In case you haven't heard, McDonald's has made a change to its menu that means its M&M McFlurry will no longer be served with sauce - and Kiwis are not happy about it.
As if it wasn't already difficult enough to get an ice cream at McDonald's (when are the machines ever actually operating), fans are now decrying being denied the full McFlurry experience. Devastating stuff.
In fact, the decision to ditch the hot fudge has proved so provocative, the New Zealand Police have even weighed in on the matter, equating sundaes and sauce to driving and seatbelts - their social media team definitely knows what they're doing.
The strong reaction on social media kicked off when Ryan Williams shared the soul-destroying news to his Facebook after visiting McDonald's on Auckland's Constellation Drive.
"We thought we would bless our taste buds with the sugary sensation of an M&M McFlurry. However, our experience was rather anything but this," Williams wrote on Facebook.
"Once we received our desserts, my mates and I were flabbergasted at the sight of the M&M McFlurry not having any... sauce with it."
After asking the staff if they had run out of hot fudge or simply forgotten to add it to his order, a worker informed him the chain "no longer serves McFlurries with sauce as this is new protocol", Williams recounted.
"I hope you seriously reconsider your 'protocols' as even your staff claim it to be a rip-off. I am not annoyed, I'm merely just disappointed," he added.
The PSA sparked an outpour of anger on the platform, prompting others to express their frustration at McDonald's for tampering with a menu staple.
"I'm not easily outraged. But this is an abomination," one declared, with a second adding: "Outrageous, absolutely despicable."
Williams' post generated so much attention, even McDonald's itself waded into the fracas in an attempt to set the record straight.
Responding to Williams' complaint, the fast-food chain explained they had decided to remove the sauce to "reduce the overall sugar content" of the sundae, "in line with a supplier's global rules".
Following the change, the McFlurry now has approximately 50 grams of sugar per serve.
"We understand this will be disappointing for some McFlurry fans, but unfortunately we are required to make the change in order to still be able to offer the M&M McFlurry," a spokesperson shared.
However, customers can still add sauce to their McFlurry if they so desire - for an additional 50c - but it will no longer be served as a standard component.
The decision to say sayonara to the sauce was first implemented in Aotearoa on October 19, with Stuff reporting that the change has been rolled out internationally in order to meet new criteria set by M&M supplier Mars.
While the M&M McFlurry, one of McDonald's two permanent McFlurry options, was traditionally served with hot fudge sauce and mini M&Ms as toppings, the Oreo McFlurry only features crumbled cookies, meaning it already met Mars' new guidelines.
In a post to their official Facebook on Wednesday morning, the New Zealand Police decided to stir the pot a little further by calling out McDonald's for their "crime".
"Not only is it a crime that their milkshake machine is 'out of order' 16437269% of the time. McDonald's have now removed the chocolate sauce from McFlurry's [sic]," a spokesperson for the police wrote.
"Sundaes and sauces go together like driving and wearing your seatbelt. Never get in the car without putting your seatbelt on, seatbelts save lives.
"We're not mad, McDonald's, we're just disappointed."
And McDonald's clapped back with a similarly tongue-in-cheek response, writing: "Hey New Zealand Police – where's your source for those sauce claims? We knew we'd cop it for the sauce removal, but not from the cops.
"But we do agree, if you're in a hurry for a Drive-Thru McFlurry, always Make It Click."
Well, this debate has certainly got a little saucy - we'll have to keep an eye out for Maccas' next move.
