Photo: McDonald’s
It’s that time of year again. And no, we’re not talking about spring (although that’s quickly approaching, and we couldn’t be more stoked). We’re referencing the return of a popular green-hued milkshake. That’s right, the arrival of March (and St. Patrick’s Day, the magical holiday where everyone is Irish) means McDonald’s once again releases by far its greatest annual menu item: the beloved Shamrock Shake.
Is it mint, is it lime? Who cares, it’s green, delicious, creamy, and only available for a limited time in February and March and then poof, like the mythical McRib, Punxsutawney Phil, and Keyser Soze, it’s gone.
And while there have been pretenders and rip off from its rivals over the years, there’s only one true Shamrock Shake. But this year, even though it’s not technically a shake and it literally might be completely different from the Shamrock Shake, there’s finally another “shamrock” cold drink from a rival chain.
That’s why we decided the time was right to do an epic Mandatory Milkshake Battle between Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato and McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. Keep scrolling to see how everything stacked up in this mean, green battle for St. Patrick’s Day frozen drinks.
Shamrock Shake V Dunkin Shamrock Macchiato
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Appearance
The iconic Shamrock Shake is a vibrant shade of green and (if you’re doing it right) is adorned with a frothy, creamy whipped cream topper to hold everything together nicely. It’s classic and perfect. The Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato has a pretty sleek, more contemporary appearance. It’s only half green and half dark brown color (likely the coffee portion). We just think it’s trying too hard.
Winner: Shamrock Shake
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Caffeine Content
While the Shamrock Shake is delicious, creamy, and loaded with empty calories that you’ll spend all afternoon burning off, it doesn’t have any caffeine since it isn’t a coffee drink. It’s just a milkshake. Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato is a combination of Irish cream flavor and rich, indulgent espresso coffee. This is a no-brainer.
Winner: Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato
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Taste
The iconic Shamrock Shake consists of vanilla soft serve that’s blended with mysterious Shamrock Shake Syrup and topped with whipped cream. It’s delicious and memorable. Is it lime? Is it mint? Who knows and who cares? The Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato is an iced coffee consisting of Irish cream flavor that tastes like vanilla and Irish whiskey cream and is topped with espresso. It’s a great mix of coffee and sweetness and just barely beats out the McDonald’s shake.
Winner: Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato
Photo: Dunkin'
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Nostalgia
Regardless of how much you enjoy the flavor and appearance of the Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato, is it something you’d look forward to year after year? We don’t think so. When we first start learning that the Shamrock Shake is coming back, we get more excited than our adolescent selves on Christmas morning.
Winner: Shamrock Shake
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Intangibles
Even with the nostalgia appeal of the Shamrock Shake, it’s more adaptable than the Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato. That drink is merely the chain’s St. Patrick’s Day take on a drink already on the menu. The Shamrock Shake is only available for a limited time. Plus, you can also get an Oreo Shamrock Mcflurry and that’s pretty tasty as well.
Winner: Shamrock Shake
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Overall Winner
It was closer than anticipated for the annual appeal of the classic Shamrock Shake, but McDonald’s pulled it out in a real barnburner 3-2. This means that while the Shamrock Shake is superior, you should still probably try the Dunkin’ Shamrock Macchiato for comparison reasons alone.
Winner: Shamrock Shake
