doubles as a spindle to help employees mix toppings into the soft serve ice cream before serving. Restaurants are now equipped with a reusable spindle that’s swapped out and cleaned after each McFlurry order is prepared, according to the company. The new McFlurry spoon is the same one that comes with McDonald’s sundaes. The company notes the transition will reduce single-use plastic waste in restaurants without compromising the McFlurry product.
The McFlurry was invented in 1995 and first introduced at the chain in 1997, according to McDonald’s Wiki. The original flavors were Oreo, Heath, Nestle Crunch, M&M’s and Butterfinger, and the company has since leveraged the popular item to rollout buzzy LTOs, like the Stroopwafel McFlurry, the Grandma McFlurry, and the Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry. The McFlurry has also since become one of McDonald’s $1 billion equities.
