Wait, There's McDonald's That Serve Beer?

McDonald's is known internationally for its burgers, chicken nuggets, and delicious, crispy french fries, which come in many variations around the world. As of 2023, there are over 41,000 McDonald's locations worldwide, according to Statista, many of which combine the chain's signature menu with fan-favorite local offerings. However, in some countries, the fast food establishment is also known for serving beer. 

That's right! After a long day at work, in places like Germany and Italy, you can swing by a McDonald's to grab a burger and a draft beer. But unlike the recent expansion of Taco Bell's Cantina restaurants in the United States, which sell booze and spiked frozen drinks, McDonald's has not yet brought its beer menu to North America. That said, there are select places around the world where it is available.

In 2016, McDonald's announced that it would begin offering draft beer with its gourmet burgers at a new restaurant in Seoul, South Korea. At the time, customers were limited to one beer per burger and the beer could only be purchased with the special burger meal item as an upgrade from a soft drink. By then, the chain had already been known to serve alcohol at locations in European countries, such as France, Germany, and Portugal, and a since-closed spot in Hong Kong. As of now, there are multiple countries in which you can grab a beer at McDonald's, with one location serving it since 1971.

If you are traveling to Europe or South Korea, you are in luck. McDonald's restaurants are known to sell beer at select locations in those places. However, not every location there will serve alcohol as it tends to be a decision made by each franchisee. 

German McDonald's are perhaps one of the oldest carriers of beer after having welcomed the adult beverage into restaurants in 1971, when a new spot opened in Munich. But locations offering beer in the country seem to have decreased as of late, according to customer complaints on Reddit. Though, in the same thread, one user is open about the prevalence of beer at McDonald's locations in Austria. In fact, Austria ran a deal in 2016 where McDonald's offered free six-packs with delivery orders of at least 20 euros, which was about $22 at the time, to celebrate that year's Euro men's soccer tournament.

In addition to South Korea, Germany, and Austria, other countries with McDonald's locations known to sell beer are Italy, France, Greece, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Lithuania, Serbia, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Besides the company's McBeer, the type of beer sold at each location varies, including brands like Heineken, Mahou, Pilsner Urquell, and Sagres, depending on the popularity of different brands in each country.