10 Unique International Menu Items Served At This Chicago McDonald's

It's pretty much a given fact among fans at this point that McDonald's international menus are far more interesting than what we get in America, but there is one McD's location in Chicago where you can get a taste of what the rest of the world is enjoying. In 2018, the company moved from suburban Oak Brook, Illinois, and opened a new McDonald's headquarters in Chicago, specifically the West Loop neighborhood known for some of the trendiest restaurants in the city. While the burger chain may not be able to compete on high-end dining, it did make the fast food stop in its new HQ a little more interesting, opening what has been dubbed as the McDonald's Global Menu Restaurant.

At the McDonald's Global Menu Restaurant, you'll find a standard full-service location, but on the menu, you will also see a rotating selection of international McDonald's menu items that are sold in the over 100 countries the company operates in around the world. There are usually six to nine global items available at any given time, mixed between sandwiches, sides, and desserts.

It's important to note that the international items menu changes roughly every three months. While some items have recurred multiple times over the years, there is no guarantee that what you see here will be on the menu when you visit. If you want to see what's currently on the menu, you can change your location on the McDonald's app and select the Randolph Street location in Chicago or check the same location on delivery apps like UberEats. But, as you'll see below, there is such a wide variety of McDonald's items that you'll always find at least a few interesting options.

One of the most lamented omissions from McDonald's menu in the U.S. is the McPops. These bite-sized, soft, filled donut are menu staples in a few countries around the world, including Australia, and they were also served at McD's short-lived CosMc spin-off, so they are pretty much on the global menu all the time. Common flavors are hazelnut and Biscoff from Spain and berry from Switzerland.

Like the McPops, McDonald's sweet potato fries have been featured on menus in a few different countries around the world, although they now seem to be limited to Norway as a permanent menu item. Considering how beloved McDonald's standard fries are, a sweet potato variety with the same thin-and-crispy form factor would be fascinating to try. It's certainly a hit among customers looking to mix up the pretty basic selection of sides at McDonald's.

This is one of the more fascinating items that has appeared multiple times on the global menu. This is not a steak sandwich, but a burger that remains a recurring special offering in the UK. What makes it "Philly," is apparently just the amount of cheese, as it features a creamy cheese sauce in addition to slices of American cheese. It offers both grilled and crispy onions, with pickles on a double burger. 

Like the Philly Cheese Stack, the Samurai Burger from McDonald's in Singapore is not a regular item, but does show up on a regular basis, not unlike the Shamrock Shake or McRib. It's quite simple but shows McDonald's potential to embrace more international flavors. Simply a double patty with lettuce and mayo, the burger is coated in the chain's own variety of teriyaki sauce, adding a sweeter, tangier taste.

One thing that the U.S. menu sorely lacks is vegetarian options, especially since McDonald's killed its McPlant burger. The McAloo Tikki is a famous mainstay in India, where cows are considered sacred and beef is even banned in some states. The McAloo Tikki is instead made with a fried vegetarian patty that uses potato and peas, flavored with Indian spices, and then coated in breadcrumbs before being topped with a creamy mayo, onions, and tomato.

Even for items like the McFlurry, international customers often get local flavors we never see but which sound amazing. There are quite a few good-looking McFlurry flavors in Italy, including a Snickers variety, but the most Italian option is the simple pistachio McFlurry. It's made with a swirl of pistachio cream dispersed in the vanilla ice cream and topped with crunchy crumbs and pistachios.

Speaking of different flavors of McDonald's favorites, this is the McNugget option we didn't know we needed. While we just get the occasional spicy McNuggets, Japan gets a unique variation made with a black pepper and garlic flavored coating. It also comes with a special garlic and soy mayo dip, so you'll get a double dose of Japanese tastes if you find them on the global menu in Chicago.

Many of the international McDonald's menu items at the Chicago headquarters cater to local tastes, but some are just burgers that seem like they should be on the menu everywhere. That's the case with this option from Saudi Arabia. Instead of any familiar Middle Eastern flavors, you'll get what amounts to a mushroom-Swiss burger, with mushrooms, Emmental cheese, tomatoes, and a smokey sauce.

Lest you think the Global Menu McDonald's is missing out on real Middle Eastern options, it once served the Chicken McArabia, which came from the UAE menu but is available in many variations across the region. Made with "McArabia bread" (aka pita), it has two grilled halal chicken patties, with fresh lettuce, tomato, and onions, and a garlic-flavored mayo made with garlic crispies.

Okay, onion rings aren't that unique, but they sure are at McDonald's, and a staple a lot of customers would probably welcome. Unfortunately, the chain saves a lot of money by keeping its menu relatively simple, and its fries are one of the more profitable items, so we'll probably never see these McD's rings stateside, even as a limited-time offering. That's what makes the chance to try them in Chicago special.