Well, here's yet another kinda cool thing that I seem to be "last on the block" to know about: McDonald's shakes have this cool new look.
In my defense, I really don't order shakes all that much in the winter. Most of my McD's visits during the Months of Darkness are morning stops for coffee and Sausage McMuffins With Egg, the most awesome breakfast sandwich ever created.
But late the other night, Lynnafred and I and my stepdaughter Jamie were watching cheesy old movies on TV and I had this sudden urge. "You know what I'd really like right now?" I asked.
"Yeah, a milkshake," Lynnafred replied with creepy accuracy.
And so, I was off to the McDonald's (literally) around the corner to pick up some shakes: Shamrock for me, vanilla for Lynnafred, and chocolate for Jamie.
Having grown up with shakes being served in the tall paper cups, I was surprised to find that shakes have been promoted to McCafe items, served in the upscale clear plastic cups, and are now topped with opt-in whipped cream and a cherry. Well, it was opt-in at the Mickey D's near me, where the friendly Burger Meister asked if I wanted them added before just blindly topping them up.
Tossing the shakes into the McCafe lineup was probably a good idea for McDonald's. The presentation is nice, and seeing the colors of the shake through the cup makes it easy on a big order to get the right shake to the right person. I think next time, though, I'm going to leave off the whipped cream and cherry. As you can see in the picture, it's a lot less impressive-looking after the drive home than it is when it's slid across the counter. Also, it adds very little in the way of flavor or texture to the drink, so it seems like a kind of pointless little indulgence that just boosts the calorie count of the total. (Yes, I know the 16-ounce McCafe shake has 880 calories. It's a very occasional treat, and when I do splurge on it, I see no problem with asking them to leave off the whipped-cream part of the calories.)
Oh, and BTW, it was totally bitchen to finally get a Shamrock Shake after having craved one for like a month. They're just as awesome as I remember them as a kid. I noticed that Uncle O'Grimacy, former Shamrock Shake spokesman and Irish Ambassador to McDonaldland, was nowhere to be found. Later I discovered he's been moonlighting over at Mucinex.
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| Don't believe me? See for yourself. |
Awesome. I think Uncle O was before my time (I know, I'll get off your lawn) but I dug up an old YouTube video and laughed my ass off.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the shakes, personally I liked the old shakes, and they are too pricey for my budget, I was surprised when my daughter and granddaughter said let's get a shake at McDonald's!! Please they are awesome! So off we go, three small shakes $6.00, I was shocked. But hey the kids enjoyed it and that's what counts right?!!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog after being basically ripped off getting my first McD's shake in a while...
ReplyDeleteYou seemed to have not noticed what else has been changed -- less shake for the same prices. (I'm assuming this is a company-wide thing; others online have remarked on it) The sizes used to be S-16oz., M-18oz., and L-24oz. Now the "McCafe Shakes" are 12,16,18 - no other option.
The whipped cream w/cherry thing is a visual trick - by adding the dome, it makes the cup look taller, closer to what the old sizes appeared. I noticed the change immediately when I ordered large, but with no toppings. I don't know what would happen if you asked for 32 oz of a shake, but it's no longer on the menu.
Basically, this is what the yogurt makers have been up to the last couple years - try finding an 8oz yogurt in stores anymore. They're all 6 oz. now.
For presentation, I'll agree they "look" good, but the sneaky shrinkage is a huge fail, in my opinion.
S - You are correct, I had not noticed that McDonald's had hit their shakes with the Shrink Ray. It had been years since my last shake.
ReplyDeleteThe vanilla shake is really bad. If you want a shake, go to Wendy's.
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