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What’s The Deal With The New McDonald’s Mystery Milkshake?

If you haven’t taken a summer vacation yet, then now might be the time to schedule a last-minute road trip. Not to the beach, or to a theme park, but to a place thought to only exist in foodies’ wildest imaginations — the McDonald’s extended universe, a candyland called “McDonaldland” where its iconic characters live. McDonaldland is now inviting you to sample its offerings in the form of a limited-time meal deal, and more importantly, a new, bright pink and blue mystery milkshake called the Mt. McDonaldland shake. 

Now, the last time McDonald’s released a limited-edition milkshake, the Grimace Shake, things got completely out of hand on the internet. The viral trend saw people drinking the shake on camera and then cut to them knocked out on the ground. Let’s hope that the release of this Mt. McDonaldland shake is a little more peaceful, like a relaxing day at the beach.

What’s in the Mt. McDonaldland shake?

The colorful new milkshake is apparently brought to you from a McDonaldland milkshake volcano, so if you ever wanted to taste a volcano, now’s your chance. While McDonald’s was originally keeping the flavor of the milkshake a mystery, calling it “a secret concoction,” they’ve now given a little more detail on their menu. The blue milkshake is a “berry flavor,” topped with a pink whipped cream. But what exactly does berry mean? Is it just a generic mixed berry? Or is it blueberry, like the color? I guess we’re just going to have to try it to find out…or consult the internet. 

What are people saying about the shake?

The pink and blue hue of the shake is delighting taste-testers, as is the taste. The milkshake is apparently pretty creamy and refreshing, with the berry flavor turning out to be blue raspberry. 

A lot of reviewers think the shake tastes like cotton candy or berry-flavored cotton candy, too. The whipped cream doesn’t appear to have a special flavor — it’s just their usual whip dyed pink. But if you like blue raspberry or cotton candy, then this shake is definitely worth a try. 

The only problem people have with the meal is the price. The shake comes in at about $5, but the meal’s price is as steep as a volcano mountain, clocking in between $15 and $20 depending on where you live. Commenters were saying the price makes the deal a hard pass.

When can you get the Mt. McDonaldland shake?

The Mt. McDonaldland shake launched on August 12, so it’s available right now, looking to add a splash of color to your order and probably turn your tongue blue. But if you want to try the new shake, you might want to hurry, as it won’t be around forever. It’s a limited release, so once the volcano stops erupting, there won’t be any shake left. AKA, it’s only available while supplies last. 

What else can you get as part of this special event?

McDonaldland isn’t just serving up a new shake, but an adult happy meal deal too, complete with a souvenir to take back from your visit. You can get either a Quarter Pounder with cheese or a 10-piece chicken McNugget, a medium fry, and, of course, the milkshake (because let’s be real, that’s what you’re here for). And it wouldn’t be a McDonald’s meal without a collectible — each meal comes with a special steelbook inspired by one of McDonald’s 6 characters, holding within goodies like a themed postcard and stickers. 

It used to be that McDonald’s was a stop on the way to your destination. But now? It is the destination. 

Sarah Leberknight is a writer for the Spoon University National Writers Program. She covers food on all fronts, hoping to write articles that make you hungry for a snack, and loves to tackle divisive opinions on your favorite foods.

Sarah is a rising senior at Virginia Tech, where she juggles 3 majors—English Literature, Creative Writing, and Professional and Technical Writing. She writes for VT’s Collegiate Times newspaper as an opinions columnist, spouting her thoughts on women’s soccer, college, and anything else she has a say on. Her work has also appeared in VT News and Trill Mag, where she interned for 6 months as an entertainment writer and is now interning as an editor. If that wasn't enough on her plate, she's also currently interning for Sneak Peek Books as a book reviewer.

When Sarah’s not writing professionally or for school, she’s still writing. Short stories, a novel trilogy, and novellas—she does it all. Except poems. And if she actually isn’t writing, she’s playing video games or watching other people play video games. She can’t get enough of the Legend of Zelda.