- I tried McDonald’s in 10 different countries.
- McDonald’s in Australia seemed to taste the freshest.
- Customer service varied depending on where I was.
- McDonald’s in Malta was very popular and offered a “Big Tasty” menu item.
I love McDonald’s. It’s been a part of my life since I was a young child, and my dedication to the iconic American fast-food chain only strengthened when I decided to study abroad my freshman and junior years in college.
Thanks to my travels, I have now been able to try McDonald’s in 10 different countries. I was surprised to see that, for the most part, McDonald’s is pretty universal though some places were better than others.
Read on to see what the biggest differences are.
The fries and burgers in the US are iconic.
If you live in America, chances are you’ve been to McDonald’s at some point. McDonald’s in America, to me, is classic and delicious. I always go with the two cheeseburgers, small fries combo (although there are healthier menu options).
The fries are some of the best fast-food fries (though opinions sometimes differ) - crispy, hot and salty. The burgers are perfect for a quick bite to eat or a late night snack.
McDonald's in the United Kingdom has some options unique to that place.
McDonald's in England is so popular that the queen owns her own location. While a lot of the menu is still the same, the British McDonald's food has fewer preservatives, and the Big Mac, for example, is smaller.
They also offer a traditional British breakfast that's available until 10:30 a.m., consisting of a bacon sandwich, hash brown, and English breakfast tea.
And of course, you can't forget the fact that in the UK, they have a Maltesers McFlurry that's delicious.
Sweden offered a "Jureskog Texas burger."
What's interesting about Swedish McDonald's, along with several other McDonald's around the world, is that they offer limited-edition signature burgers that pertain to a particular state in the US.
For example, in Sweden, they serve the Jureskog Texas burger, which is a barbecue burger that comes with spicy, flat potato chips.
Other than that, everything tastes pretty much the same.
I had a delicious McFlurry in Germany.
In Germany, the main difference, in my experience, was the service. Employees didn't seem as friendly as they did elsewhere, in my opinion.
However, the food was still good and the McFlurries were in German, unlike some countries that keep their items entirely in English. McDonald's in Germany was also where the first organic McDonald's burger was debuted, which makes it special.
Poland's McDonald's had great spicy chicken strips.
McDonald's employees were similar to those in Germany as they didn't come off as friendly as they did other places. However, they offer unique menu items like potato wedges and spicy chicken strips, which are both really good, and could be easy to incorporate into the US menu.
McDonald's in France sells macarons.
McDonald's locations in France are much fancier than most other locations. The McCafe is separate from the rest of the restaurant, everything is arranged nicely, and of course, they also sell macarons.
You can also order a bleu cheese burger, which I don't really see at any burger restaurant in the US, much less McDonald's. Basically, if you're going to try McDonald's in any other country, do it in France.
There's a McDonald's at one of Israel's most important sites.
McDonald's in Israel has US state-themed burgers, such as a Texas-themed burger when we visited.
The location is in Masada, an ancient fortress in southern Israel's Judean Desert and one of the most important sites in Jewish history. Because of the site's complex and significant history, there has been pushback for the McDonald's location with some believing the chain is representative of "cultural imperialism."
McDonald's in Malta is known for its "Big Tasty."
McDonald's has been located in Malta for over 20 years and has become very popular.
The locations in Malta were known for the "Big Tasty," which comes with a Halal beef patty and signature "Big Tasty" sauce, along with Emmental cheese.
It was removed from the menu, but so many customers complained that they brought it back within two months.
The food tasted very fresh at Australia's McDonald's.
First of all, Australians call McDonald's "Maccas." They also offer table service and have several menu items that aren't available in the US, such as the Big Brekkie Burger and the McFeast. And everything tasted incredibly fresh.
Similar to French locations, Australia also has McCafe's that are separate from the McDonald's itself, with a high-quality taste (and cost) that rivals Starbucks. You really can't go wrong with trying McDonald's in Australia.
Read more: 9 reasons McDonald's in Australia is better than McDonald's in America
New Zealand's McDonald's had a wide range of breakfast options.
Like many non-US locations, McDonald's locations in New Zealand have some really amazing McFlurry flavors. They recently introduced a Cookie Time McFlurry, from one of New Zealand's most beloved and iconic cookie shops.
They also offer a "Kiwi Big Breakfast," with sausage, hash brown, scrambled eggs and a toasted muffin, as well as a "Spicy Nashville Chicken Burger," with spicy Nashville mayonnaise, to pay homage to the restaurant's US roots.
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