Fifty years is a long time. It’s half a century. It’s the average life span of a chimpanzee. It’s enough time to create one (1) Mariah Carey (maybe?). And as of this year, it’s also how long people have been ordering Shamrock Shakes at McDonald’s.
Every March since 1970 — along with St. Patrick’s Day, possibly corrupt college basketball tournaments, and the opportunity to misquote Julius Caesar — the seasonal tradition has returned to McDonald's. Despite not being the fast-food chain's best-known (or, arguably, best) limited-time product, it’s garnered a cult following over the years. So in honor of its golden anniversary at the Golden Arches (and our collective slow march toward death), let’s take a look at its backstory, which is surprisingly rich for a novelty fast-food beverage.
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