After nearly 30 years, McDonald's is saying goodbye to its iconic hollow McFlurry spoons. The global fast-food giant revealed on Tuesday that its restaurants in the US will begin phasing out these utensils, with the change taking effect this month. Explaining the unique design of their hollow spoons, a McDonald's spokesperson previously told Food & Wine that, before being a customer's spoon, it primarily serves as a mixing tool. According to the statement, "After adding our creamy, cool soft-serve and delicious toppings to your McFlurry cup, our crew members attach the spoon to a machine that mixes the creamy vanilla soft serve and yummy ingredients together, ensuring there is a perfect amount of your favourite topping in each bite."
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The iconic McFlurry spoon has an interesting origin. McDonald's explained, "The McFlurry spoon was invented by an employee at one of McDonald's suppliers, Flurry International, in 1995. Since then, the McFlurry spoon design has become an iconic part of the dessert experience!" McDonald's US restaurants are now in the process of adopting reusable spindles that will be swapped out and cleaned after each McFlurry is prepared. To serve the desserts, a smaller black spoon - the same one already provided with sundaes - will be used. This shift is part of McDonald's sustainability efforts to 'use less plastic.'
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In a statement, McDonald's reassured customers by saying, "While you may not see our famous spindle-spoon in your McFlurry anymore, know that it's still working hard for you (and the planet) behind the counter." As per a photo posted on a Reddit forum dedicated to McDonald's employees, it appears that the new spoon provided to McFlurry customers will come individually wrapped. The image also suggests that these reusable spindles are pink in colour, and employees are directed to use each spindle for a period of four hours before replacement.