Case Study: McDonald's identifies two winning McFlurry flavors and prioritizes concepts early with Zappi

How McDonald’s used early-stage testing to spot the McFlurry flavors that would appeal to consumers and meet specific company goals at the same time

McDonald's needed to narrow seven McFlurry flavor ideas down to the ones most likely to drive the business goals of creating buzz for limited‑time flavors in the US, growing PM‑snack guest count, and increasing average check size. To get quick, early consumer feedback before supply or campaign commitments, McDonald's partnered with Zappi and used its Prioritize It early‑stage testing tool.

Using Zappi’s Prioritize It on the Zappi platform, McDonald's tested rough concepts against a database of ~200 prior ideas, tracking trial and breakthrough potential and collecting verbatim reactions. The work identified two clear winners—Turtle and Peanut Butter—found all seven concepts scored in the top third for trial potential, informed go‑to‑market messaging, and produced a significant improvement in order‑intent scores across concepts since partnering with Zappi.

McDonald's

Amanda Harvey

Manager, Front-End Innovation Innovation Consumer Insights