McDonald’s ‘sustainable’ move is ruining drinks, customers complain

Take a sip of this.

Mike Haracz, a former corporate chef at McDonald’s, discovered how the fast food chain’s newest straws make drinks taste different.

“As many of you know, McDonald’s has swapped out their iconic straw for something that’s either a bit more sustainable and/or cheaper,” Haracz explained.

McDonald’s nationwide has replaced its classic white straws with red and yellow stripes for a more sustainable alternative.

In the one-minute TikTok, uploaded on December 20, Haracz explains his experience with the renewed straw.

“So now it’s a very clear weaker straw that just bends, as soon as you have to drink like a shake, if the shake machine is running, and it’s too thick and collapses, these straws start to break. These straws begin to bend, begin to crack and become unusable,” he declared.

While the improved straw isn’t getting the recognition McDonald’s anticipated, it’s also changing the way drinks taste.

“Well, when you try these drinks through this new straw, it’s not the same,” Haracz said. “There are a number of reasons why you perceive drinks in a certain way – from the volume, from the diameter of the straw, from the tactile feel of it. But because it’s changed, it’s not hitting quite right.”

Haracz acknowledged that previous McDonald’s straws offered a unique feature to make fountain drinks like Sprite and Diet Coke taste better, which the franchise would also second.

“There’s also our straw — it’s a little wider than a typical straw, so all that Coke® flavor can hit your taste buds,” the fast-food chain’s website read.

But overall, Haracz, along with several other Mickey D fans, just aren’t “in love” with the new straws.

“Based on everyone’s reviews – and I’ve tried it too -[the] the straw is not cutting it,” added Haracz.

Many people shared their complaints and frustration in the comments section under his video.

“Churches are falling apart and unusable,” one person commented.

“We’ve had new straws in Utah for a while and they’re terrible. If you get a refill, you have to get a new straw, or it’s unusable,” one TikTok user wrote.

“I’ve eaten at McDonald’s three times since the new straws came out and all three broke before I had my first drink,” added one upset customer. “I just won’t go to McDonalds again.”

Although Americans are upset about the flimsy straws, McDonald’s customers in Canada, Europe and Australia claim it could be worse because their fast food restaurants only offer them paper straws.

“In Canada we have paper straws and wooden spoons at McDonalds. Let me tell you, your flimsy straw is miles better than paper,” laughed a Canadian.