McDonald's Iconic McFlurry Was Invented Outside The US

Gen Z and some millennials don't know a world that doesn't include McDonald's McFlurries. Those of us who came before them, of course, had to get our Mickey D's sugar fixes through soft serves and fried apple pies that were served at the same temperature as lava. Now considered a classic treat, the McFlurry was invented in 1995 but wasn't released widely for another two years. What may surprise many people, though, is the fact that the frozen treat wasn't developed by McDonald's headquarters or a test kitchen (which, incidentally, is located in Oak Brook, Illinois). It was a Canadian franchisee who decided to swirl a sweet topping into a cup of soft serve.

Ron McLellan ran a McDonald's location in Bathurst, New Brunswick in 1995 and came up with the dessert that is now served in almost 100 countries. The new dessert proved to be so popular that the McDonald's Corporation took notice, and by 1997, McFlurrys were offered on a wide scale — with really weird spoons — across several locations. Initially, the candy mix-in options were Oreo, Heath bar, Butterfinger, M&M's, and Nestle Crunch. But the fast food giant has introduced new and seasonal flavors throughout the decades including Oreo Shamrock (playing on the company's infamous Shamrock Shake), strawberry shortcake, Kit Kat banana split, and Rolo. There are many more than that, but you'll need to dig out your passport to try some of them.

Let's be honest: if you're into international travel, you know that the best food experiences don't come from fast food restaurants — particularly, American fast food restaurants. But, I must admit, some of the McFlurry flavors scattered in different countries around the world sound downright intriguing and delicious. McDonald's would be the last place I'd go to if I were visiting Italy, but the fact that the country offers pistachio McFlurries would seriously make me reconsider. In addition, you can order Nutella and Baci Perugina candy flavors.

Our neighbor to the north, Canada, the place where the McFlurry was born, has offered flavors like caramel popcorn, Smarties candy, and Cadbury Creme Egg. You can also try a Smarties McFlurry in the United Kingdom along with a chocolate orange flavor which is inspired by a popular British Christmas sweet, Terry's Chocolate Orange. In the Netherlands, you can get your hands on a Stroopwafel McFlurry, a flavor that was also available in the United States for a short time. If you're unfamiliar with stroopwafels, they are a decadent treat featuring smooth, buttery caramel sandwiched between two thin waffle cookies. Over in Asia, you can find matcha McFlurries in Japan and a Mudslide flavor in Singapore.

While good things have undoubtedly come out of America's McDonald's test kitchen, we can thank Canada for springboarding the timeless McFlurry, and the rest of the world for contributing some very unique and delicious flavors.