# Decadent Sundae Cups McDonald's is Introducing Two New Premium Desserts to Its Menu By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2017-07-14 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/premium-desserts References: [brandeating](http://www.brandeating.com/2017/07/mcdonalds-testing-new-turtle-brownie-and-strawberry-shortcake-sundaes.html) & [mcdonalds](https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/turtle-brownie-sundae-eotf.html) The Turtle Brownie Sundae and the Strawberry Shortcake Sundae are two new premium desserts that have been added to the [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/three-dessert-items) menu in select locations. While the Turtle Brownie is made with a base of vanilla soft serve and brownie, plus [hot caramel and fudge sauce](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-brownie-sundae) and pecans, the Strawberry Shortcake Sundae boasts an ingredient list of vanilla soft serve, white cake and strawberry sauce. Since most of the ingredients can already be found at McDonald's locations, introducing these new premium dessert items on a larger scale would only call for the addition of a few new items at the fast food chain. These [bite-sized dessert cups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dippin-dots-ice-cream-sundaes) provide a satisfying option for consumers who are looking for small indulgences from McDonald's. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.7/10 - Popularity: 23% | Activity: 20% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Premium Dessert Cups:** Introducing bite-sized dessert cups as a premium dessert option presents an opportunity for McDonald's to cater to consumers seeking small indulgences. - **Gourmet Fast Food Desserts:** Creating gourmet dessert options like the Turtle Brownie Sundae and the Strawberry Shortcake Sundae allows McDonald's to tap into the trend of elevating fast food menu items. - **Customizable Sundae Experience:** Offering the option for customers to customize their sundae cups with different sauces and toppings can provide a disruptive innovation opportunity for McDonald's to enhance the customer experience. ### Where This Applies - **Fast Food:** The introduction of premium dessert cups by McDonald's presents an opportunity for the fast food industry to cater to customers who seek indulgent desserts while still enjoying the convenience of fast food. - **Frozen Desserts:** The addition of new premium dessert options like the Turtle Brownie Sundae and the Strawberry Shortcake Sundae by McDonald's can inspire innovation and competition within the frozen desserts industry. - **QSR Chains:** Expanding the menu with new premium desserts allows quick-service restaurant chains like McDonald's to offer a wider range of indulgent options, catering to consumers' evolving tastes and preferences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Celebratory QSR Dessert Offerings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/three-dessert-items.md) - [Frozen Caky QSR Treats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/strawberry-shortcake-mcflurry.md) - [Pineapple-Infused QSR Desserts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pineapples-aplenty.md) - [Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shake-shack-sundaes.md) - [QSR Chocolate Ice Creams](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kitkat-banana-split-mcflurry.md) - [Regional Asian Dessert Ranges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asian-sweets-desserts.md) - [Strawberry Cheesecake Soft Serves](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/strawberry-cheesecake-mcflurry.md) - [Sustainable Frozen Desserts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mini-mcflurry-1.md) - [Regional Ice Cream Desserts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-japan-mcflurry.md)