Hot weather season is upon us and you know what that means: ice cream! Yes, I scream, you scream, we all scream for that creamy frozen dessert that takes us instantly back to the summers of our childhoods with just one lick. But sometimes, any old ice cream just won’t do. We don’t want a simple cone or a drumstrick or even a sundae. We want to go all out. And the only way to do that is with a big, blended ice cream treat that’s packed with chocolate, candy, and any other ingredients we (or the ice cream makers) can think of. There are really only two options when you’re having that kind of ice cream craving: a Blizzard from Dairy Queen or a McFlurry from McDonald’s.
While either option would satisfy your sweet tooth on a sweltering day, these two seemingly similar treats are not created equal. In this Mandatory Food Fight, we’re putting the DQ Blizzard in the ring with the McDonald’s McFlurry and only one will emerge victorious (and worthy of that ice cream gut we’re working on). Read on to find out which has won over our taste buds!
Cover Photo: Dairy Queen / McDonald’s
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Blizzard vs McFlurry
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Flavors
DQ offers over a dozen Blizzard flavors at most of its locations, from Candy Classics like Oreo, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and Butterfinger to Signature Creations like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Choco Brownie Extreme to Limited Time offerings like Frosted Animal Cookie and Cotton Candy. The ice cream shop’s latest creation is its Royal Blizzard line, which features New York Cheesecake with a strawberry topping center and a Rocky Road Trip flavor with a marshmallow center.
McDonald’s only serves up two standard flavors: M&M and Oreo. Its limited-time offerings have included Caramel Brownie, Praline and Cream, Apple Pie, Butterfinger, Snickers, Rolo, Twix, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Internationally, its flavors are more inventive, like Chocolate Orange (UK), Pirulin (a hazelnut cookie brand from Argentina), Pineapple Oreo (Colombia), Stroopwafel (Netherlands), Dulce De Leche (Venezuela), Matcha (Japan), Bubblegum Squash (Australia), Horlicks (a malty beverage popular in Malaysia), Groovy Lime, Again (Malaysia), Banana Crunch (Malaysia), Cadbury Creme Egg (Canada), and Durian (a stinky fruit native to Southeast Asia).
Winner: DQ Blizzard
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Thickness
DQ made a reputation for itself with its super thick Blizzards. They’re so thick, you can flip them upside down and the ice cream won’t slide out of the cup. In fact, many of the chain’s locations participate in the “Upside Down or the Next One's Free” promotion. McDonald’s McFlurries are not as thick, and we wouldn’t dare try flipping them upside down – unless you want a lap full of ice cream.
Winner: DQ Blizzard
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Spoon
DQ serves Blizzards with an extra-long red spoon. McDonald’s, however, tried to be clever with a spoon that millions of customers have confused for a straw. The top of the “spoon” is a hollow square designed to attach to the McFlurry-making machine to stir the ice cream. But most people have tried to suck the ice cream through the opening at least once – and been disappointed that it doesn’t work. By way of apology, McDonald’s had a promotion offering free McFlurries to anyone who thought the spoon was a straw (in other words, basically everyone).
Winner: DQ Blizzard
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Price
A DQ Blizzard is going to set you back up to 30 percent more than a McDonald’s McFlurry, depending on the market you’re in. Some might say you get what you pay for, but in this category, we’ll base our ruling on the price tag alone.
Winner: McDonald’s McFlurry
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Sizes
Why you’d want anything other than the biggest ice cream concoction available, we don’t know, but apparently some people believe in moderation when it comes to frozen desserts. At DQ, you have several sizes available to fit your appetite (or caloric limit): mini, small, medium, and large. McDonald’s McFlurries come in two sizes: regular and snack size.
Winner: DQ Blizzard
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Availability
There are 4,417 DQ locations nationwide. Contrast that with 13,445 McDonald’s locations in the U.S. If you’re desperately in need of an ice cream fix, a McDonald’s is likely your closest option.
Winner: McDonald’s McFlurry
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Staying Power
The McFlurry was born in 1995 in New Brunswick, Canada. The DQ Blizzard has been around since 1985. While McDonald’s will probably outlive most of us (and likely DQ), the Blizzard’s extra decade of development puts it ahead of its competitor. Nobody will feel nostalgic for the McFlurry once it inevitably disappears from McDonald's menu.
Winner: DQ Blizzard
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Conclusion
Let’s be honest: the DQ Blizzard was here first and it’s a superior product. From flavor variety to thickness, it’s the ice cream option that’s worth the caloric damage every time. The McDonald’s McFlurry is a cheap imitation (literally), and in a pinch on a hot day, it’ll do. But if you have both options available to you, there’s no question you’re springing for the DQ Blizzard.
Overall Winner: DQ Blizzard
