We’ve All Heard These Five Dreaded Words From McDonald’s

Some disappointments just hit a little harder than others. And somehow, one of the biggest is hearing those five little words: "The shake machine is down."

It doesn't matter if you're 8 or 80. When you've already decided you're getting that cold, creamy treat, it's hard not to feel just a little defeated.

WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE

Maybe you just survived a dentist appointment and promised the kids a Happy Meal and a chocolate shake for being brave. Maybe you've been craving a Big Mac, fries, and a vanilla shake all afternoon.

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Then you pull up to the drive-thru, place your order, and hear those dreaded words: the McDonald's shake machine isn't working.

Talk about a letdown.

The good news is that if you live in Minnesota, you're actually luckier than just about everyone else in America.

NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY IS JULY 19TH!

Just in time for National Ice Cream Day on July 19th, researchers with The Action Network analyzed nearly six years of McDonald's soft serve machine data to find out where customers have the best and worst odds of actually getting their frozen treat. The study looked at an incredible 7.86 million location checks from October 2020 through July 2026.

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HOW OFTEN ARE THOSE SHAKE MACHINES DOWN?

Nationally, McDonald's soft serve machines are unavailable about 10.4 percent of the time. While that may not sound too bad, your chances can change quite a bit depending on where you live.

WHERE DO MINNESOTA'S SHAKE MACHINES STAND?

Minnesota came out on top as the best state in the country for working McDonald's soft serve machines. According to the study, Minnesota restaurants have broken machines only about 11.5 percent of the time, giving us the best odds in America when you're craving a McFlurry, cone, or milkshake.

IF YOU WANT A MCFLURRY...DON'T GO TO MISSISSIPPI

On the other end of the spectrum is Mississippi, where customers have about a 34 percent chance of finding the machine out of service.

TENNESSEE IS FOR MUSIC...NOT FOR MCDONALD'S SOFT SERVE

The city with the worst luck is Cleveland, Tennessee, where the odds of finding a broken machine are a staggering 46.9 percent. That's practically a coin flip every time you pull into the drive-thru.

MY SWEET KENTUCKY HOME

I got a kick out of seeing which city ranked number one for working machines. I used to live about 40 minutes from Ashland, Kentucky, so seeing that little town at the top of the list made me smile.

Ashland is apparently soft serve heaven. Their machines are down only 2.1 percent of the time, making them the most reliable city in the country when you're looking to satisfy that ice cream craving.

HOW DOES YOUR LOCAL MCDONALD'S STACK UP?

The Action Network even created a searchable online tool where you can look up your own city to see how your local McDonald's stacks up. It's kind of fun to see if your hometown is lucky...or if you should probably skip ordering dessert.

So the next time you're craving fries and a shake, you can feel pretty confident if you're in Minnesota. Sure, you'll still run into the occasional broken machine, but the odds are definitely in your favor.

JUST CURIOUS...

What's your McDonald's shake flavor? I'm a chocolate fan, but I have a feeling this story is going to start a pretty tasty debate.