Delicious. Refreshing. Festive. These are all words I would use to describe McDonald’s current seasonal menu item, the illustrious Shamrock Shake.
The Shamrock Shake is controversial. Its opponents primarily argue that it’s not healthy nor is it the tastiest treat on the market.
Let’s first address the argument that there are dessert options healthier than the artificially green, shockingly minty Shamrock Shake. This I do not dispute; however, I question why one would come within a mile of a McDonald’s in search of a healthy treat. Going to McDonald’s for a healthy, hearty meal is like going to Antarctica for a beach vacation. The shamrock shake is not packed with any of your necessary daily nutrients, and perhaps should not be consumed regularly, but what milkshake is? Like everything within the golden arches, it is a little treat to be enjoyed sparingly but enthusiastically.
Other shamrock shake dissenters attribute their dislike to the overall quality of dessert. Sure, the shake would not appear in a crystal glass in a fine dining setting. But I again question whether the expectations of these dissenters match the reality of the situation. The Shamrock Shake is not meant to be a gourmet frozen treat. It’s a milkshake for the common man, for the everyday American in need of a festive, St. Patty’s day pick-me-up.
Some might argue for consumers to make homemade Shamrock Shakes to counter the adverse health effects and improve the quality. But this, again, ruins the essence of a Shamrock Shake — it is not healthy nor should it be, and the same goes for its quality. It is the platonic ideal of a mediocre, fast food milkshake, and its humility makes it great. The Shamrock Shake does not try to be more than it is. It accepts its place in the world and delivers what is expected.