It’s not St. Patrick’s Day 2020 yet, but McDonald’s has officially brought back its famous Shamrock Shake today, February 19, in celebration of the dessert’s 50th anniversary, reports Yahoo Lifestyle .
Not only can you buy the classic Shamrock Shake and relish in its delicious vanilla soft serve and mint flavoring, but the fast-food chain has also introduced the Oreo Shamrock McFlurry. The McFlurry is essentially the same as the shake except that it is blended with Oreo cookie pieces.
According to Yahoo Lifestyle , there is a scientific reason behind everyone’s love for this delicious treat. Since the shake is 50-years-old, it was around for the childhoods of many current adults.
The article quotes Gail Saltz, an associate professor of psychiatry, as saying that associating feelings of a happy childhood with the Shamrock shake helps people “stay attached to the product.”
Fans on social media are ecstatic about the return of McDonald’s famous sweet treat. Many tweeted the official McDonald’s account, begging them to implement the Shamrock Shake into their menu year-round.
“Life really picks up when shamrock shake season rolls around,” wrote one user.
“Guess what today is?! #shamrockshake is back! Suddenly all is right again!” raved another person.
“Mama happy Shamrocky goodness right here. I look forward to this time of year just for this reason,” added a third fan.
Unfortunately, some people have had less luck in getting their hands on the mint-flavored drink.
NBC News alum, Dr. Chris Nicholson, tweeted , “As usual…Went to @McDonalds to try a #shamrockshake…..’Our Ice Cream Machine Broke.’”
Fox News quoted an official press release from McDonald’s about the history of the iconic beverage.
“We’ve been serving the iconic, cult-favorite Shamrock Shake for 50 years and it’s become synonymous with McDonald’s ever since.”
The press release also gives a little background about the menu item. A Connecticut McDonald’s owner created the drink in 1967; it then made its debut in 1970 and quickly became a signature item.
Also from the Fox News article is a comment from McDonald’s archivist Mike Bullington, who said, “We feel lucky to have such dedicated Shamrock fanatics, and hope to continue the legacy of this legendary treat for many more years to come.”
It has become a commonplace practice in the competitive foodservice industry to introduce seasonal items for a limited time only to increase the demand and give customers something to look forward to all-year-round.
Apart from McDonald’s, Starbucks is also famous for its seasonal offerings, such as the popular pumpkin spice latte and various other fall and winter flavors. Dunkin’ Donuts is another example of a coffee chain that changes out menu items and donut shapes depending on the current holiday.
