Dunkin Has A New Drink To Compete With The Shamrock Shake
Dunkin has decided to play the seasonal green drink game and take on the iconic McDonald's Shamrock Shake with their own festive beverage.
This article is more than 2 years old
Spring is just around the corner. And with the change in season, we look forward to longer days, floral blooms, and a new lineup of signature drinks from our favorite coffee stops. Many restaurant chains such as McDonald’s have already embraced the coming of the vernal equinox. But it looks like Ronald McDonald may have some competition in the shamrock business this year as Dunkin recently announced a fresh new lineup of Spring drinks dropping this budding season, including their own take on the popular Shamrock Shake.
Dunkin Donuts officially announced the coming lineup change for their menu in a press release last week. According to the site, Dunkin’s Spring lineup will offer plenty of new drink and food pairings for the long-standing chain. New items include an ultra-smooth Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew, a rich and creamy Salted Caramel Signature Latte, two takes on Roasted Tomato Toast, a Chocolate Croissant, and the green drink everyone’s buzzing about: a Shamrock Macchiato.
Dunkin’s Shamrock Macchatio bears a striking resemblance to McDonald’s Chocolate Shamrock Shake, and the similarities have been noticed around the web. McDonald’s makes their popular green drink with vanilla soft serve ice cream, whipped cream, and what they call “Shamrock Shake syrup”. Dunkin’s take on the green treat is quite different, however. The Shamrock Macchiato features “bold, smooth” espresso over Irish creme flavor, sweet cream, and vanilla. Marketing the Irish-themed drink as a play on the flavor profiles of Irish whiskey, Dunkin is marketing the new drink with a play on words as a way for coffee lovers to “Shamrock your Spring.”
The verdict is still out for Shamrock aficionado’s take on the newcomer in the bold green competition. People have been taking to Twitter to share their reviews on Dunkin’s newest liquid confection, and it seems the reviews are quite mixed. Dunkin’s take on the Shamrock drink is obviously different on the surface, but that’s not stopping the world from comparing the two drinks. We wouldn’t be the least surprised to see an all-out Twitter war between the two chains given the cult following the green drink has accumulated over the years. Many people that have praised the new drink depict the Shamrock Macchiato as “surprisingly” good tasting. On the other spectrum, others are sharing their distaste of the blended flavors calling it a “crime” against the Irish while saying the flavors take just like Play-Doh.
To promote the new spring menu lineup, Dunkin Donuts will offer $3 medium Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew and Salted Caramel Signature Lattes from February 23 through March 22. Additionally, they will offer any guest that joins DD Perks between today and April 26 a Free Medium Cold Brew when they sign up for the rewards program online. And while other popular coffee chains in the US have yet to release a Spring lineup of offerings, it looks like Dunkin is all in on their new Spring menu. Jill Nelson, the vice president of marketing and culinary for Dunkin said, “Dunkin’ fans can spring into action with bold and flavorful menu items, including our new Salted Caramel sips that beautifully combine the best of both worlds for an irresistible mix of salty and sweet.” And while the salted caramel drinks may just outshine the rest of the new offerings from the donut chain, we’re sure the next few weeks will shine most heavily on the new green treat.
