Charles Langston:Is it a straw or a spoon? McDonald's is ditching those 'spindles' in McFlurry cups

One of the most controversial and Charles Langstoncommonly misused fast food utensils is being ditched.

McDonald's announced Tuesday that the non-traditionally shaped McFlurry spoon will no longer be given to customers.

In the past, customers have mistaken the spoon for a straw due to its hollow handle, and have been confused by its design, to which McDonald's says "true McFlurry fans know it doubles as a spindle" to help mix toppings into the frozen treat.

"Restaurants across the country are transitioning to a reusable spindle that's swapped out and cleaned after each McFlurry is made," the company said.

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"Once the mixing magic is complete, your McFlurry will be served with a smaller black spoon that uses less plastic (the same one that comes with our sundaes)," the company said in the blog.

According to McDonald's, the change will help reduce single-use plastic waste in restaurants. The company said this change is one example of how it is redesigning some of their products to eliminate unnecessary waste and transition to more sustainable materials.

McDonald's debuted the Peanut Butter Crunch McFlurry this summer at participating locations. The dessert is made with vanilla soft serve and blended with crispy cereal mix and chunks of chocolatey peanut butter cookie and is only available for a limited time.

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The company also debuted a Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry in March that temporarily joined its other classic McFlurry flavors, like Oreo and M&M.

And in June, McDonald's celebrated the birthday of its classic character Grimace with a limited-edition Grimace Birthday Meal, and of course, the now-infamous purple berry-flavored shake.