McDonald's McFlurry Cups Are Getting Sustainable New Packaging

Heads up McFlurry fanatics, your favorite fast food treat is getting an environmentally friendly makeover. This comes after McDonald's discontinued the McFlurry's iconic square tipped plastic spoon. The new McFlurry cups will be four-flap cups, rather than the original cardboard and plastic lid. The wide-set dome shaped top will also be discontinued (via CNN). The new McFlurry packaging is set to debut next week, on September 10, 2024.

Along with the new packaging, the global fast food chain will introduce a new McFlurry size, the Mini McFlurry. The mini version of the ice cream treat will feature a smaller price tag and is a great option for those who only want a small sweet treat or those on a budget. The new McFlurry packaging and the Mini McFlurry will be available nationwide next week. As to whether or not your local McDonald's will have a working ice cream machine, well, that is less certain (just look at the lawsuit filed against the chain for its spotty ice cream availability).

The new McFlurry packaging (and their discontinued spoons) reflect a growing trend for the fast food giant as it attempts to reduce waste. The new McFlurry packaging has already been introduced in Canada and Europe as a part of their initiative to reduce single-use plastic products. Ultimately, McDonald's plans to make sure all of its packaging products come from sources and materials that are renewable or recycled by the end of 2025.

In recent years, McDonald's has made many efforts to go green. For example, in 2021, the fast food chain changed its iconic and highly impactful Happy Meals by introducing cardboard toys. These toys encouraged children to construct the toys on their own while reducing the use of plastic. However, these toys did not replace the regular plastic toys, and many customers had little love for the eco-friendly kids' toys.

Let's hope that the new McFlurry packaging gets a warmer welcome from customers. In Canada, one TikTok user complained that the new fold-over "looks so messy" due to its lack of a plastic cap. However, the cups have held up well enough to become standard for most international locations, so the new cups might just come with an adjustment period.