McDonald’s — yum! It’s a classic fast food joint that serves burgers, chicken and what else? I think that’s it. McDonald’s in the United States is famous, but its menu is so dull. It’s the same variation of beef patties and chicken. 

However, I was looking at other countries and what’s served on their McDonald’s menus, and all of a sudden, McDonald’s looked like a Disneyland food court! Many fun flavors are incorporated from different cuisines, and it’s hard not to feel jealous when comparing our filet-o-fish to menu items abroad. 

Here’s a list of McDonald’s menu items that exist globally. 

Taro Pie — China 

Taro is a delicious yam flavor popular in southeast and east Asian countries. It has a deliciously fragrant taste that is difficult to describe if you haven’t tried it. Although we’re familiar with the apple pies that appear every fall, China’s McDonald’s carries this lavender-stuffed pie all year. The filling texture is similar to mashed potatoes, but you’d get a sugary flavor instead of a savory one. The reviews report that the taro pie is less sweet than apple pie.

Maharaja Mac — India 

The entire McDonald’s menu in India looks delicious, but the Maharaja Mac stood out to me! It’s the equivalent of a Big Mac, but uses chicken instead of beef patties due to lack of beef consumption. There are two chicken patties sandwiched between three buns slathered with a flavorful habanero sauce and other traditional burger toppings. 

Poutine — Canada 

McDonald’s fries are my favorite on the menu. Canadians have decided to elevate these delicious fries by transforming them into their nation’s favorite dish: poutine. It’s made the same way as traditional poutine, where fries are topped with cheese curds and rich gravy. Honestly, if I were in Canada, I probably wouldn’t go to McDonald’s to get poutine given that I could go to an actual poutine joint. It’s still interesting that they’ve included it on the menu, though! 

Toblerone McFlurry — Scandinavia 

This McFlurry exists in various Scandinavian countries such as Denmark and Switzerland. As much as I love the classic Oreo McFlurry, imagine having the sweet, chilled flavor of the McFlurry with premium Toblerone chocolate chunks? The dessert looks so decadent, and looking at the chocolate-filled swirl makes me want to take a plane to Sweden just to get a taste! 

Gracoro Burger — Japan 

Japan’s McDonald’s menu as a whole is my favorite, but the Gracoro Burger piqued my interest. It consists of a fried croquette as a burger patty, which consists of a medley of shrimp, macaroni and a savory cream sauce. This burger is a seasonal menu item and returns to the Japanese menu once a year with a different flavor combination, making the whole experience more fun! For example, in 2021, the Gracoro Burger came back with a bolognese sauce!

Chicken McDo with McSpaghetti — Philippines

Similar to the spaghetti from Jollibee, this McDonald’s spaghetti is sweet! Filipino spaghetti is traditionally sweeter with a banana-ketchup base, so McDonald’s adapted this dish to the local taste buds. The crispy chicken looks like it would complement the sweet spaghetti well — especially if you like sweet and savory combinations! 

Mango McFlurry — Malaysia 

Although another McFlurry flavor, how could I resist adding this to the list? Mango-flavored anything is already impressive — but picture the luxurious McFlurry filled with mango custard! I am a bit skeptical because this McFlurry has Oreo chunks, but that makes me want to try it more! I bet the McDonald’s wanted to utilize all the great tropical fruits it has available, given that it also has other mango desserts like soft serve and a hot-fudge sundae on the menu.  

This is only a small percentage of all the interesting McDonald’s menu items around the world. There’s an endless amount of dishes because of how diverse our world is, and I think it’s so cool how one fast-food chain has adapted to many different taste palettes!