14 International McDonald's Menu Items You Should Order When Traveling

With over 34,000 restaurants in 118 countries worldwide, McDonald's is one of the widest-reaching fast food chains in the world. Granted, there are some countries that have no McDonald's restaurants, but they're few and far between. One of the reasons the fast food chain has gained such a global following is that it caters many of its menu items to local tastes. Visit a McDonald's in a different country and you'll find some unique dishes that you won't find on offer at your local McD's.

If you're bored of the same old Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets, you can always hop on a plane and try some interesting McDonald's menu items that are inspired by the countries they're served in. Think burgers slathered in special sauces, spicy rice dishes, and delectable desserts made with local sweets. Some McDonald's restaurants abroad even sell beer to go with their regionally-inspired eats. If you're planning a trip to another country (or to Chicago where the McDonald's Global Headquarters Restaurant serves international dishes on a rotating basis), keep an eye out for these popular international McDonald's menu items that fans say are so good they're worth traveling for.

If you think some of the McDonald's breakfast items in the States are full-on, take a look at the Big Brekkie Burger. It first appeared on McDonald's menus in Australia in 2018 and then made its way over to New Zealand a few months later. It's basically a mash-up of savory breakfast items on a barbecue cheeseburger. Just be warned though — you'll need to be ravenous to finish this beast of a breakfast burger and willing to throw your calorie count out the window.

The Big Brekkie Burger features a 100% beef patty topped with bacon, an egg, a crispy hash brown, cheese, and barbecue sauce. It's all sandwiched between a toasted sesame seed bun. It's only available on the breakfast menu, which is typically served until 10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. at participating restaurants. It's a good option if you're craving a seriously substantial breakfast to get your day started. And when we say substantial, we mean truly sizable. It clocks in at 725 calories, which is roughly 165 more calories than the Big Mac.

Visit a McDonald's in the Philippines (or McDo as it's called there) and you'll find several menu items that differ from McDonald's in other parts of the world. For one, the chain offers deep-fried chicken drumsticks called Chicken McDo. This might not be so strange considering that McDonald's offers fried chicken in many Asian countries. But pairing the fried chicken with spaghetti is something you don't see in too many other countries.

McDonald's rolled out pasta dishes like spaghetti and fettuccine on its menus in the States back in the 1980's, but eventually discontinued them due to low demand. However, spaghetti with banana ketchup is a classic comfort food in the Philippines and one that was already a top seller at local fast food chain Jollibee's in the '80s. In 1986, McDonald's decided to add the McSpaghetti to its menu, and it was an instant hit. The Chicken McDo arrived the following year. The Chicken McDo with McSpaghetti combo works well because the saltiness of the fried chicken balances out the sweetness of the spaghetti sauce.

If you can only try one thing at a McDonald's in the Netherlands, it should be the McKroket. At first glance, it looks similar to some of McDonald's other deep-fried sandwiches like the Filet-O-Fish. However, bite into it and you'll find that it's crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, and has beefy, mustardy flavors. This is the fast food chain's version of a traditional Dutch kroket sandwich and many say the chain does a decent job of nailing the textures and flavors.

If you've had croquettes before, you may be familiar with the concept of kroketten. These popular Dutch snacks are breaded, deep-fried cylinders of goodness filled with a creamy meat ragout. The ragout can include meat like beef or chicken cooked with herbs, butter, flour, and milk. The mixture is then rolled in breading and deep-fried to give it a crunchy exterior. Kroketten can be eaten on their own or sandwiched between bread. McDonald's version features a deep-fried kroket patty with a beef ragout filling. It's topped with a creamy mustard sauce and sandwiched in a soft hamburger bun. 

Poutine is Canada's most famous dish, so it should come as no surprise that you can get poutine at McDonald's restaurants in Canada. For those who aren't familiar with this French Canadian comfort food, it consists of french fries topped with cheese curds and smothered in hot gravy. The gravy melts the cheese, creating a cohesive dish that's savory, gooey, and utterly moreish. Canadians can be pretty picky about their poutine, so it stands to reason that many aren't overly impressed with McDonald's regular poutine. However, the Spicy Buffalo Chicken Poutine is another story.

You can only get this amped-up version of McDonald's poutine in the province of Québec, which may be fitting considering that's where poutine was born. Don't expect anything remotely traditional though. The Spicy Buffalo Chicken Poutine features McDonald's french fries topped with stringy cheese curds, gravy, crispy pieces of deep-fried chicken, spicy buffalo sauce, and green onions. It's listed as a side dish, but this over-the-top poutine is anything but light. At 1,010 calories, this is a hefty meal on its own and could even be a shareable dish.

When McDonald's launched the McSpicy Paneer in India in 2011, it was so popular that restaurants had a hard time keeping it in stock. It proved so popular that it's now a permanent menu item and one of the chain's top sellers in India. It wasn't an easy menu item to make though. McDonald's spent two years developing the perfect paneer cheese patty. At first the company tried spicing up the paneer and using chutney to make it more flavorful. However, the winning combination was a breaded, deep-fried paneer "filet," which should surprise no one.

Vegetarian menu items are big sellers at McDonald's restaurants in India. In fact, this is the only country where you won't find a beef Big Mac on the McDonald's menu. Many Indian people don't eat beef or pork due to religious reasons or personal preferences, so the chain only sells chicken, fish, and vegetarian sandwiches. The McSpicy Paneer is a winner with locals and visitors alike because it combines classic Indian flavors with the guilty pleasures of fast food. It features a slab of paneer cheese coated in spicy breading and deep-fried. The patty is topped with lettuce and creamy tandoor sauce and served in a sesame seed bun.

When a Canadian McDonald's franchisee named Ron McLellan started mixing McDonald's soft serve ice cream with candy and toppings back in 1995, he never realized his innovative dessert would go viral. Today, you can find McFlurries in a vast variety of flavors across the globe. Think Oreo cookies, stroopwafel, and banana caramel pie. One flavor that's particularly beloved across Europe is the Lotus Biscoff McFlurry. It's crunchy, creamy, and infused with caramel and comforting baking spice flavors.

Biscoff cookies have a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century. At that time, the Dutch made biscuits with spices they acquired on their trips to the Spice Islands. The Belgians adapted the recipe with fewer spices and speculoos cookies were born. In 1932, a Belgian baker created his own version of speculoos and called them Lotus Biscoff. These much-loved thin cookies are slightly crunchy, slightly chewy, and have a rich caramelized brown sugar flavor with hints of cinnamon. It's easy to see why so many people find the combination of Biscoff cookies, McDonald's soft serve vanilla ice cream, and caramel sauce so crave-worthy.

Considering the close connection between Mexico and the United States, it may not be surprising that you can get many of the same McDonald's menu items on both sides of the border. Rock up to a McDonald's in Mexico and you can get a Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, or Spicy McCrispy chicken sandwich. What is surprising though is that the main McDonald's menu in Mexico doesn't have a whole lot of Mexican flair. For that you'll have to turn to the breakfast menu, which features several locally-inspired dishes and flavors. One breakfast dish that's worth traveling south for is the McMuffin a la Mexicana.

While McMuffins in the States typically feature either an odd disc-shaped egg that resembles a hockey puck or a flat folded-over egg, the Mexicana McMuffin features a fluffy scrambled egg-style omelet interspersed with chopped onions and peppers. The omelet is piled into an English muffin along with bacon, cheese, and a layer of refried beans. We can attest that this delicious breakfast offering is far more flavorful than its American counterparts. We wouldn't go so far as to say it's healthier, but at least you get some veggies in the mix.

It's always nice to see regional dishes on a McDonald's menu, and that's exactly what you get when you go to a McDonald's in Indonesia. Alongside the cheeseburgers and Happy Meals with Chicken McNuggets, you'll find several chicken and rice dishes that feature local Indonesian flavors. One dish that you should definitely try if you see it on the menu is the Ayam Gulai, which features crispy fried chicken smothered in a rich and creamy curry gravy.

Gulai is an Indonesian curry dish that's particularly popular on the islands of Sumatra and Java. It's typically made by grinding aromatic ingredients like shallots, ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, and chiles with a mortar and pestle. The paste is then cooked with coconut oil and coconut milk to make it creamy and impart even more flavor. It's the perfect addition to crispy fried chicken because the creaminess melds beautifully with the crunchy coating and juicy meat. At McDonald's, you can pair your ayam gulai with a side of rice to soak up the extra gravy and a refreshing Sosro Fruit Tea (or another drink of your choosing).

If you're missing the McDonald's Grilled Chicken Flatbread, you're not the only one. It was released in 2002 and featured grilled chicken strips in flatbread with lettuce, tomatoes, pepper Jack cheese, grilled onions, and a creamy herb sauce. Despite having a huge fan following, McDonald's inexplicably ripped it off the menu less than a year later. To say fans were disappointed would be an understatement. One chagrined flatbread lover even started a Change.org petition to bring the sandwich back. Well, what if we told you that McDonald's offers something similar, but you'll have to jump on a plane to get it?

The Chicken McArabia gives major Grilled Chicken Flatbread vibes with a few slight differences. This enticing sandwich features two grilled chicken patties with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions nestled in soft Arabic bread. It's also drizzled with a creamy garlic sauce. It's a great alternative to the greasy burgers and fried chicken sandwiches that the fast food chain is known for. Unfortunately for many of us, it's only available at McDonald's restaurants in select Middle Eastern countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

If you haven't yet experienced McDonald's in Japan, you're in for a treat should you decide to travel there. The menu is chock-full of interesting menu items that you won't find at your run-of-the-mill drive-thru. For the uninitiated, a good place to start is the Teriyaki McBurger. It's been on the menu since 1989 and has legions of fans. The burger features a juicy pork patty slathered in a tangy teriyaki sauce. The patty is topped with lettuce and sandwiched in a sesame seed bun.

There are a few different variations of the teriyaki burger at McDonald's in Japan. You can amp up the meat with the Bai Teriyaki McBurger, which features two beef patties. You can also try the Teriyaki Chicken Filet-O, which is essentially a McChicken with teriyaki sauce. You can also pair your teriyaki burger or sandwich with some interesting sides like edamame and corn or a side salad. One side dish we wish would make its way across the ocean is the Shaka Shaka Fries. The fries come in a paper bag with packets of seasoning that you can shake up with the fries. Interesting flavors have included garlic butter, wasabi, and plum with nori seaweed.

McFlurries around the world often feature sweet confections like cookies, chunks of chocolate bars, or candies. However, the McDonald's menu in Venezuela features a McFlurry that sports all the elements of a decadent cake that's popular in Latin America and beyond. The McFlurry Tres Leches combines creamy vanilla ice cream with pieces of soft vanilla cake, caramel, sweetened condensed milk, and a dusting of cinnamon.

A traditional tres leches cake consists of a sponge cake that's doused in a mix of regular milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk. The three different milks give the cake a beautifully moist texture and sweet, creamy flavor. Many people also top the cake with whipped cream and sprinkle it with cinnamon. Although there is some debate over where the cake originated, there's no disputing that it's become a beloved dessert across the Americas. This McDonald's McFlurry version may not be traditional, but customers can't seem to get enough of this delectable dessert.

When a name like the Philly Cheese Stack, you would think that this McDonald's menu item would somewhat resemble a Philly cheesesteak. However, that's not exactly the case. First off, it's a burger — a double cheeseburger to be exact. It features two beef patties, two slices of cheese, liquid cheese sauce, grilled onions, crispy onions, and dill pickles in a toasted sesame seed bun. It might not resemble the popular American sandwich it seems to be named after, but customers in the U.K. wax lyrical about this limited-time burger.

The Philly Cheese Stack first appeared on McDonald's menus in the U.K. in October 2023. One month later, the burger was gone and people took to the internet to beg for its return. One fan even created a Change.org petition imploring McDonald's to put it on the permanent menu. McDonald's hasn't added the burger to its year-round menu yet, but it did bring it back in the fall of 2024. It remains to be seen if it will be a regular seasonal offering, but if it does come back, it may be worth checking out. As one Reddit fan said, "It slaps as hard as a burger claiming to be a Philly cheese stack should."

If you happen to be in Costa Rica and craving a hearty breakfast, you could do a whole lot worse than the McPinto Deluxe at McDonald's. It's named after a popular Costa Rican breakfast dish called gallo pinto, which translates directly to "speckled rooster." You might think that indicates it's a chicken dish, but the dish actually consists of stir-fried rice with beans and chopped vegetables. The name comes from the way the beans and veggies look when mixed into the rice.

The McPinto Deluxe features rice and beans, but that's not all you get with this amply sized breakfast platter. It also includes scrambled eggs, sausage patties, grilled plantains, and tortillas. On the side you get a serving of creamy natilla, which is Costa Rica's version of sour cream. If all that sounds a bit much, you could just get the regular McPinto with gallo pinto, natilla, and tortillas. The McPinto con Huevo is another option with gallo pinto, tortillas, natilla, and eggs. 

You can't visit Malaysia without trying the national dish of nasi lemak. It's so popular that it's even a permanent menu item at McDonald's. Traditional nasi lemak has white rice cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaves as its base. The rice is typically served with a fried egg, sambal (a spicy chili paste), fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, and cucumber slices. At McDonald's, you get all of that minus the peanuts.

McDonald's doesn't always nail it when it comes to traditional dishes, but many people say the "Mekdi" version is quite good. Fans say the rice is fluffy and fragrant and the sambal is on point. However, many say the dish is even better if you order it with the Ayam Goreng McD (crispy fried chicken). If you want to kick the heat up a notch, order the Ayam Goreng spicy instead of regular. You can also add Chicken McNuggets to your nasi lemak or get any of the burgers or sandwiches and use the nasi lemak as a side dish instead of fries.