Reducing plastic use is a priority for many restaurants, but it's not always so straightforward. A move by McDonald's to introduce a "reusable" mixing spindle for its McFlurry drew the ire of an employee and sparked debate on whether it did more harm than good.

What's happening?

The employee shared a photo of the new spindle to the r/McDonaldsEmployees subreddit in a post titled "I'd like to point out this McBull****."

They poked holes in the company's initiative by pointing out that the old spindles fulfilled two roles as both spindle and de facto spoon given to the customer. They called that old scheme "simple" and "genius." 

The big flaw with the new initiative was replacing the spindle as a serving utensil was a plastic spoon wrapped in more plastic. They questioned whether that was actually an upgrade, while alluding to the inconvenience of employees now having to clean the reusable spindles throughout the day.

"I already can see problems with this," a commenter wrote. They worried employees would mistakenly give out the spindle, and customers would complain about that switch.

So why did McDonald's do it?

A user theorized: "The spindle spoon is heavier and more plastic? But I agree, it's all posturing."

Other commenters said their locations had unwrapped wooden spoons, which could certainly result in a measurable decrease in plastic usage. Potential cost savings on cheaper plastic were another working theory. 

Why is McDonald's plastic pollution important?

Single-use plastics contribute significantly to environmental pollution, often ending up in landfills. From there, they can produce potent gases like methane. Microplastics from these plastics can also leach out and enter ecosystems, as well as food and water sources. 

Some of the biggest contributors to plastic pollution are chain restaurants, and while they're taking initiatives aimed at reducing their waste, it's important that those steps are actually effective.

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Is McDonald's doing anything about this?

McDonald's has taken steps to address its plastic usage. By the end of 2024 over 90% of its primary guest packaging was sourced from renewable, recycled or certified sources, per its corporate website.

By 2025 the goal is to get that number to 100%. Another initiative is allowing restaurants with "advanced infrastructure" to offer guests the ability to recycle and compost. Nearly 90% of those select restaurants provide bins for that. 

For McFlurries, it'd be nice to see if the company was more transparent in revealing how the shift reduced plastic usage. Another move could be offering more eco-friendly options than wrapped plastic spoons at its restaurants.

What's being done about plastic packaging more broadly?

Finding alternatives to plastic is a continuing project for researchers and entrepreneurs around the globe. Reuse-and-return schemes are a proposed way to save plastics from going straight to the landfill. 

Consumers can reduce their usage of single-use plastics and put pressure on businesses to find alternatives while being more transparent about so-called sustainable moves.

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