I Tried McDonalds in Every Country I Visited- Here's My Ranking
Aaya Anan
McDonald's is an iconic global brand that has mastered the art of glocalization, which basically means they tailor their menu to suit the unique markets and tastes of various countries around the world. Because of this, I've made it my personal mission to embark on a McDonald's adventure in (mostly) every country I visit. Now, let me take you on a journey through my unforgettable encounters with McDonald's, as I rank my experiences from the not-so-great to the absolute best. But before we dive in, let's establish a benchmark: the good ol' McDonald's back home in the USA. I used it as a control variable to compare and contrast the international McDonald's I came across.
10. Lisbon, Portugal
I ordered the Chicken Delights, Chicken Wrap, and Cheeseburger and honestly I was so disappointed. The chicken tasted so fake and to be completely frank, I couldn't finish it. Maybe I just ordered the wrong things or didn't go to the right McDonald's but based off my singular experience in the Lisbon McDonald's, it takes the last spot.
9. Berlin, Germany
I ordered Curly Fries, Normal Fries, Cheeseburger, Cheesecake, Orange Fanta. The Cheeseburger was fine, it tasted like anything you can find in America. I was intrigued they had cheesecake on the menu but unfortunately it was very average. Both the Curly Fries and the normal fries were so incredibly oily it made it hard to eat. I had a big stomach-ache after.
8. Cairo, Egypt
I had very high hopes for the Egypt McDonald's and this is why it makes me so sad to put it this low on the ranking list. I ordered a Big Mac and Fries and it just tasted so incredibly average. I preferred the USA McDonald's to it.
7. Singapore
I ordered a Breakfast Burger and Hash Browns and Sprite and it tasted pretty good. It was nothing amazing but it was good. The price was also really good- I paid around $3USD for everything,
6. CONTROL VARIABLE - USA MCDONALD'S
I am basically saying that everything from 7-10 is worse than the USA McDonald's and everything 1-5 is better than the USA McDonalds.
5. Marrakesh, Morocco
To be honest, I forgot to document exactly what I ordered but I do remember this meal being really good. I do remember I ordered a strawberry juice and a Cheeseburger and a couple other sandwiches. The Cheeseburger tasted better than the USA and the strawberry juice was amazing.
4. Amman, Jordan
I ordered the Hash Browns, Spicy Nuggets, Normal Nuggets, and Fries. This meal was really really good. The nuggets were so good, way better than the USA. The Spicy Nuggets were my favorite part of the meal, it had such good flavor. However the fries were good but could use a little more salt, hence why this McDonald's isn't higher on the list.
3. Italy - Florence and Milan
I tried the McDonald's in Florence and Milan and they were both consistently good. I ordered the Chicken Wings, Chicken Nuggets, Fries, McFlurry. I don't have much to say other than everything was super good. No complaints with any of the menu items, they were flavorful.
2. Paris, France
I loved this McDonald's! I ordered Chicken Nuggets, Potato Wedges, and Macaroons. And everything was so so so good. Especially the potato wedges, I could eat those all day every day. The macaroons were a very good touch too.
1. Spain - Madrid and Barcelona
THIS WAS SO GOOD. I went to Madrid 3 times and went to McDonalds every single time I visited. I ordered Potato Wedges and Chicken Wings. And wow let me tell you, it is so good. The Chicken wings especially, so flavorful. I still crave them to this day. I also visited the Barcelona one and it was consistent with the one in Madrid. If you are ever in Spain, make sure you visit the McDonalds there.
Just remember this was made for fun and based off my personal experiences and opinions - I am in no way a McDonald's expert.