Crimson Carnage: Red means go.

There was an incredible amount of skepticism when it was announced that McDonald’s was going to take on the Queen in her own house; the launch of the McFlurry seemed shakey going up against the heavy-weight Blizzard from Dairy Queen. Would this new treat, we wondered, go the same way as McDonald’s Pizza, banished from the menu after a too-short flirtation with fame? Would it be exiled to a single region, like the McLobster? Doomed to wander random restaurants in the mid-west like the McRib?

Nay, my friends, the McFlurry has been heralded as Ronald Triumphant, with diners adding the $2 treat to their McMeals (both happy and otherwise) by the bucket load. The agitated snack has been the front runner for McDonalds in hot summers, with fresh flavours driving customers through the doors. Seasonal fixin’s are trotted out for a limited time only before being locked away, again, in a Disneyesque vault.

Currently McDonalds is inviting you to experience the Shrek flurry, something I’m personally reticent to do. Whether it has something to do with being asked to consume (thanks Reddit!) a “mint ogre-load” remains to be seen, but let’s just says that Shrek looks a touch too happy in that promo. I’m sure the mint is delicious, but I’ll pass for the moment.

With the McFlurry you’re given plenty of options for toppings, they’re mixed in at high-speed into the soft-serve ice cream. With Oreo bits, Skor, Reeses Pieces, and Rolos to choose from, why on Earth would you mess with success?

Because you can! Enter Crimson Carnage, a delicious treat that’s almost so obvious it’s shocking that you may not have tried it. It’s a two step process:

• Ask for a flurry
• Ask for the strawberry sundae sauce to be mixed in.

That’s it. No mess, no fuss. If you’re looking to take it to the next level, you can add in some Oreo bits for a sublime cookie taste, but don’t rush things. Start small and let your palate adjust to this tasty treat.

Nutritional Information:

The “ice milk” that McD’s makes its soft serve out of carries 370 calories for a small serving, with 11g of fat. Adding Strawberry sauce actually adds far fewer calories than any other flurry topping… and no fat!

End total: The Crimson Carnage (small) is 450 calories and 11g of fat.