McDonald’s is shaking things up.
The fast-food chain launched the new “McDonaldland Meal” — inspired by the “mystical world” they first created way back in 1971 — on August 12, and with it came the brand new Mt. McDonaldland Shake.
The limited-edition pink-and-blue Mt. McDonaldland Shake, an ode to the blue lava and pink clouds of the mythical volcano in Grimace’s hometown, was only described as a “secret concoction” of flavors.
Now, people are discovering what it actually tastes like.
A spokesperson for McDonald’s revealed some more information about its flavor profile to Today.
“The Mt. McDonaldland Shake features McDonald’s signature soft serve and berry flavors and has a vibrant blue color with pink whipped cream — an ode to the ‘lava’ that erupts from Mt. McDonaldland and the clouds that sit at its peak,” they told the outlet.
One person on Reddit claimed that it’s a “mishmash of different fruit flavors, but it’s supposed to be similar to raspberry. It’s got pomegranate, pear, apple, elderberry, peach, blackberry and plum concentrates included.”
According to Today’s review of the shake, the whipped cream was “very pink” but tasted like any normal whipped cream, and the shake itself reminded the reporter of the berry-flavored Grimace Shake with notes that tasted like Fruity Pebbles or Trix.
“Is this the purple blob’s birthday shake in a new, blue outfit? Maybe!” they wrote.
Similar to the Today review, the person who drank the shake for Taste of Home said that “McDonald’s colorful new milkshake flavor is nostalgia in a cup for millennials.”
“In terms of an actual flavor profile, I’ve got to say this milkshake lives up to the surprisingly expansive lore,” they wrote.
Taste of Home said that the taste profile “immediately recalls the nostalgic, slightly unnatural blue raspberry flavor that was so ubiquitous in popular candy of the ’90s and early aughts.”
“I just tried the shake today and I LOVED it,” one Reddit user said. “It was probably my favorite McDonald’s shake I have ever had.”
Tasting Table declared the Mt. McDonaldland Shake to have the “ultimate comfort flavors.”
Today noted that while the shake is fun and “summer” and tastes like berries and cream, those who aren’t into very sweet treats might not enjoy it.
With 64 grams of sugar for a small drink, perhaps the sweetness isn’t so surprising.
“The shake is very sweet — sickeningly sweet,” decried the Delaware News Journal. “It’s not a very appealing flavor and best avoided.”
“The Mt. McDonaldland Shake seems like the perfect shake for someone under the age of 21 (Note: My 11-year-old daughter loved it).”
Meanwhile, some people just straight up don’t like it.
“It looks artificial and disgusting,” Parade wrote. “It tastes as bad as it looks.”
One alleged McDonald’s employee shared on Reddit, “No one who taste tested it at my restaurant finished it.”
“It is gross!” one user declared. “The shake is awful, tastes like melted popsicle mixed with skim milk.”
The McDonaldland Meal comes with your choice of a Quarter Pounder with Cheese or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, fries, a “first-of-its-kind” collectible souvenir, and the Mt. McDonaldland Shake.
Each meal comes with a tin of collectibles that includes postcards and stickers recognizing the McDonald’s characters, “because no trip is complete without a souvenir.” Fans can collect six exclusive collectibles.
