With more than 36,000 locations in more than 100 countries, McDonald’s has become one of the most pervasive brands in the world. This does not mean that you will find the same menu in all McDonald’s, however. Instead, the fast food chain seems to be carefully adapting its menus to meet the needs of the various communities it serves.
Classics like the Big Mac are still present in some places, but unexpected changes in existing rates – as well as surprising additions to the menu! – have become the standard in McDonald’s restaurants around the world.
Before ordering your umpteenth quarter pound, take a moment to review some of the most popular dishes available to McDonald’s lovers around the world.
55. Taro Pie
A meal found in McDonald’s in China, Taro Pie is like a McDonald’s apple pie, but with a taro root filling. Taro is like the alter ego of the sweet potato and is worth a try, if only for its crazy colour. Like its American cousin, the Chinese taro pie doesn’t look like a pie, but what would a McDonald’s menu be without these crisp, rectangular and fruit-filled pastries?
54. McCurry Pan
In India, curried vegetables cooked in a cream sauce are found inside a crispy “frying pan” made of bread. This item is on the vegetarian menu of McDonald’s restaurants in India, because if you can’t eat meat, you can at least eat the bowl in which you received your food. McDonald’s vegetarian dishes were first installed in religious pilgrimage sites in India – after a long and tiring spiritual journey, why not fill up with meat-free fast food?
53. Mashed Potato Burger
In China, it is a mashed potato burger that can be found in McDonald’s. It is a beef patty topped with bacon and mashed potatoes. Enough to take your hamburger to the next level of manhood! The hamburger was part of McDonald’s “Beef 2012 Manly Campaign in China”. The campaign shows that bacon and mashed potatoes are critical steps on the road to adulthood, but perhaps at the expense of a soaked roll.
52. Bubblegum Squash McFlurry
In Australia and New Zealand, McDonald’s serve McFlurry made from soft ice cream mixed with marshmallows and balloon gum flavoured syrup. This scary blue McFlurry option is for those of you who love Fear Factor style snacks!
51. Chicha Purple Temptation
In Peru, this fast food giant serves a decadent dessert made with blue corn. On the one hand, this dessert seems to have its place behind a picturesque pastry shop window and not behind a fast food fridge. In addition, its wild color does not come from colorants, but from blue corn. They uses the same blue corn that is part of an antioxidant-rich drink in Latin America. Tempted?
50. Prosperity Burger
McDonald’s Malaysia offers a hamburger that mysteriously looks like a McRib. We have here a beef patty with black pepper sauce and onions on an ooh-bread, and also a large portion of prosperity? Congratulations to the McDonald’s marketing team for demonstrating that it is possible to name a hamburger without using “Mc” and literally use the name of your choice.
49. Gratin Croquette Burger
It sounds French, but surprise, it’s Japanese! People in the United States can identify with this hamburger because it is not available all year round, it is a seasonal menu if you will. The galette is a combination of crab and macaroni, fried and placed between two rolls that, according to Japanese and Asian traditions, are steamed. This specialty is only available during the winter months and is a very good marketing move. Splitting the menu into seasons is a great way to win customers.
48. Melon Float
Okay, it’s not food, it’s an ice drink, but it’s worth a try. The McDonald’s of Japan added a melon slurry with a little ice cream to his menu. It’s exactly an ice drink with a Fanta melon flavor and the soft ice cream that’s typical of McDonald’s.
47. Spinach and Parmesan Nuggets
Italy is known for its gastronomy, wine, vibrant culture and interesting vision of fast food. The Italians know how to cook, that’s for sure, but we don’t really know what they were thinking when they came up with the idea of spinach and parmesan croquettes. The filling is about the same as other typical Italian foods and the croquettes each contain a whole parmesan stick. If this is your taste buds, they can be found on the restaurant’s snack menu.
46. McLobster
Yeah, not too sure about seafood at McDonald’s. Canadians are once again getting into it with a product they call McLobster. If, for any reason, this meal made you salivate, you may want to know that McDonald’s Canada has decided to abandon this article. The reason? The increase in lobster prices makes sense for one simple reason. Why keep on the menu a product that does not really match McDonald’s invoice when it is not very popular and expensive to produce? Nevertheless, during its existence on the McMenu, the McLobster was definitely in a separate league.
45. Poutine
Canada, famous for its maple syrup, maple syrup sauce and… poutine. A combination of everything Canadian: French fries covered with sauce and cheese curds with a maple BBQ sauce. The company decided to add bacon pieces to the mix in 2015. So it is not a snack for those with a light heart. The fries contain 1,000 milligrams of salt BEFORE the sauces are added.
44. Cadbury Cream Egg McFlurry
Found in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, this is a delicious Easter special. It consists of a portion of soft ice cream, a creamy Cadbury egg and a large amount of “yummy”. Some sources say the problem with this treat is that it contains 397 calories, but seriously, let’s forget the calories for 10 minutes and enjoy this excellent sweet treat concoction.
43. Cordon Bleu Burger
Have you ever wanted to know what three types of meat would look like in a hamburger? Now it is possible. The name may sound French, but the Cordon Bleu burger is available in Poland and includes a beef patty, chicken patty, cheese, bacon and ham. This hamburger is a dream for meat lovers and will answer the age-old question of what the best meats taste like in a hamburger.
42. Black and White Burgers
The Chinese are starting again with black and white hamburgers. These burgers are half the size of a regular hamburger and take their name from the colour of the respective buns. The white bread is topped with black seeds, while the black bread is topped with white seeds, it is really extraordinary. Although these burgers may differ in colour and meat, they each contain mashed potatoes and bacon.
41. McRice Burger
Now discontinued, the McRice burger was a high-carbohydrate treat available in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan. One thing these countries have in common is that they are major rice producers around the world and McRice is a tribute to that. The burger varied from beef, fish or chicken in a small rice bun with lettuce, cabbage and sauce. There have been justified calls to put this item back on the menu.
40. Sweety Con Nutella
Italian, sweet, chocolate, doughnuts. Nothing is more Italian, except pizza and pasta, than a good sweet treat. Sweety con Nutella is not a traditional McDonald’s hamburger. Okay, the nutritional value may be similar, but “Sweety” is simply Nutella (chocolate and hazelnut spread) froth between two hamburger buns. Sweety con Nutella is available all day, every day and is one of the most popular dishes on McDonald’s Italian menu.
39. McKroket
Beef stew in a hamburger? Yep! The Dutch invented McKroket, a beef stew in a fried cake, topped with mustard. Stew is a staple of Dutch cuisine, but has the fast food chain ruined this traditional dish? As the saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. Don’t get caught up in the spell, this subtle treat will end your salt intake for the day with 2.3 grams.
38. McToast Chocolate
The French have the Croque Monsieur, the Italians the Sweety Con Nutella and the Germans invented the Chocolate McToast. It is the sweet version of his brothers and sisters, McToast Ham, McToast Cheese, and so on. It is a fairly basic product, with only 2 components – flat bread and chocolate – but it is so tasty that it will let you want more.
37. Pancake Helado
Uruguay, proud representative of South America in this list, is there thanks to its Pancake Helado. It’s everyone’s secret dream to have dessert for breakfast and now, at McDonald’s Uruguay, that dream can become a reality. A pancake, or hotcake, filled with hot and creamy chocolate, topped with a portion of soft ice cream and topped with a chocolate sauce. It’s really heaven on earth.
36. Spicy Paneer Wrap
In India, McDonald’s offers spicy paneer wraps, made with tender paneer slices (cottage cheese) in a crispy, spicy batter, mustard, salad and creamy vinaigrette.
35. Bubur Ayam
In Malaysia, Bubur Ayam, chicken strips are found in a Malaysian-style porridge topped with green onions, ginger, fried shallots and peppers. A+ for originality.
34. Rice McWraps
Chinese Rice McWrap is made with a flour tortilla wrapped around a crispy beef or chicken ball, sticky mushroom and sesame flavoured rice, BBQ sauce and salad.
33. Pizzarotto
Italy, the land of pizza! Fortunately, the Italians held out and created the ultimate in fast food: mozzarella and tomato calzone. It’s a pleasure!
32. Desayuno Especial Mexicano
At McDonald’s in Mexico, you can enjoy a typical breakfast of spicy Mexican scrambled eggs, sausages and McMolletes, English muffins topped with fried beans, cheese and salsa. Unbelievable.
31. Chicken Camembert
In Germany, there is a classic chicken burger with a slice of melting and sticky camembert. In Germany, not in France. The spirit is breathtaking.
30. McToast
In Croatia, McDonalds serve a pressed cheese and ham sandwich in a pitta bread. Beautiful and perfect in every way.
29. Rye Vegetarian Feast
Finland has thought of vegetarians with its crispy vegetable burger with cheddar cheese, salad, pickles and THREE different kinds of sauces, all served on hearty rye bread. The vegans are rejoicing!
28. The Charolais
In France, you can order a hearty Charolais burger with melted Emmental cheese and the perfect béarnaise sauce.
27. Tzaziki McWrap
Spicy pork patty, cream cheese, red and yellow pepper, onions, cucumber slices, lettuce and Greek sauce, all wrapped in a tortilla; this is the tzaziki McWrap you can order from Hungary’s McDonald’s. But where’s the goulash burger?
26. McArabia Grilled Kofta
In Egypt, we find McArabia, made up of two grilled kofta patties with lettuce, tomatoes and tahini sauce, lovingly folded in Arabic bread.
25. Ciabatta Kebab
The Kebab Ciabatta found in Israeli McDonald’s is made from juicy beef grilled on charcoal and served in a crispy ciabatta baguette with tomatoes and lettuce.
24. Mandise
In Morocco, the popular fast food chain serves mandises, sponge cakes sprinkled with chocolate chip pieces, all surrounded by a creamy hazelnut fondant. Oh, my God, for God’s sake!
23. McArabia Chicken
In Saudi Arabia we also find McArabia, but this time with chicken. It is a chicken patty folded in Arabic bread with salad and a powerful garlic sauce.
22. The Peasant Soup
A classic Portuguese peasant soup with red beans, ham, pasta and olive oil. McDonald’s Portugal is original, we’ll give them this.
21. Fried Prawn Cocktail
In Russia, you can find fried breaded shrimp served with a classic cocktail sauce. From Russia, with love.
20. Gazpacho
Gazpacho at McDonald’s? Why not? That’s what Spain said when it added this refreshing and fresh vegetable soup to go with your hamburger and fries.
19. McSbrinz
100% Swiss beef, three Sbrinz Swiss cheese rolls, salad and Sbrinz sauce. This is what the McSbrinz, which is found in the McDonald’s in Switzerland, is made of. It’s very Swiss.
18. Maharaja Mac
Although it may seem quite similar to a Big Mac, the Maharaja Mac is composed of different ingredients. Made with a chicken patty, much of Maharaja Mac remains familiar to Big Mac lovers, except for a leaner patty and a healthy pile of extra vegetables.
17. McRib
Although McRib was invented in America, it is not available all year round, but it’s the case in the McDonald’s in Germany. In the McRib is a pork patty soaked in barbecue, although there are no real pork chops.
16. Paprika and Cheese Fries
World-renowned McDonald’s fries are topped with a paprika-infused cheese sauce to make this delicious treat found in the chain’s restaurants in Egypt.
15. Purple McShake
Recently added to McDonald’s Japan’s eclectic line of milk shakes (matcha, peach and Hokkaido melon), the new Purple McShake differs from the restaurant’s usual fruity offer by using murasaki imo, a Japanese native variant of the tasty purple sweet potato.
14. Idaho Burger
According to some, the Idaho Burger served at McDonald’s Japan is not the most visually appealing. Nevertheless, the hamburger captures the culinary essence of the heart of the United States with its beef patty, pepper relish, large brown mince, bacon and lots of onions. The hamburger is part of a large series of dishes known as “Big America”.
13. McFalafel
McDonald’s in Egypt serves a McFalafel, a tortilla stuffed with three pieces of falafel, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and pickles, all topped with tahini sauce.
12. Pão de Queijo
Translated as “cheese bread”, pão de queijo is a starchy cheese roll baked in the oven that has been a staple of Brazilian food for centuries and has become one of the country’s most famous dishes. Understanding its omnipresence, McDonald’s began selling the roll at its own sites in Brazil.
11. Toblerone McFlurry
McDonald’s customers in Denmark and Sweden can order a Toblerone McFlurry, which combines the iconic triangular chocolate bar with nougat and honey with vanilla whipped ice cream.
10. Hershey’s Ice-Cream Line
In partnership with the Hershey Company, McDonald’s Singapore announced the creation of the “Chocolate Hershey” series, a collection of McDonald’s signature desserts made with Hershey’s chocolate. Desserts are available at McDonald’s stores in Singapore for a limited time and include “Chocolatey McFlurry”, “Chocolatey Sundae” and “Chocolatey Cone”.
9. Gracoro Burger
According to Rachel Tepper of the Huffington Post, McDonald’s Japan’s Gracoro burger features a “patty of macaroni, shrimp, and white sauce with a breadcrumb crust.” Although it seems to be an unusual combination, fresh seafood known in Japan may be enough to make this sandwich a delicious treat.
8. Shrimp Beef Burger
The beef shrimp burger can be considered McDonald’s version of a surf’n’ turf. In the hamburger, you’ll find lettuce, tomato, a special sauce, a beef patty and a fried shrimp patty. McDonald’s Korea has set the standard for a fast food meal and the whole world should take notes. Who cares about the salt content? No one eats fast food to be healthy!
7. Carbonara Fries
McDonald’s Japan’s latest addition is a simple but delicious concept: McDonald’s fries topped with a carbonara sauce. Rather than the typical cream, the sauce is made up of a mixture of three cheeses flavoured with bacon and black pepper. Released in October 2018 and available for a limited time, the dish is sold in most of Japan’s top McDonald’s restaurants.
6. McNoodles
In Austria, there is a noodle and vegetable stir-fry that capitalizes on a menu of classic McDonald’s items, a fast-food chain that are not afraid to jump on certain food trends. In Austria, McDonald’s launched the McNoodles last year for a limited time.
5. Sausage and Egg Twisty Pasta Breakfast
China will never fail to amaze us. A soup with noodles and vegetables, topped with a sausage cake and a hard-boiled egg? Why not? From this meal, it seems that McDonald’s Hong Kong is taking breakfast seriously.
4. Chicken McDo with Spaghetti
In the Philippines, there is a valuable meal of fried chicken and spaghetti in red sauce. The “Spaghetti Value” meal imagines a world in which you can eat the tasty classics you want, at the same time, when you want. McDonald’s tried to make this world happen in America too, but unfortunately, we were not ready for that.
3. McChoco Potato
The Japanese decided to create a mix between sweet and salty with McChoco Potato. Like poutine in Canada, this article begins with McDonald’s fries that are placed in a box. Then, instead of a BBQ sauce and cheese curds, you will receive two packages of sauce that you can use to garnish your fries as you wish: one package includes white chocolate and the other milk chocolate. A strange concept, but one that must be tried once in a lifetime. After all, there was a craze for French fries and soft ice cream not so long ago, wasn’t there?
2. Bacon, Macaroni and Cheese Toastie
Who doesn’t love a good grilled cheese sandwich? Um, no one. That’s the point of view of China, anyway, which combines McDonald’s fast food with the traditional grilled cheese sandwich, and oh! what a treat! The sandwich is already on some “50 least healthy foods” and will certainly continue to attract the attention of other countries to take it into account. This is a new addition to the McDonald’s China family and it will stay there for a very long time if it is as good as it looks.
1. Bubur Ayam McD
Originally an Indonesian variant of congee (a common rice porridge in East Asian cuisine), McDonald’s introduced its own version for its Malaysian customers. Chicken strips, ginger, onion and chillies are added to the porridge for an eclectic combination of flavours and textures popular among novices and congee enthusiasts.