McD's Milkshakes

[someyoungguyy]

OMG!!!!, I like everything at McD's including the $1 menu, but the other day I decided to splurge and buy a Chocolate Milkshake, I hadn't had one since like 1993, man was I surprised....it was great, real thick and malt like. I needed a spoon to eat it.!!!!

[ediblover]

I'm confused now.

The original post dates back to '08 and when I checked McDonald's website, they had both a Triple Thick Chocolate Shake and a McCafe (After '08, right?) Chocolate Shake.

So... What's the difference and which one's more like the old?

[woodleyparkhound]

I worked at McDonald's in the mid-70's. I remember the manager telling us they were called "shakes", not "milkshakes" because they contained no milk. He said they were made from seaweed. That caused me to be skeptical of food terminology, like how "fresh baked" really means something like "shipped, frozen dough baked locally". They know that most people will incorrectly assume that "fresh baked" is the same as "homemade". Sigh.

Having said that... I haven't had a McD's shake in years, but I used to really like the chocolate. I've never had a shamrock shake.

[rochfood]

This the nutrition info from McD's website. Looks like milk to me.



Ingredients (Allergen statement in ALL CAPS.)Back To Top
Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream :Milk, sugar, cream, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, dextrose, sodium citrate, artificial vanilla flavor, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, disodium phosphate, cellulose gum, vitamin A palmitate.

CONTAINS: MILK.

Chocolate Syrup: High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, cocoa (processed with alkali), natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, caramel color, salt, potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial flavor (vanillin), red 40. May contain small amounts of other shake flavors served at the restaurant, including egg ingredients when Egg Nog Shakes are available

[NellyNel]

To be hobest - I don't care what's in it - as long as it tastes good!

(I actually havent had a McD shake in - gosh 30 years? ... but I would give it a go if I fancied it!)

[ediblover]

I was just about to say that. If it's good, it's good. It's funny/ironic/hypocritical how people can praise molecular gastronomy, but be angry at McDonald's, or laud about how offal uses the animal and shows respect, but be disgusted by mechanical separation.

Back to the shake, haven't had one in years, but am a little curious now. I'll be sure to try one the next time I stop by McDonald's (though, that's going to be a while).

[ipsedixit]

Trust me ... it's GOOD.

[mucho gordo]

Good; yes but, better is Fatburger's Maui Banana shake

[ferret]

For the price does anybody really expect a premium ice cream product? It's a fair value for what they offer; expressing shock that it's not the same as you'd get at an ice cream parlor is a little misguided.

Then again, you'd be hard pressed to find a better fast food chain for shakes than Culver's (certainly not cheap, but excellent).

[ipsedixit]

While not a shake, I think for the price the Costco ice cream bar at 1.50 does qualify as "a premium ice cream product".

[KaimukiMan]

and here is the ingredient list from a premium brand of ice cream (vanilla flavor)

INGREDIENTS: Milk, Cream, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Mono & Diglycerides, Carrageenan, Vanilla Extract, Vanillin, Annatto (for color).
ALLERGEN INFORMATION: Contains milk.

not exactly a huge difference,

as for the chocolate syrup the ingredients for a popular national brand:
Chocolate Syrup - High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, sugar, cocoa, contains 2% or less of: potassium sorbate (preservative), salt, mono & digycerides, polysorbate 60 (emulsifier), xanthan gum & vanilla (artificial flavor)

so what's the issue here?

[CrazyOne]

The "made from seaweed" remark is typical exaggeration or urban legend. From the ingredient list it has enough milk to be reduced fat ice cream. That said, the ingredient carrageenan is in fact made from seaweed. That's used as a thickener in a lot of ice creams these days, sadly. Probably where the manager's remark came from, but it would have been an exaggeration even back then I suspect.

[Tripeler]

I am certain there is SOME milk in a McD "shake" and any sort of seaweed product in it is likely to have some kind of health benefits. Still, what really matters is how they taste, and in my memory, they really weren't that great.

[ferret]

Carrageenan is a seaweed-based gelling agent present in a lot of commercial ice creams (among other products) in fairly miniscule amounts. It's neither healthy nor unhealthy -- nor mysterious.

[Patrincia]

My first job 24 years ago was at McDonald's... my favorite shakes were the vanilla, eggnog, and the orange cream (dreamsicle). My son worked for McD's a couple of years ago and the shakes just weren't the same at all.

[callitasicit]

BUMP. When the hell is the Arctic Orange Shake coming to Canada, someone said it would be here already!!

[callitasicit]

Still waiting, someone must know something!!!

[lilmsmuffin]

It's here!!! (at least, it's in Montreal)

I've never tried it, was kind of disappointed because I was going to McD's for their latest feautured milkshake which I *LOVED* - the "Coffee-Chocolate" one. Since it was a limited-time feature item, I guess it had done it's time and was replaced by the orange one. I do want to try it, but really wasn't in the mood for something fruity at the time. Oh well.

They are also featuring a "Golden Oreo and Strawberry" McFlurry.

So there you go! Head on over to your local McD's. You can thank me later :)

[burlgurl]

the Harvey's shake is unbelievably good..really thick made with dark chocolate ice cream

[mjg0725]

When I was in College I was cleaning up after a party and one of the things I cleaned up was a Mcd's milkshake from the night before. When I went to dump it out, it did not flow out. I looked inside and it had turned into a styrofoam like solid substance. It was disgusting.

Try it out sometime to see for yourself. I bet none of you would ever drink one again.

[Anita Drink]

The Shamrock shake is back! It is my favorite shake; mint and chocolate, but they usually only have it in the month of March.

[xman887]

i just had one last week. it was great. i probably get two shakes a year at any fast food place and they are usually both shamrocks.

remember mcdonald's arctic orange shake they used to offer up in january during the late 70's/early 80's? loved those, too.

[punkin712]

I haven't had a McDonald's shake in almost 10 years. So, the other day I decided to be naughty and get a Shamrock Shake. Of course, the one I went to didn't have them. Typical.

I remember their Mountain Berry Shake in the early 90s - very yummy! That was also the time when they were testing pizzas. Ah, memories...

[FoodieKat]

Love their chocolate shake, though it takes a million years to drink it. So thick!

[charlesbois]

Does anyone remember the bizarre urban legend in the 70s (?) that McD's shakes had newspaper in them as filler, or some weird thing like that? lol

Burger King does the REAL milk shake: real ice cream, real milk. They're yummers. I've heard them described as real old fashioned milk shakes, that will give you a real old fashioned coronary with all that sat fat, but who cares? They're great for when you NEED a milkshake.

[KevinB]

Couldn't disagree more; first, they don't even call them "milkshakes" anymore. Second, a real, thick, milkshake is good because it's made with lots of real ice cream, not some artificial thickener that makes it impossible to drink through a straw. From McD's own website, here are the ingredients in the "Chocolate Shake":

Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream: Milk, sugar, cream, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, dextrose, sodium citrate, artificial vanilla flavor, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, disodium phosphate, cellulose gum, vitamin A palmitate. CONTAINS: MILK. Chocolate Syrup: High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, cocoa (processed with alkali), natural (vegetable source) and artificial flavors, salt, potassium sorbate (preservative), vanillin (artificial flavor). May contain small amounts of other shake flavors served at the restaurant, including egg ingredients when Egg Nog Shakes are available.

Milk, ice cream, chocolate syrup, and real vanilla seems pretty appetizing in comparison.

[Tay]

KevinB
After reading your Posting, I feel as though I did when I discovered the Tooth Fairy didn't exist.
We already know they aren't the Mom & Pop milkshakes of our childhood.:-}

[babaoriley7]

Their best shake has to be the shamrock shake. I had one this weekend and LOVED it. Although I have realized that I will feel sick if I finish one, not because it is a mcdonalds product but because that is a lot of shake to eat at once. DQ blizzards do the same thing to me.

[ipsedixit]

I like them as well, but they always give me a severe case of brain freeze.

[starbucksbrew]

McD has the best chocolate milkshakes! Cheers