The Big Difference Between The McFlurrys In The US And The UK
McFlurrys are not only known around the world, but have sparked many a conversation. The machines are famous for constantly being broken, so much so that PopSugar highlighted a website that tells fans of the McFlurry where broken machines are, so they can find a location that has a working one. Thrillist highlighted this phenomenon as well, noting the reason seems to be a result of the machine's four-hour heat-based cleaning system.
However, for those who are lucky enough to find a working machine and enjoy a McFlurry, true fans tend to try as many as they can, ranking them as they go. As McDonald's describes, the McFlurry is a sweet dessert made using vanilla soft serve and ingredients such as M&Ms and Oreos mixed in. While its easy to assume they're all alike, different countries tend to vary by menu. So what's the biggest difference between U.S. and U.K. McFlurrys?
It always comes down to the health factor
Want to know a secret you probably already knew, U.S. food is often unhealthy! And McDonald's is a case in point. Check out their website stats, and you'll find that the U.S. version of the McFlurry is actually different from those made in the U.K. A regular size Oreo McFlurry in the U.S. has 510 calories, 16 grams of fat, 80 grams of carbs, and 40 grams of sugar. Compare this to a regular Oreo McFlurry in the U.K., which has nearly half the calories at 258, 9 grams of fat, 38 grams of carbs, and 32 grams of sugar. That's even less than a snack size version in the U.S., which comes in higher on all counts.
Insider did an in-depth analysis of the differences between the two McDonald's franchise locations, and though they don't touch on the McFlurry itself, they found that many of the sizes in the U.S. are much larger than in the U.K. The McFlurry may not have been included in Insiders review, but a quick nutrition search online proves it's no exception. Nutritionix highlights the size of a U.S. McFlurry at 285 grams, whereas Daily Mail reported the U.K. size was minimized in 2018 to 190 grams. But let's be honest, no one is in it for the nutritional value anyway, so if you want one every once in a while, ignore the size and nutrition and treat yourself.