25 American McDonald's menu items the rest of the world wants
American (McDonald's) dreams
There are countless different McDonald’s menu items served worldwide but it’s often those in America that get mouths watering the most. Here’s a look at the McDonald’s specials offered in the United States that the rest of the world envies.
McPizza
It may sound strange but McDonald’s does actually serve pizza. Well in some restaurants anyway. It was a national menu item in the 80s and 90s but now there are only about three locations still serving McPizza. The unique menu item was never taken off the menu at a McDonald’s in Ohio and one in West Virginia, and a Florida store reintroduced it in 2016. You can order a pizza for one or the family size with eight slices.
mcdnytristate / Instagram
Chicken and waffles
For a limited time in 2017, customers could order a brunch favorite, chicken and waffles, at Central Florida restaurants. For a few months the not-so-secret secret menu item chicken McGriddles became a regular all-day breakfast menu item. It’s made with sweet maple griddle cakes that sandwich a crispy McChicken patty. Although it’s not a permanent menu item, customers can still get it as part of the secret menu across America.
Lobster roll
Having been first launched in summer 2015, the McLobster roll made a seasonal comeback in 2017 at some New England restaurants due to popular demand. With the main ingredient being North Atlantic lobster, it was one of the most expensive items on the menu. Pair the lobster with lettuce and mayonnaise in a hot dog roll and you have the McLobster.
Shakin' flavor fries and McNuggets
What could make regular McDonald’s fries even better? Different flavored seasonings of course. Shakin’ Flavors include garlic parmesan, spicy buffalo, zesty ranch and chipotle barbecue that can be added to fries and McNuggets. Although there are similar McDonald’s fries seasoning around the world, the latter Shakin’ Flavors are unique to America and have been reintroduced several times regionally across the US including stores in San Francisco, Sacramento, Chico and Fresno.
McDonald's (680 Butler Crossing, Butler, PA) / Facebook
Loaded fries
But even better than seasonings for fries has to be the new Loaded Bacon & Cheese Basket of Fries that some restaurants have been testing in 2017. The Loaded Bacon & Cheese Basket of Fries is McDonald's classic fries doused with cheddar cheese sauce and applewood-smoked bacon. They’ve been sold at restaurants in the greater Pittsburgh area, central West Virginia, southeast Ohio, and eastern Kentucky. Depending on their success will determine if they’ll become a classic national menu item.
Michael S. Chiang / Twitter
Crab sandwich
For all you seafood lovers, McDonald’s actually sells a crab sandwich in the US. Served as part of a trial at four San Francisco Bay Area restaurants in 2017, the sandwich is made with snow crab blended with mayonnaise and celery, served with tomato and lettuce on a toasted sourdough bun with herb butter. it’s definitely a step up from the basic cheeseburger but we'll have to wait and see if it's going to be a permanent menu item.
Pasta
In Orlando, Florida they not only serve pizza but they also serve another Italian staple: pasta. There are endless ingredients to choose from that customers can add to their pasta order, from vegetables and chicken to bacon. Sauce options include marinara, Alfredo and pesto. Buon gusto!
McRib
Originally unveiled in the 80s, the McRib was pulled from menus before returning in 2005 as a Fall seasonal item. Its popularity spread across the globe with countries like Germany so envious of the sandwich that restaurants there introduced the item permanently on their menus. The sandwich is made with a boneless pork belly shaped like a rib, barbecue sauce, onions and pickles served on a roll. To find restaurants selling McRibs, the best thing to do is download the McRib Locator app.
Mending the Piggy Bank - Brianna Grace Blog / Facebook
McBratwurst
This roll is made with the traditional bratwurst German sausage and has tomato sauce and mustard on it. Initially introduced in the 90s at restaurants in Wisconsin and other neighboring Midwest states, the McBratwurst was discontinued in 2009. It made a comeback, however, to the Wisconsin and Illinois areas in 2016.
Garlic fries
Customers at restaurants in California can get made-to-order Gilroy Garlic Fries after the menu item made a return in 2017. The take on the classic french fries includes garlic, parmesan, olive oil and parsley. First introduced in Northern California in the summer of 2016, the garlic fries were a hit and are served at about 250 Californian restaurants.
texasmcdonalds / Instagram
Rolo McFlurry
This limited-time summer dessert is a favorite jam-packed with all that a sweet tooth loves: chocolate, caramel and ice cream. First brought to McDonald’s in about 2012, the Rolo McFlurry was released again in 2017 to coincide with the nationwide transition to a soft serve made with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. The Rolo edition of the famous McFlurry is added to the list of limited flavors including Butterfinger, Twix and Snickers.
Pico Guacamole
The world’s obsession with avocados and guacamole finally made it to the golden arches with McDonald’s releasing a select sandwiches range including the Pico Guacamole Buttermilk Crispy Chicken burger. It’s layered with: guacamole; Pico de Gallo made with tomatoes, onions, lime and cilantro; buttermilk ranch sauce; cheddar cheese and lettuce and has a piece of buttermilk chicken. Some guacamole lovers have even been known to ask for some on the side to dip their fries into.
Mighty Wings
Although the Mighty Wings sold at McDonald’s from 1990 to 2003 weren’t great sellers, it was due to the cost rather than the taste. They returned in 2013 to only be shut down again by customers who didn’t feel the price of the bone-in chicken wings was justified. In 2016 the menu item was again sold at about 285 restaurants in Atlanta for a short time. Despite not being a menu-stayer, Mighty Wings are an envied treat a lot of the rest of the world wants.
EasternShoreMcD / Twitter
Bundt cake
With the inception of McCafe, McDonald’s experimented with cakes and snacks to pair with its new coffee range. A popular treat was the mini bundt cake, which came in classic cinnamon coffee cake, lemon and double chocolate. The regional dessert was sold in 2015 at restaurants in the Los Angeles, San Diego, Florida, Houston and Atlanta areas. Sweet lovers got a treat in 2016 when restaurants in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia gave away free bundt cakes with any purchase from the McDonald’s app.
Flavored pie
The first dessert pie on the McDonald’s menu was the apple pie. They’re common on menus in most countries but in the US they’ve tried about 40 different flavored pies since the original was launched back in 1968. Some of the flavors include: peach mango, which was introduced in Hawaii in 2008; and pumpkin and creme (pictured) in 2016. All variations are made with a similar crispy golden crust to that used for the classic apple pie.
Free soft-serve
On July 16 it’s National Ice Cream Day in America so to celebrate selected McDonald’s restaurants are giving away free vanilla soft serves. All customers have to do is download the mobile app and redeem the free ice cream cone filled with the chain’s latest soft serve recipe that doesn’t have artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Fish McBites
This fishy menu item was introduced in the late 2000s as a seasonal Lent item that stayed around a bit longer than expected due to popularity. That popularity didn’t sustain sales so they were taken off the menu but they were never tried internationally and could have made more of a splash in other markets, especially where red meat isn’t widely consumed.
peytonsdisneymom / Instagram
Made-to-order omelets
Having your own omelet recipe made right in front of you is often a treat when dining at hotel buffets. But in Orlando, Florida you don’t have to stay in a fancy hotel because there’s a McDonald’s where you can actually create your own omelets and have it made fresh in front of you; during breakfast hours of course.
peytonsdisneymom / Instagram
Fresh waffles with toppings
On top of being able to have your own omelet made for you in Orlando, you can also have waffles like the one pictured served on proper plates with your selected topping. They don’t look anything like the breakfast pancakes you find at McDonald’s in other parts of the world, more like waffles from a gourmet cafe.
McDonald's (Shelby, IA) / Facebook
Steak and egg burrito
Another breakfast item, this time a Mexican-inspired and savory one. The breakfast burritos were first introduced in 1991 before McDonald's discontinued them across most of the country. But states like New York, New Mexico, California and Arizona still serve them. Other countries have taken inspiration from the steak and egg burrito and created their own versions of the breakfast burritos, often calling them wraps.
Buttermilk crispy chicken
The southern favorite buttermilk chicken was released in 2015 with customers able to add the regional cuisine to just about any McDonald’s menu item. The white breast chicken meat is marinated and battered with buttermilk and a spice blend. It’s included in menu items like the Crispy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich, Premium McWrap, Snack Wrap or Premium Salad. In 2017 buttermilk chicken tenders were added as a separate menu item in select restaurants nationally as a side.
davidnguyen1283 / Instagram
Fried apple pies
What would any restaurant in America do to make a menu item better? Fry it of course. The original apple pie was in fact deep fried but in 1992 McDonald's replaced it with a baked version, leaving an upset fanbase. That fanbase, however, was pleasantly surprised when select restaurants in Florida, Hawaii and Los Angeles brought back the treat as a regional offer from about 2015.
witchescatchsnitches / Instagram
$1 mozzarella sticks
It’s not often that $1 can buy you much these days, but at McDonald’s you can get select snacks for a buck including three mozzarella sticks. They’re available at locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Atlanta, Florida, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Envious of the mozzarella sticks, other countries adopted the menu item; in the UK they're called dippers. But they’re not as cheap as in the US.
Zazza Mornings / Facebook
All-day breakfasts
With all-day breakfast restaurants rampant across America, it was inevitable that McDonald’s would eventually have to succumb to the trend and offer breakfast items all day. There are around 15 items on the menu including favorites like hash browns and egg McMuffin but also others not available elsewhere. It means that there’s endless possibilities to create secret menu items throughout the day, like the McCrepe (pictured), made with hotcakes and yogurt parfait.
Shamrock Shake / McLeprechaun
In celebration of St Patrick’s Day, McDonald’s released a seasonal drink for the month of March aptly known as the Shamrock Shake. Green in color, the shake is the basis of one of the most famous secret menu items, the McLeprechaun. Mix the Shamrock Shake together with a chocolate shake and you have the McLeprechaun. It’s envied so much so by the rest of the world that there’s a social media movement where fans create their own all year round.