McDonald's Is Testing a New Ice Cream In Select Markets

Between the soft serve cones, sundaes shakes, and the famous McFlurry, McDonald’s already offers a tantalizing range of frozen treats to help you beat the heat this summer. But the latest frozen dessert to debut at the fast-food chain is unlike any that are currently available.

In great news for customers with plant-based diets or eating preferences, the fast-food giant just introduced a brand-new ice cream officially accredited as vegan. The new vegan option is available in two flavors: a Choco Scoop (94 calories) and a Strawberry Scoop (88 calories). Served in tubs without any toppings, McDonald’s describes both frozen treats as “deliciously smooth and creamy” on its website.

The catch with this launch is that McDonald’s is only testing its Vegan Scoops in select markets in the United Kingdom, so American fans won’t have the opportunity to sample them for now. In the meantime, they can keep their fingers crossed that McDonald’s will eventually introduce the frozen treats in the United States.

Manchester, Rochdale, Ardwick, Bury, and Denton are among the United Kingdom areas that are currently offering the new ice creams. On social media, the Vegan Scoops are already starting to garner some buzz.

“I’ve been known for having low standards when it comes to food I can actually eat, but I was so impressed!” one customer wrote in a review on Reddit. The Redditor described the frozen dessert is “really creamy” and a “cross between soft serve and regular ice cream.”

Another reviewer on Reddit said the Choco Scoop “tasted like a cold chocolate mousse but was very tasty.” Any other customers in the United Kingdom interested in sampled the Vegan Scoops should check out the full list of locations serving them on the McDonald’s website.

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While American McDonald’s menus were left out of the Vegan Scoops test launch, customers in the United States still have a new frozen McDonald’s treat to try this summer. Last month, the chain introduced a limited-time Grandma McFlurry (600 calories) that features creamy vanilla soft serve, butterscotch-flavored syrup, and butterscotch-flavored crumbles. The flavors pay homage to “grandma’s favorite treat that she hid in her purse,” McDonald’s said a press release.

After facing a plethora of complaints about its prices in recent months, McDonald’s is also reportedly planning to launch a new $5 value meal on June 25. The bundle will include a 4-piece Chicken McNuggets (170 calories), fries (230 calories per small order), a drink, and the customer’s choice of either a McChicken (400 calories) or McDouble (400 calories), an anonymous source told CNBC.

Zoe Strozewski