McDonald's Canada to roll out new McFlurry® Cup Nation-Wide

McDonald’s Canada is taking another step in its efforts to reduce single-use plastics from restaurants by rolling out a new McFlurry® cup nation-wide. Starting in May 2024, guests will begin to receive their McFlurry in a paper cup with a new innovative lid. This comes after the company began testing the new cup design with an integrated four-flap lid at five Mississauga restaurants in November 2023. 

The redesigned cup eliminates the need for the traditional plastic lid that has been in use in Canada since the 1990s. The new cups require no changes to the McFlurry preparation process, and the top flaps conveniently fold down to protect the creamy soft-serve dessert inside. While this may seem like a minor change, the impact is significant. The removal of the McFlurry plastic lid will eliminate approximately 62 metric tonnes of single-use plastics from the Canadian system once the new cups are available nationwide.† It is expected that restaurants across the country will be transitioned to the new McFlurry cup by the fall of 2024.

This initiative is just one of the steps McDonald's Canada is taking to support practical solutions for reducing single-use plastics from restaurants. In 2023, McDonald’s Canada introduced a reusable McFlurry mixing spindle, replacing the traditional plastic spindle/spoon guests would receive with McFlurry desserts with a wooden spoon, further reducing plastic waste. These efforts align with McDonald's global goal to source 100 per cent of its primary guest packaging¹ from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by the end of 2025.

For more information on the actions McDonald’s Canada is taking, both big and small, visit our website and interactive timeline. 

^{¹Primary guest packaging refers to disposable products used to package guest food on premises at McDonald’s restaurants which is given to customers in all order channels, including containers, cups, clamshells, wraps, foodservice bags, napkins, folding cartons, salad bowls, lids, straws, napkins and cup carriers, and Happy Meal® book and toy packaging}

^{†Based on 2021-2023 numbers}