We've based our ranking on the popularity of each food item in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective. 

Straying away from its usual beef patty options, McDonald’s offered some of its US customers a taste of the sea when it launched its fancy Crab Sandwich back in 2003. Exclusively available in Maryland and Virginia, it featured a sourdough bun stuffed with snow crab meat, romaine lettuce, tomato and a zingy mayonnaise-based dressing. It’s only resurfaced once since then – it had a limited run in San Jose, California in 2017.  

Diners in Malaysia have access to the fruitiest McDonald’s dessert option we’ve come across – and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. To make a Mango McFlurry, the juicy tropical fruit is swirled through the chain's famous vanilla soft serve, along with a handful of Oreo chunks. Fans go wild every time it makes a return to menus.

When McDonald’s dropped its 2022 FIFA World Cup menu in Argentina and Brazil, football fans grew excited. The fast food chain unveiled a range of limited-edition burgers, including this behemoth offering inspired by the flavours of Argentina. The McArgentina featured a beef patty, cheese, crispy bacon, onion, lettuce, tomato and a chimichurri-flavoured mayonnaise, all slotted inside a toasty brioche bun. Those wanting an even heartier option could double up on beef patties. Despite being remembered fondly, it hasn’t returned to menus since its initial run.

McDonald’s iconic Showdown Menu, which reappeared most recently in early 2025, offered Canadian hockey fans the opportunity to tuck into not just one, but six limited-edition items inspired by the country’s favourite game and its biggest stars. There was one clear winner with fans: the Spicy Junior Chirpy. The tasty burger featured crispy seasoned chicken, shredded lettuce, spicy Buffalo sauce and a mayo-style dip, all sandwiched inside a toasted bun. It may sound simple, but customers couldn’t get enough of its fiery flavours.

McDonald's UK revealed a creamy, rich and colourful Skittles McFlurry in summer 2024. The brand’s signature soft serve ice cream came laced with Skittles, sugar pearls and a purple Skittles-style sauce. The ultra-sweet treat was such a hit with fans that many called for the fast food chain to make it permanent – though sadly, they're still waiting.

McDonald’s Singapore launched this tasty number in 2017, and it quickly gained a strong following. The Korean-inspired sandwich featured a tender chicken patty glazed in a sticky, spicy sauce, plus lettuce, creamy slaw and a toasted, black pepper–speckled bun. Those after a meatier option could swap the chicken for a juicy beef patty instead – and for even more Korean flavour, they could pair their burger with a side of limited-edition Kimchi Shaker Fries.

A popular sweet treat in the Netherlands, stroopwafels are thin wafer cookies filled with gooey caramel – and every now and then, McDonald's gives them the McFlurry treatment. The Stroopwafel McFlurry is normally reserved for Dutch customers only; however, in 2019, US fast food fans got to try the frozen delight for themselves as part of the chain’s Worldwide Favorites campaign. Sadly, the Stroopwafel McFlurry has never been made permanent in either location, despite its popularity.

This juicy, sauce-slathered burger has proved popular every time it’s landed on menus. Eschewing the typical beef filling, the Shogun Burger is made by topping a teriyaki sauce–coated pork patty (two, if you’re ordering in Brunei) with a fried egg and lettuce, then sandwiching the whole lot inside a classic sesame seed bun. It’s appeared for limited runs on numerous occasions in Hong Kong, Brunei and Malaysia, with fans often calling for it to be made permanent.

The Cherry Ripe is one of Australia’s oldest and best-loved chocolate bars – so when McDonald’s announced it would be launching a McFlurry featuring the sweet treat in December 2024, excitement levels were high. The Cherry Ripe McFlurry featured either vanilla or chocolate soft serve studded with nuggets of the popular coconut-chocolate bar and finished with a drizzle of cherry sauce. Despite proving popular, its limited run wasn’t extended. 

McDonald’s never fails to delight with its limited-edition sides – and Cheesy Garlic Bread Dippers were no exception. Available from UK branches in summer 2024, the garlicky bites were created to celebrate the chain’s 50th anniversary in Britain. They were similar to the chain's Mozzarella Dippers, except they were flavoured with garlic and chives, and they had a ciabatta-style breadcrumb coating. Served with a zippy tomato dip, they were an instant hit.

The Creamy Mushroom Double Cheeseburger landed in Singapore branches of McDonald's in April 2024, and it quickly became a favourite. The giant stack featured two beef patties topped with cheese and juicy grilled mushrooms, and it came dripping with black pepper–infused mayonnaise. Not big enough? You could get it in triple patty form, too. It was released alongside a range of equally mouthwatering sides, including umami-packed Nori Shoyu Shaka Shaka Chicken McBites and a tempting Taro Custard Pie (more on that later).

Given Switzerland’s chocolate legacy, it was only natural for McDonald’s to offer its Swiss customers a chocolate-loaded McFlurry – and the limited-edition Torino version is undoubtedly one of the chain’s tastiest desserts yet. The Torino McFlurry features vanilla soft serve topped with chopped nuts and pieces of Torino chocolate (a luxurious Swiss staple). It’s popped up a few times over the years, most recently in summer 2024.

Many of us may know McDonald's for its sweet apple pies; however, in Japan, fast food fans go wild over the chain's Bacon Potato Pies. Originally launched in 1990, the crispy pastries – which come filled with fluffy potato, smoky bacon and onion – are an essential order for many. Unfortunately, they only ever appear for limited periods. The last time they were seen was in summer 2024.

McDonald’s fans in the US are constantly calling for the return of the chain's limited-edition Szechuan Sauce. Inspired by the spicy flavours of China’s Sichuan province, the dip was launched in 1998, tying in with the release of Disney film Mulan. Its savoury, slightly sweet flavour paired brilliantly with McDonald’s fries and crispy McNuggets. But, despite its popularity, it has only ever made two brief comebacks. It was brought back in 2017 after featuring in an episode of the animated series Rick and Morty, and again in March 2022, while stocks lasted.

Offering UK fans a taste of the US, McDonald’s launched the Philly Cheese Stack in October 2023 – and it was an instant hit. The hefty burger featured two beef patties, oozy cheese sauce, cheese slices, pickles and both grilled and crispy onions, all stuffed inside a toasted sesame seed bun. It was taken off menus just a month later, and devotees were heartbroken. Thankfully, though, their devastation was short-lived, as the chain brought the burger back for another limited run in September 2024.

With their gooey caramel centre, Rolos are hard not to love – so when McDonald’s released a McFlurry flavour celebrating the chocolatey treats, it was guaranteed to be a bestseller. Each cup came filled with soft serve ice cream swirled with Rolo pieces. The Rolo McFlurry first appeared in 2012 at a few different McDonald’s locations across the globe, but it was only ever intended to be a limited release. However, lucky US fans got to taste the treat for a second time in 2017. 

The Kiwiburger is a 1990s favourite that returns to menus in New Zealand from time to time – and when it does, McDonald’s enthusiasts race to get their hands on one. The beloved burger features a juicy beef patty, a fried egg, cheese, beetroot slices and salad, all sandwiched inside a sesame seed bun. While it might sound a little unusual to the uninitiated, the combo really works. The burger most recently reappeared in January 2025.

McDonald’s added a touch of sweetness to its already irresistible breakfast range in February 2019, unveiling Donut Sticks to much fanfare – in fact, many US customers queued up at the drive-thru just to sample them. Prepared fresh each morning, these hot, crispy, golden-brown bites were dusted with cinnamon sugar and were available during breakfast hours. Much to fans’ disappointment, they haven’t returned to menus since their initial run.

Aside from its signature Filet-O-Fish, McDonald’s hasn’t regularly branched out into the seafood realm. So, when the brand introduced the McLobster in 1992, fans were intrigued. A mix of claw, knuckle and leg meat was slotted inside a hot dog bun with lettuce and lobster sauce – and while the price of the sandwich depended on the value of lobster each season, it was always reasonable, and the item gained a loyal following. The McLobster went on to appear on menus in Canada and in the US (primarily the New England region) for a few summers, but it hasn't resurfaced in recent years.

Bagels are a breakfast food loved across the world – and yet, McDonald’s withdrew these doughy delights from many of its global menus in 2020, due to supply issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The morning favourite did reappear in some US locations in 2024, but only for a limited period. Fans are continually calling for the chain’s Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel, which came complete with a Hollandaise-style sauce, to be made permanent. Canadian diners, however, can still get the breakfast bagels from select outlets.

For many Brits, Christmas isn’t complete without cracking open a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. So, it came as little surprise when McDonald’s UK announced it would be launching a McFlurry inspired by the fruit-shaped treat. The frozen dessert, which features vanilla soft serve peppered with Terry’s Chocolate Orange Minis and a gooey chocolate-orange sauce, was first released over the festive period in 2016. It returned in December 2024, alongside a Terry’s Chocolate Orange Pie.

Released annually to coincide with Saint Patrick’s Day, the Shamrock Shake has been a favourite among US fast food fans since 1967. In 2020, the minty milkshake was joined by another equally delicious sweet treat: the Oreo Shamrock McFlurry. The dessert blends vanilla soft serve with the brand’s signature Shamrock Shake flavour, swirling in crushed Oreo pieces for extra deliciousness. Thankfully for those who love it, it’s returned every February since its initial launch.

A fan favourite across Europe, the Big Rösti Burger really pulls out all the stops. It’s essentially a giant burger packed with a beef patty, a hash brown, some crispy bacon rashers and a slice of cheese. In Germany, it’s sometimes made even bigger – with extra cheese and cranberry sauce – while in Bulgaria, you’ll find chicken and fish variations. The Big Rösti is only ever available for limited periods, usually in the heart of winter.

In Hawaii and some Asian countries, you’ll often find a cult-favourite sweet treat on McDonald's menus: taro pie. The sought-after snack sees taro, a purple root vegetable, encased in the brand’s signature crunchy pastry – and Singapore outlets even went as far as mixing in a creamy custard alongside the taro filling for a limited period. Despite its popularity, the taro pie isn’t available year-round. 

Toweringly tall, the Double Big Mac is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a Big Mac, loaded up with the usual cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles and lashings of Big Mac Sauce – but it features four beef patties instead of two. While some countries (including Australia and New Zealand) are lucky enough to have the fully stacked burger as a permanent menu fixture, UK and US fans have only ever been able to sample it for a limited period. It was most recently available in November 2024 in the UK.

McDonald’s original Chicken McNuggets may have been a fan favourite since 1983, but the fast food giant took things to a flaming new level in 2020 with the release of its limited-edition Spicy Chicken McNuggets. A fiery sibling of the hugely popular product, the chicken bites were coated in a cayenne-flecked tempura batter and served with Mighty Hot Sauce – and they certainly packed a punch. The crowd-pleasing item has returned to US restaurants every year since, most recently in November 2024.

Oozy mozzarella coated in crispy breadcrumbs and served with a tangy salsa dip sounds like a match made in heaven – and for many McDonald’s fans, it really is. While the brand’s Mozzarella Dippers (sold as Mozzarella Sticks in the US) have always been popular around the world, they rarely remain on the menu for long. That said, they do make regular reappearances in some locations, including the UK and Ireland. In the US, however, they haven’t been seen since 2016.

Lovers of McDonald’s chicken burgers could finally get their hands on a poultry-packed Big Mac in 2022. The Chicken Big Mac, which features deep-fried chicken patties instead of beef ones, debuted in the UK and Australia – and it reportedly sold out within hours of its release. It returned in March 2023 and August 2024. US fans, however, only got a tiny taste of the action in 2022, with the burger only available in Miami locations. The rest of the country had to wait until October 2024 to get their hands on the towering stack. 

Originally introduced in 1981, this barbecue sauce–slathered pork sandwich is one of McDonald’s bestselling items – and yet, the McRib has been discontinued and reintroduced across the globe countless times. McDonald’s even went as far as hosting a ‘farewell tour’ for the sandwich in 2022; however, unsurprisingly, it resurfaced in US outlets in 2023. It came back to the US, UK and Canada again in 2024, with fans crying out for it to be made a permanent fixture, just like it is in Germany.

Now discover the greatest fast food burgers of all time