No other seasonal fast food treat has captured the hearts of our generation like McDonald’s minty Shamrock Shake. Introduced in 1970 for select U.S. markets, the early treats had loftier goals than just contributing to a casein insufficiency.

In 1974, Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill’s daughter was being treated for leukemia. Recognizing the hardships placed on families who had to travel to seek medical care, Hill sought to help them by creating a place for them to stay. Together with his team’s general manager, they paired with a local McDonald’s ad agency to donate that year’s proceeds of Shamrock Shake sales to fund the first Ronald McDonald House. From their initial introduction, more than 60 million individual shakes have been sold in North America and Ireland.

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