Every once in a while, a fast food trend comes to TikTok that leaves you scratching your head, and this new McDonald's McFlurry hash brown creation is no exception.
Seemingly started by TikToker Kelly Arvan, this hack has begun to spread among the social platform, with people from all around the world trying it out.
What is it exactly? It's a McDonald's McFlurry ice cream sandwiched between two of their breakfast hash browns, a flavour combination that is apparently like a "two-year-old's party in a sandwich."
"To the people who say this is disgusting but then dip their [fries] in their milkshake, you're stupid," said Arvan.
And Arvan isn't alone — a bunch of other TikTokers have taken to the platform to sing the praises of this sweet and salty little abomination.
"This girl's a genius," said TikToker Bec Hardgrave. "This is so good."
Another TikToker tried it and described it as "fire" and "bomb."
If you scroll through the app right now, there's a good chance you'll see many people, from Australia to the United States and Canada, all trying this makeshift sandwich out.
And with what seems like a majority having a positive reaction to it, I thought I would take it upon myself to try this new salty, crispy hack that appears to be blowing minds around the world.
Unfortunately, I don't think my experience was as positive as many of these TikTokers.
First impression
The first problem I ran into when wanting to try this was whether or not I could actually get a McFlurry and two hash browns at any point of the day. The hash browns weren't available on the app as it was around 11:30 a.m., so I decided to go in in-person and beg and plead with them to make me some hash browns.
Luckily, my local McDonald's prepared them for me despite the fact that they've moved onto the lunch and dinner menu.
After collecting my snack-sized Oreo McFlurry and warm hash browns, I scurried home to give this a try.
A few minutes later, I got to constructing and then trying this TikTok sensation, and oh boy, this was really not for me.
The ice cream hash brown sandwich.Tristan Wheeler | Narcity
The first thing I noticed was that this was maybe the messiest thing I've ever tried eating with my hands.
As soon as that already-fast-melting McFlurry touched the warm hash brown, it immediately started to turn into liquid. It wasn't long before I was dripping melted ice cream and Oreo cookie bits all over my kitchen table and floor.
Apologies to my roommates for that one!
I would recommend waiting for your hash browns to cool down before you spoon on your McFlurry. Or, if you really want that mixture of temperatures, be prepared for a mess.
Given the messiness of this treat, taking a bite was definitely a challenge, but I was able to get one in before everything melted.
But for my second go-through, I opted to use a knife and fork to taste it.
Taste
As for the taste? Well, I think I can confidently say this really is not for me. Matter of fact, as far as I'm concerned, this hack ruins two of the best things you can order at the golden arches.
Aside from the messiness of this treat, the two menu items don't really work together and bounce off each other as you'd expect with such a stark contrast of sweet and salty.
They don't complement each other at all, more so in a battle — a battle where I lose no matter who wins. There's just too much going on, and the two extremes are fighting on my taste buds.
When I tasted it, I immediately grimaced (not that Grimace!) and had to choke it down. I only had my second bite as due diligence to ensure that I did, in fact, not like it — the torture I endure for my readers!
The inside of the ice cream sandwich.Tristan Wheeler | Narcity
It just was too sweet and too salty for it to work together. It immediately made me feel sick, and I quickly threw it out.
I think this maybe could work if you had dipped your hash browns into a McFlurry and had a few sinfully sweet and salty bites, but crunching into this whole sandwich was nightmarish for me.
Final thoughts
It just isn't that good, and I don't understand why all these TikTokers are trying to tell me it is! I think I finally understand what my mom meant when she used to say, "If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?" Because this was one of those moments where I am definitely the odd one out and don't feel peer pressured to like this.
Of course, if you're someone who's on the hunt for a sweet and salty snack unlike anything you've had before, I recommend giving this a try.
But, if you're not at all interested in the sound of this combination, I don't think you'll be all that surprised by it. If you've had both, you can probably imagine what they taste like together.
As for me, I'd be happy just to have a few hash browns and a McFlurry without feeling the need to combine them before they reach my stomach.
But, if you do have the hankering to give this a try, I would maybe recommend hitting up a few different fast-food restaurants and constructing this using the hash browns from McDonald's and the Oreo or Smartie Blizzard from Dairy Queen.
Why? Well, in my recent comparison of Blizzards and McFlurries, Dairy Queen took home the crown two times out of three.
Of course, this isn't the only TikTok craze that has swept the world of McDonald's, with users around the world providing some great insight into "secret" menu items and even McDonald's food that people will travel across borders to get a taste of.
No matter what, people are bringing innovation to the world of fast food.
