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Nov 06, 2024

McDonald’s McFlurry Is Getting New Cups — Including a Mini Size

The McFlurry is slipping into something a little more sustainable. McDonald’s announced its McFlurry is undergoing another big change after discontinuing its iconic spoons last October: It’s replacing

The McFlurry is slipping into something a little more sustainable.

McDonald’s announced its McFlurry is undergoing another big change after discontinuing its iconic spoons last October: It’s replacing its old cup and plastic lid with a four-flap cup and introducing a new size for its frozen treat.

Starting Sept. 10, McDonald’s is rolling out the Mini McFlurry, the smallest serving of the treat, at participating restaurants across the U.S. (with working ice cream machines).

“Got a friend who always wants ‘just a bite’?” the chain writes in a press release. “Instead of grabbing an extra spoon, you can grab them a Mini McFlurry of their own. Or maybe you’re looking for a quick afternoon pick-me-up... the Mini McFlurry is perfect for you, too.”

McDonald’s says that, in an effort to be more sustainable, it is phasing out plastic McFlurry cup lids, meaning that both the Mini and Regular McFlurry will here on be served in a more environmentally-friendly four-flap cup.

These four-flap cups are already available in several other international markets like Europe and Indonesia, and will hit U.S. locations this month.

One group that is likely appreciating the new cups is Canada’s skunk population, which seemed to have a uniquely recurring issue with getting their heads stuck in the old cups. The Great White North switched over to the four-flap cups in February, and Pepé Le Pews throughout the country are breathing a sigh of relief.

McDonald’s says the new packaging will help reduce waste and advance its goal of sourcing 100% of its primary consumer packaging from renewable, recycled or certified materials by the end of 2025.

Back in October 2023, McDonald’s announced that it was phasing out its square-handled McFlurry spindles. The utensil, which was created by an employee at one of McDonald’s suppliers, confused customers far and wide in the 26 years it was in use: Was it a spoon or a straw? But now that it’s in the McDonald’s graveyard alongside the plastic-lidded McFlurry cup, it no longer matters.

Washington, D.C. native Joseph Lamour is a lover of food: its past, its present and the science behind it. With food, you can bring opposites together to form a truly marvelous combination, and he strives to take that sentiment to heart in all that he does.