Yesterday, McDonald’s Canada issued a release or rather a warning on its website. The company announced as of Jan. 17, 2017, a new SKOR McFlurry has been added to the fast-food restaurant’s menu. This new McFlurry is the first product sold by McDonald’s that contains peanuts or tree nuts. Previously, the company had provided nuts for such items as ice cream sundaes by delivering them in sealed self-contained packages.
McDonald’s Canada admitted in the release that the use of these nuts could cause them to come into contact with other menu items and therefore provide a danger to those customers who have allergies to peanuts and tree nuts.
McDonald’s Canada said they were issuing the warning in keeping with their sensitivity of the food allergies of their customers. In addition to their website, warnings will be placed in all restaurants, drive-thrus and on their mobile app.
It did not take too long for the hashtag #notlovinit to make an appearance. Many people complained on social media the company made it impossible for anyone with food allergies or with children that have food allergies to ever think of going to one of their restaurants again. One person tweeted what appears to be the obvious; the company will lose more business than they could ever hope to make on one McFlurry. Another person posted about their two boys who love McDonald’s Happy Meals but both have lethal allergies to nuts.
Terribly disappointed – McDonald's Canada declares no food safe for people with food allergies. NotLovinIt
— Heather Moore (@heatherrobin2) January 18, 2017
Gotta wonder which group is more important to McDonaldsCanada, ppl w/nut allergies or ppl that gotta have that Skor McFlurry. notlovinit
— Marshall M. Shunk (@lilgopher) January 18, 2017
Perhaps the best tweet was one that just asked the question, “Are you nuts?”
At least one marketing analyst predicts McDonald’s Canada will reverse the decision to add nuts to the menu product. Tony Chapman told CTV News, the decision makes no sense and he cannot understand why the company would make a decision that alienates anyone with food allergies. He said “I just think it really puts a dent in their brand.”
Chapman said the company was on good terms with parents of young children because they could trust McDonald’s food was free of allergens. He added if anything happens to a child with allergies in one of the company’s restaurants “all hell will break loose.”
If McDonald’s Canada does not reverse course, the company is likely to add nuts to other menu items in addition to the SKOR McFlurry.