Take a sip of this.
Mike Haracz, a former corporate chef at McDonald’s, revealed how the fast food chain’s newest straws make beverages taste different.
“As many of you know, McDonald’s has switched out their iconic straw for something that is either a little 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 Dec. 20, Haracz explains his experience with the revamped straw.
“So it is now a very clearly more flimsy straw that as soon as it bends, as soon as you have to drink like a shake, if the shake machine is working, and it’s too thick and it collapses, these straws start breaking. These straws start bending, they start cracking and becoming unusable,” he declared.
While the upgraded straw isn’t receiving the recognition McDonald’s anticipated, it’s also changing the taste of the drinks.
“Well, when you try these beverages through this new straw, it is not the same,” Haracz said. “There’s a variety of reasons why you perceive beverages in a certain way—by the volume, by the diameter of the straw, the tactile feel of it. But because it’s changed, it’s not hitting just right.”
Haracz admitted that McDonald’s previous straws offered a special feature to make fountain drinks such as Sprite and Diet Coke taste better, which even the franchise would second.
“There’s also our straw—it’s slightly wider than a typical straw, so all that Coke® taste can hit your taste buds,” the fast food chain site read.
But overall, Haracz, along with a few other Mickey D fans, just aren’t “lovin’” the new straws.
“Based on everybody’s reviews—and I have tried it as well—[the] straw’s not cutting it,” Haracz added.
Many people shared their grievances and frustration in the comment section under his video.
“The straws split and are unusable,” one person commented.
“We have had the new straws in Utah for a while, and they are horrible. If you get a refill, you have to get a new straw, or it’s unusable,” wrote a TikTok user.
“I’ve eaten at McDonald’s three times since the new straws came out and all three of them were broken before I took my first drink,” added an annoyed customer. “I’m just not going to McDonalds anymore.”
Although Americans are upset over the flimsy straws, McDonald’s customers in Canada, Europe and Australia claim it could be worse because their fast food restaurants only provide them with 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,” chuckled a Canadian.
