As a way to accommodate cultural and regional tastes, many American fast food restaurants have to change some of their menu items (or come up with new ones) when they expand to other countries. Here are 15 examples.
McDonald's
1. Beer
In McDonald's restaurants in some European countries—including Germany, France, Austria, and Switzerland—you can buy beer in 8-oz and 12-oz sizes. Heineken provides McDonald’s with beer, but local breweries (such as Kronenbourg Brewery in France) also supply the fast food chain.
2. The McArabia
McDonald's
The McArabia is a pita sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and garlic mayonnaise served in many Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and parts of Pakistan. The McArabia comes in two varieties: grilled chicken or grilled kofta (ground beef or lamb), wrapped in pita bread.
3. Spicy Paneer Wrap
McDonald's
Since a majority of Indians are vegetarian, McDonald’s India caters to their tastes with meatless options like the BigSpicy Paneer Wrap, which is made up of paneer patties (a type of Indian cheese) wrapped in a grilled tortilla and served with mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and various herbs and spices.
4. Chicken McDo and Spaghetti
McDonald's
Offered at McDonald’s Philippines, the Chicken McDo is a single piece of fried chicken—usually a leg—served with spaghetti topped with meat sauce.
5. McLobster
McDonald's
The McLobster is served at a number of McDonald’s locations throughout Canada. The sandwich consists of Atlantic Lobster meat, diced celery, shredded lettuce, and salad dressing, served on a hotdog-style bun. It’s offered as a summer seasonal menu item.
See Also: 10 Secret Menu Items from Fast Food Restaurants
6. The Mega Mac
McDonald's
The Mega Mac is really a double Big Mac. Instead of two all-beef patties, you get four. You still get the special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions served on a sesame seed bun—it’s just bigger. The Mega Mac is not officially available in the United States, but you can order the sandwich in many countries around the world, including Australia, China, Japan, Turkey, and Singapore.
Pizza Hut
7. Crown Crust Pizza with Cheeseburgers
Pizza Hut
The Crown Crust Pizza is a pizza with mini-cheeseburgers baked into the crust. It resembles a crown (hence the name) and is topped with beef, lettuce, tomato slices, and drizzled with special Pizza Hut sauce. If cheeseburgers aren’t your thing, you can order the pie with a chicken fillet crown instead. The menu item is available at various Pizza Hut restaurants in the Middle East.
8. Stuffed Pan Pizza
Pizza Hut
Introduced in April 2014, Pizza Hut Philippines offers a Stuffed Pan Pizza with BBQ chicken and cream cheese baked inside of its crust—which takes up a third of the pizza’s size. The crust is almost like an empanada, but inside of a pizza.
9. Hot Dog Stuffed Crust Pizza
Pizza Hut
While you can only get cheese in stuffed crust pizza in America, you can now have hot dogs baked into a stuffed crust in the United Kingdom. Pizza Hut UK started to sell Hot Dog Stuffed Crust Pizza in 2012 and now imported the menu item to Canada. It comes with your choice of Heinz Ketchup or Heinz Honey Mustard Dip.
See Also: The Meanings Behind the Weird Symbols on 20 Beer Labels
Burger King
10. Chicken Nugget Burger
Burger King
Instead of a burger patty, the Chicken Nugget Burger is made of Burger King’s chicken nuggets served between a hamburger bun with lettuce, mayonnaise, and spicy sauce. The menu item is only available at Burger King UK, but a variation of the sandwich with barbeque sauce is offered in Germany.
11. Pumpkin Burger
Burger King
Burger King Japan offers a Pumpkin Burger, which contains two slices of kabocha (a type of squash), bacon, lettuce, an all-beef patty, and a creamy nut sauce made from peanuts, cashews, sesame seeds, almonds, and hazelnuts. They also offer a "pumpkin bomb," which is just 10 slices of pumpkin.
12. X-tra Long Burger
Burger King
In some European markets like Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, you can order a X-tra Long Burger from Burger King. The big sandwich consists of three all-beef patties laid out horizontally on a long sesame seed bun. The Chili Cheese X-tra Long Burger is served with chili-cheese sauce and jalapeños and is offered in all three countries, while the Rodeo BBQ version with barbecue sauce, cheese, and onion rings is only available in the Netherlands.
Taco Bell
13. Egg-citing Cheesy Burrito
Taco Bell
This burrito is made up of scrambled egg crumble, chopped onions, and gooey cheesy potatoes served inside of a large grilled tortilla. The burrito is offered at various Taco Bell India locations.
Dunkin’ Donuts
14. Dry Pork and Seaweed Donuts
Dunkin Donuts
Topped with dehydrated pork and seaweed pieces, this donut is a mixture of salty and sweet tastes from Dunkin' Donuts China.
See Also: The Original Locations of 15 Famous Food Chains
15. Wasabi Cheese Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts Singapore offers a Wasabi Cheese Donut, which is green and is described as having a spicy cheese flavor.