7 McFlurry Machine Facts That Explain Why They Keep Breaking
The McFlurry is one of McDonald's most popular menu items, especially internationally—this delicious dessert item is often imitated, but never duplicated. The texture and flavors of the McFlurry are second to none, and every once in a while the fast food chain will hit us with a limited-edition delight. Unfortunately the machines responsible for the McFlurries have become notorious, and not for good reason. Here are seven facts about the McFlurry and McFlurry machines you probably didn't know about.
Rage Against the Machine
The machines that make the McFlurry are notoriously unreliable, leading to McFlurry shortages. Even McDonald's makes jokes at its own expense about the machines and how frequently they break down. "We have a joke about our soft serve machine but we're worried it won't work," reads one tweet from 2020.
McBroken Dreams
There is literally a website dedicated to tracking broken McFlurry machines in an effort to save customers time, stress, and disappointment. If you have a craving for some creamy goodness but don't want to take a trip to the Golden Arches for no reason, check McBroken.com. I just checked and it looks like the machine at the McDonald's closest to me on La Brea in Los Angeles is, in fact, broken. Heartbreaking!
Copyright Chaos
The McFlurry machines used to only get fixed through the manufacturer, leading to huge delays and annoyances. However a new exemption to copyright law which went into effect last year allows outside vendors to fix "retail-level commercial food preparation equipment," says NPR, a significant win for the right-to-repair movement, and McFlurry-lovers everywhere.
Not Ice Cream
McDonald's says the McFlurry only has 5% milk fat vs 10%, so it's technically a frozen dessert, not ice cream. The sweet snack was actually created by Canadian franchisee Ron McLellan, who had the genius idea to put a soft-serve in a cup in 1995. Which reminds me that the McMuffin was also created by a franchisee. Clearly McDonald's attracts some very smart, creative people.
Good Things, Small Packages
McDonald's launched the Mini McFlurry last year, complete with new more environmentally-friendly cups. "Packaging updates like this matter," said Michael Gonda, SVP, chief impact officer for McDonald's North America. "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."
Current McFlurries
McDonald's USA is currently offering McFlurries with Oreos and M&Ms—but this changes depending on region. For example in the U.K., you can get an Apple Cake McFlurry, a Maltesers McFlurry, or a Smarties McFlurry. And in Canada, you can get a Cadbury's Creme Egg McFlurry!
McFlurry Makeover
Public opinion about the new packaging is mixed, but several customers noticed the new paper cups are already the norm in Europe. "This is how Italian McDs served theirs when I was visiting," one fan commented. "Had one of these at the international McDonald's in Chicago this weekend, honestly it seemed better mixed and the portion was good," another Redditor said.
Sign up for our newsletter!
