All it took was one phone call.
And now, about five years after I begged McDonald’s to bring Shamrock Shakes to Asheville, they have arrived.
McDonald’s made the very important announcement last month.
“For the 1st time in history, the Shamrock Shake is available nationwide!” the fast-food giant tweeted on Feb. 29.
You may ask, “That’s big news?”
More likely, you’ll wonder, “What’s a Shamrock Shake?” (In a quick survey of the newsroom, nearly all of my co-workers had never heard of one, let alone tasted one. Upon hearing this, a friend of mine asked if my colleagues had been living under a rock.)
McDonald’s has been selling Shamrock Shakes each March since 1970. More than just a seasonal dessert, the shakes were instrumental in the founding of the first Ronald McDonald House in 1974.
And I’ve enjoyed this St. Patrick’s Day-themed treat since sometime in the late 1970s, I’d guess.
In March about five or six years ago, shortly after we’d moved to asheville from Chicago, I got a taste for a Shamrock Shake.
I drove to the Airport Road McDonald’s, asked at the counter for the chain’s iconic minty concoction and was met by a blank stare. The woman at the register had no idea what I was talking about.
A few days later, I checked in at another location and got the same reaction.
Well, this was clearly unacceptable. In 34 years of living in the Midwest, I’d never had a problem finding a Shamrock Shake.
So I called McDonald’s customer service line to vent.
The polite McDonald’s representative listened as I (calmly) demanded to know how a McDonald’s outlet wouldn’t take part in this tradition. And with all the sympathy she could muster, she explained that Shamrock Shakes were rolled out only regionally.
She suggested the bright green treats were available mainly where one could find a significant Irish population and vibrant St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. She then poured salt in the wound by adding that she’d never had trouble buying one. (Note: McDonald’s is headquartered outside Chicago; I would assume its call center is near there. And Chicago has one of the largest populations of Americans of Irish descent in the U.S
But doesn’t WNC have residents with an Irish heritage? Don’t they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Don’t they deserve Shamrock Shakes, too?!
Alas, no.
I shared this unbelievable story with my friends and family in Cleveland and Chicago. They were, not surprisingly, shocked.
Each March after that phone call, I considered making plans to travel north for a shake.
A couple of years ago, my mom even bought a shake in March and tucked it into the deep freeze for me to enjoy when I was visiting Cleveland later in the year.
So you understand my sheer joy and satisfaction over McDonald’s announcement a few weeks ago.
“Passionate admirers have enjoyed the iconic Shamrock Shake at McDonald’s restaurants for years,” says Adam Salgado, marketing director of McDonald’s USA said in February as the announcement was made. “With this first time national introduction, we’re excited that people across the country can now experience this seasonal and delicious treat.”
And now, about five years after I begged McDonald’s to bring Shamrock Shakes to Asheville, they have arrived.
McDonald’s made the very important announcement last month.
“For the 1st time in history, the Shamrock Shake is available nationwide!” the fast-food giant tweeted on Feb. 29.
You may ask, “That’s big news?”
More likely, you’ll wonder, “What’s a Shamrock Shake?” (In a quick survey of the newsroom, nearly all of my co-workers had never heard of one, let alone tasted one. Upon hearing this, a friend of mine asked if my colleagues had been living under a rock.)
McDonald’s has been selling Shamrock Shakes each March since 1970. More than just a seasonal dessert, the shakes were instrumental in the founding of the first Ronald McDonald House in 1974.
And I’ve enjoyed this St. Patrick’s Day-themed treat since sometime in the late 1970s, I’d guess.
In March about five or six years ago, shortly after we’d moved to asheville from Chicago, I got a taste for a Shamrock Shake.
I drove to the Airport Road McDonald’s, asked at the counter for the chain’s iconic minty concoction and was met by a blank stare. The woman at the register had no idea what I was talking about.
A few days later, I checked in at another location and got the same reaction.
Well, this was clearly unacceptable. In 34 years of living in the Midwest, I’d never had a problem finding a Shamrock Shake.
So I called McDonald’s customer service line to vent.
The polite McDonald’s representative listened as I (calmly) demanded to know how a McDonald’s outlet wouldn’t take part in this tradition. And with all the sympathy she could muster, she explained that Shamrock Shakes were rolled out only regionally.
She suggested the bright green treats were available mainly where one could find a significant Irish population and vibrant St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. She then poured salt in the wound by adding that she’d never had trouble buying one. (Note: McDonald’s is headquartered outside Chicago; I would assume its call center is near there. And Chicago has one of the largest populations of Americans of Irish descent in the U.S
But doesn’t WNC have residents with an Irish heritage? Don’t they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Don’t they deserve Shamrock Shakes, too?!
Alas, no.
I shared this unbelievable story with my friends and family in Cleveland and Chicago. They were, not surprisingly, shocked.
Each March after that phone call, I considered making plans to travel north for a shake.
A couple of years ago, my mom even bought a shake in March and tucked it into the deep freeze for me to enjoy when I was visiting Cleveland later in the year.
So you understand my sheer joy and satisfaction over McDonald’s announcement a few weeks ago.
“Passionate admirers have enjoyed the iconic Shamrock Shake at McDonald’s restaurants for years,” says Adam Salgado, marketing director of McDonald’s USA said in February as the announcement was made. “With this first time national introduction, we’re excited that people across the country can now experience this seasonal and delicious treat.”
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