The popular McDonald’s dessert introduced in 1995 is the McFlurry.
The McFlurry was created by Ron McLellan, a McDonald’s franchise owner in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada. The first one, an Oreo-flavored version, was sold on June 7, 1995. Its signature feature is soft-serve ice cream blended with cookie pieces, candy, or other mix-ins.
The dessert expanded beyond its Canadian birthplace after proving successful. McDonald’s introduced it to selected U.S. markets in 1997, and by March 1998 it was available throughout the United States and Canada. It later became a permanent menu item in many countries, with local flavors varying by market.
A common mix-up is confusing the McFlurry with a sundae or milkshake. A sundae is usually topped rather than thoroughly mixed, while a milkshake is a drink. The McFlurry’s defining characteristic is its blended, spoon-eaten soft serve.