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Top 10 McDonald’s Regional Burgers
The popular glowing Golden Arches have locations all over the world in 6 out of 7 continents, so no matter how far from home you are they can be a familiar and comforting sight. What’s cool about Mickey D’s is how diverse and culturally adapting their menu is to the region of their locations. Surely you can find your classic core products like the well known Big Mac or their crispy fries but they also have some unique burgers you can’t find anywhere else! If you’re a McDonald’s fan, this list of burgers just might help you determine your next travel destination.
10. Singapore – The Nasi Lemak Burger
All around the world McDonald’s has been impressing people with their menu items and diversity. If you are looking for a burger that’s halal, Singapore is the place to be! A significant portion of the population in Singapore is Muslim so all McDonald’s in Singapore are certified halal. The McD’s introduced the Nasi Lemak burger in this region and it has become very popular! People all over the net are ranting and raving about this one and its tasty flavours, inspired by the local food this one might be worth trying. The burger contains a juicy coconut flavoured chicken patty that is coated in cornflakes and topped with a golden fried egg, caramelized onions, crunchy cucumber slices with sweet and spicy sambal sauce. Talk about the flavours of Singapore, right? Sounds good to us, if it tastes as good as it looks and sounds we might be on the next flight out! Coconut fans might also like to add a pie to their meal for dessert. They also offer the famous McD’s pies in coconut! Filled with rich coconut pulp and a crispy shell, sounds like a good pie to bite into.
9. Japan – Ebi Filet-O Shrimp Burger
If you see a shrimp burger on the menu then you must be in Japan! Traditionally you would not expect to get shrimp in a burger but in Asia, they love their seafood so it isn’t much of a surprise. The Ebi Filet-O Shrimp burger, (Ebi meaning shrimp in Japanese) can also be found in Hong Kong. It is a perfect example of how McDonald’s caters to changing its taste and burger format based on its market. If you’re a seafood fan and a burger lover you might just love this combination together. The burger features whole shrimps embedded into a patty of breading, deep fried to a golden crisp crust with lettuce and spicy sauce with a kick served on a sesame seed bun. If you like to follow up your meal with dessert you could also try the matcha tea and adzuki bean McFlurry. Sounds like a strange flavour, but McDonald’s combined Japan’s favourite drink and favourite dessert to inspire this McFlurry flavour.
8. Thailand – Samurai Pork Burger
It’s not always about the kung fu fighting, surely not everyone is kung fu fighting right? Well in martial arts history there is also the Samurai’s which McDonald’s has named their burger after in Thailand. The Samurai Pork Burger from Thailand is full of teriyaki flavour, the traditional taste of Thai food. Honestly, this burger might be worth fighting for, it’s made with a sword sliced pork patty that is covered in teriyaki sauce, layered with lettuce, tomato, onions, and mayo on a sesame seed bun. Actually, it’s not really sliced with a sword but then why is it the “Samurai” pork burger? The word Samurai is merely meant to indicate that the meat patty is covered in teriyaki sauce. You may also see this burger name pop up in the Mickey D’s in Malaysia and Singapore locations as well. Those of you who are teriyaki lovers might like this exquisite burger with bursting flavour. Like including add-ons to your meal? In Thailand, you can get a corn pie filled with creamed corn filling, a little more savoury than the usual sweet pies.
7. China and Hong Kong – Black and White burger
In Chinese and Hong Kong McDonald’s they introduced the Black and White Burgers, two small “half-size” burgers that come in a box. You can’t supersize these half size burgers but you probably wouldn’t want to, according to reviews they don’t taste as good as they look. Some say these burgers were introduced to represent Yin and Yang and by the colours, it may seem so. The black burger bun is made with squid ink to give it it’s black colour and between the squid inked burger buns is a layer of mashed potato with 2 beef patties, lettuce and truffle sauce. That sounds like an interesting combo of items on a burger. Whereas the white burger uses the same mashed potato base but instead of beef it’s topped with a fried chicken patty, bacon, and topped with peppercorn mushroom sauce. According to reviews, the white burger takes the win and is said to be the better tasting of the two. An interesting feature in some McDonald’s location especially in China is that they offer a “McExpress” walk-up window. Most of these McExpress windows are attached to a restaurant but you can also find them independently like at a subway stop or inside a shopping mall. From the McExpress windows, there is a selection of McCafe items including small drinks and ice cream desserts you can grab quickly and conveniently.
6. France – Le Grande Veggie Burger
Parlez vous vegetarian? It’s not often that you can find an appealing or tasty vegetarian option at a fast food restaurant. But in France, it seems you can even eat sophisticated at the local Mickey D’s! The Le Grand Veggie or “The Great Veggie” is served on a thick bun with a combination of poppy, sesame and pumpkin seeds and a veggie patty made from French Emmental cheese and fresh vegetables. The patty is topped with a mix of microgreens, red cabbage, white cabbage, two tomato slices and topped off with red pesto sauce. That sounds like one of the finest burgers on the McDonald’s menu, we wonder if Remy the rat from Ratatouille had anything to do with the creation of this recipe! It is certain that McDonald’s is trying to diversify to appeal to the health conscious audience. The French sure know how to make a delicious veggie burger to appeal to the veggie enthusiasts, bon appétit!
5. Greece – Greek Mac
Get me to the Greek! If you’re travelling to Europe you might want to hop over to Greece as well. The McDonald’s in Greece has put a greek twist on the Mac, so don’t expect a traditional Big Mac style burger if you order one of these. What you’ll get is actually less of a burger and more of a pita wrap with burger ingredients, a combination of the traditional Greek gyro and the fast food chain’s standard fare. The Greek Mac is served on a folded pita with two beef patties, white yoghurt sauce otherwise known as tzatziki, fresh red onion, tomato and lettuce. If you prefer you can choose to get the Greek Mac with chicken strips instead of the beef patties too. Perhaps the only thing missing is the feta cheese? If you’re a fan of the Big Mac and Greek food you may like this Mac hybrid and you can even wash it down with a McBeer. That’s right, certain McDonald’s locations also offer beer! In Greece, you can order a Heineken with your meal whereas in France you can get a Kronenbourg 1664 to accompany those salty crispy fries.
4. Italy – Sweety con Nutella Burger
Leave it to the Italians to offer a sweet Nutella dessert burger. Just hearing the name “Nutella burger” sounds enticing and might make your mouth water! Of course, Italy is notorious for their deliciously sweet pastries and espressos so go figure you could find a decadent chocolatey burger at their McDonald’s locations. A dream come true for all the hazelnut chocolate lovers. Instead of the standard slab of beef, tomato, lettuce, cheese and a pickle in the middle, the burger has a big gooey centre oozing with the famous Nutella spread between 2 hamburger buns. If you have heart eyes for this burger just know that it is available on the McCafe menu only in Italy. Do you wonder if it’s better than your typical Nutella sandwich on wonderbread? You could head over to Italy to give it a try, but you might not want to say arrivederci after trying it!
3. India – Chicken or Veggie Maharaja Mac
India is known for their vegetarian culture so you can certainly find many veggie options at their McDonald’s locations but don’t expect to find a beef patty Mac. Indian McDonald’s serve the Maharaja Mac with two options, chicken or veggie. It is also by far, the fast food chain’s tallest burger and maybe most filling! They call is the social burger because over lunch or dinner you’ll have plenty of time to socialize in between all those bites. They also introduced a junior size version of these burgers taking into consideration the size of the originals. The Chicken Maharaja Mac has a grilled chicken double patty layered with jalapenos, onion, cheddar cheese, juicy tomato slices, crispy lettuce and drizzled with habanero sauce on a sesame seed bun. Now that’s a mouth full but so is the Veggie Maharaja Mac. This burger is just as filling and just as tall, it has a cheese and corn double patty instead of the chicken patty and uses cocktail sauce. If you’re trying out the vegetarian menu they also offer the Pizza McPuff, similar to a pizza pocket filled with carrots, bell peppers, beans, onions, peas, and mozzarella cheese. We also cannot forget to mention the McCurry pan, a curried vegetable pie, a deep dish of Indian flavours!
2. Mexico – Flaming Hot Doritos Quarter Pounder
Mexican food is known to be a little caliente (hot) and spicy. If you like the heat with a tex-mex spin this burger is the one for you, head down to the nearest Mexican Mcdonald’s.. hopefully, there isn’t a wall to stop you. To match up with the heat of Mexican cuisine Mickey D’s introduced this variation of the Quarter Pounder that adds spicy Doritos on top of the burger. Not only that but they include the traditional favourite guacamole and no it’s not extra! The burger has a nice crunch to it, but this “muy caliente” burger will have you feeling hot, hot, hot! What if you don’t like spicy? Well, there’s another burger created for the Mexican population since they love guac so much you can find a Signature Guacamole burger! It is made with two burger patties, melted cheddar cheese, guacamole and instead of Doritos you’ll get your crunch from the crisp lettuce leaf topped off with pico de gallo sauce. Who’s ready for this fiesta?!
1. Sweden and Finland – McVegan Burger
Well, with all the different food trends and plant-based craze, McDonald’s wants to keep up! In 2018 McDonald’s in Sweden introduced an all vegan burger called the McVegan. This burger is served with a sesame seed bun with a vegan patty made out of soy, layered with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, pickles and a vegan McFeast sauce. McDonald’s tested this burger and has had a lot of success with it being on the menu in Sweden and Finland. According to a poll done by Animal Rights Sweden, about 1 in 10 Swedes are vegan or vegetarian and the numbers are predicted to increase. McDonald’s developed this meatless burger in partnership with a Norwegian food company called Orkla because of the increase in people that have been showing an interest in eating more of a predominantly plant-based diet that is better for the environment. If you’re vegan and haven’t been able to eat Mickey D’s you’ll be able to in these countries, they have made the McVegan a permanent item on their menu. Online reviews of the burger are raving how tasty and good it is, whether you’re vegan or not this burger might be worth a try!
BONUS. Honorable Mentions
Some honourable mentions that didn’t make the list but might interest you include the McKebab served on a tortilla wrap and the McFalafel from Israel. Here you can find the traditional McDonald’s restaurants but you can also find kosher versions or McKosher by looking for the blue sign with the golden arches. There is also the McLobster, found in Atlantic Canada and England. It’s lobster served on a hot dog bun with lobster sauce and shredded lettuce. It is served out in these regions where there are enough lobsters to supply making the McLobster. Lastly the KiwiBurger in New Zealand, there’s no kiwi fruit in the burger just a beef patty topped with a griddle egg, tomato, lettuce, cheese, onions, beetroot, ketchup and mustard. Many items on the menu in New Zealand are similar to those in Australia but not this burger. Why is it called the kiwi burger? New Zealanders are called kiwis because of the kiwi bird that is only found in New Zealand. So, with all these enticing burger flavours which ones would you want to try!