Though it may have started out in America, McDonald’s has long since become a global
brand. And its offerings and services in each country are quite different from the usual
fare in America, especially in Spain. So here are 10 ways McDonald’s in Spain is so much
better than in America.
Fried potato wedges
French fries are a McDonald's staple. They are loved just as much as burgers by loyal
customers. There’s just a certain kind of satisfaction that you derive from biting into
a delicious golden fry that’s crunchy on the outside and mashed potato-ey on the inside.
But alas, what if you get tired of the same thing over and over again. And even though
McDonald's fries are amazing, sometimes you just want something different. McDonald's
in Spain understands this and gives you exactly that. Another option for deep-fried potato
goodness in the form of their Patatas Deluxe. Also known as Wedge Top Fries, Patatas Deluxe
can be simply described as small wedges of potato that are fried to crispy perfection
on the outside yet leave them soft on the inside. These are then seasoned with just
the right amount of salt and served hot. Patatas Deluxe is served with a choice of two sauces
- brava sauce or aioli sauce. Brava sauce is a tomato-based sauce that is slightly spicy
and sweet. The aioli sauce is similar to a garlic-y mayo sauce. The brava sauce may be
a little too spicy for standard American palates but the aioli sauce is a familiar condiment
that will go down well in the U.S. Or you mix the two sauces together to get the best
of both worlds. Patatas Bravas is a very popular snack served in tapas bars across
Spain. And McDonald's did well by incorporating this local flavor to its menu there.
More than just Chicken McNuggets
Besides french fries, there are really only a couple of other finger-foods that we in
America can enjoy at McDonald's. But that’s not the case in Spain. McDonald's Spain's
side game is on fire! There’s just so many more options to choose from. Beside the usual
Chicken McNuggets, you have carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, chicken wings, ham croquettes,
cheese and bacon topped fries, need I go on! And one of the most innovative sides here
is the Chicken McBites. These fun little snacks are small balls of ground-up chicken, coated
in a batter and deep-fried to golden brown perfection. Though they’re essentially made
from the same ingredients as McNuggets, customers believe that the taste is different and enjoyable.
Even if adult Americans may not quite take to it that much, this item would surely be
a hit with the kids in the US. A curious side that McDonald's Spain had at one point
in time was something called Fish McBites. Fish McBites did make a brief appearance in the
U.S. in 2013 but they were discontinued soon after because the sales, well, they were pretty
low. Another delicious side offering is McCroquetas de Jamón. These are simply creamy cheese and
potato mixtures rolled into balls, breaded and deep-fried till crunchy. Inside you’ll
find bits of smoky and flavorful Jamón ibérico (or Iberian ham for those of you stateside).
These impressive snacks are the McDonald's version of a typical Spanish tapas bar item
called croquettes. You’ll find croquettes on almost every tapas menu in Spain. And the McCroquetas de
Jamón at McDonald's Spain has a mighty impressive taste. This is certainly something we would
like to have in America too!
Local breakfast options
Like many countries that McDonald's operates in, they attempt to cater to local tastes
and cuisines the best they can, even for the breakfast menu. The breakfast options at McDonald's
in Spain are quite interesting and reflect local tastes and flavors very well. They have
croissants, muffins, toast with tomato and olive oil and breakfast sandwiches all on
their McBreakfast menu. Their breakfast sandwiches are as unique and different from each other
as they are tasty. For example, consider the Potato Tortilla sandwich (or Capricho
de Tortilla de Patata). It consists of a potato-based omelet smeared with tomato and extra virgin
olive oil. It's mighty tasty and quite different than any breakfast sandwich your ever eat
at a McDonald's in the States. Then there’s the Tentación Iberica, which is a typical
Mediterranean sandwich consisting of delicious ham covered in tomato and extra virgin olive
oil placed between two sides of crusty bread. Iberian ham with bread is a staple on Spanish breakfast
tables and McDonald's has done well by honoring the local culture and incorporating this traditional
breakfast item on the menu. McDonald's in America could certainly do with these delicious
Spanish additions to their menu.
Gazpacho
McDonald's isn’t exactly known for serving healthy food. But their outlets in the States
have started to feature a few healthy options over the years. Salads, fruit slices, oatmeal,
these are just a few options that health-conscious eaters can try at McDonald's in the US. But
their European counterparts have gone several steps ahead and introduced soups on the menu.
In fact, finding a variety of soups on McDonald's European outlet menus is not uncommon. For
instance, you could find cream of vegetable soup, creamy pea soup, and a Portuguese classic
Caldo Verde soup made from greens and potatoes on the McDonald's Portugal menu. And in McDonald's
Spain, they have delicious and refreshing gazpacho! For those of you who don't know,
gazpacho’s a traditional cold soup made from tomatoes and various other vegetables
blended together. It’s a popular soup to have in the summer and is much-loved in Spain.
At McDonald's they sell bottled gazpacho - how innovative! This ready to drink gazpacho
is both filling and refreshing. Since it’s made from blended vegetables, it’s healthy
and perfect for both adults and children. Definitely more healthy than burgers or fries.
McDonald's Spain has done a fine job of balancing caloric fast food with some healthy options
like the gazpacho. The packaged gazpacho is actually made by PepsiCo. We wonder why PepsiCo
couldn't supply some tasty gazpacho to Mickey D's in U.S. too? Just imagine, how cool would
it be if you can just walk up a McDonald's and order gazpacho! We're pretty sure that
health-conscious customers would start frequenting the outlets too.
Innovative burgers and sandwiches
Not satisfied with the boring Big Mac and the tired Quarter Pounder, McDonald's Spain
has added their own unique burgers and sandwiches to the menu that are more suitable to the
average Spanish palate. Take their Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger for example. It's
a giant and tasty creation that’s loaded with all the fixings! This gorgeous burger
has an extremely juicy beef patty sandwiched between two slices of real gouda cheese with
applewood-smoked bacon and onion slivers. And of course, there’s the glue that binds
it all together - a flavorful McBacon sauce, which is a creamy mayonnaise sauce that has
a tangy and smoky taste. All this melt-in-your-mouth goodness is sandwiched between two pieces
of a toasted bun. Mmm-Mmm-Yum! The simple yet unbelievably delicious combination of
gouda and bacon takes this Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger to another level altogether.
Sadly, it was a limited-time-only option in McDonald's U.S. outlets but features on the
regular menu of McDonald's Spain. Then there’s the Big Double Creamy sandwich that consists
of two beef patties sandwiched between an oval-shaped semolina topped bun with tomatoes,
onions and a mouthwatering Camembert sauce. The sauce is smoky and creamy, elevating this
ordinary sandwich to a ridiculously tasty level! And one more innovative burger at Mickey
D’s Spain is the Goat Cheese Burger, which is from their ‘Signature’ collection.
It's made from 100% natural Gallego beef, caramelized onions, Batavia lettuce, an out-of-this-world
onion sauce with the wonderful addition of real goat’s cheese.
Trendy decor
The ubiquitous golden arches are the universal symbol of McDonald's. But their restaurants
in America aren’t exactly known for their marvelous interior design. The restaurant
interiors are not drab by any means, some would even call them cheerful, but they are
just that - colorful, functional and frankly, boring. But the European McDonald's restaurants
are something different altogether. At many places in Europe, restaurants are required
to comply with strict rules about the exterior facade of the restaurant so that they are
in keeping with the beauty and heritage of the surroundings. Thus, the exterior facades
of some McDonald's are simply breathtaking. And the same goes for their interiors as
well. One stand out location has to be the McDonald's found on Gran Via in Madrid, also
known "Spanish Broadway". And this location fits right in as it's presentation is actually
fairly theatrical. You would never think you were walking into a McDonald's. This multi-floor
McDonald's location looks more like a swanky hotel lobby than it does a fast food restaurant.
This location has become a tourist attraction and you'll find many people going here just
to experience it and take pictures, and we don't blame them, this McDonald's location
is truly one of a kind.
McPops
Featured on the McCafé menu of McDonald's Spain is one of their most unique dessert
creations - McPops! One look at the McPops and we’re sure that you’ll want to fill
out an order ASAP! Simply put, McPops are donut holes with a yummy filling in the center.
The filling comes in two flavors - chocolate cream with hazelnut and white chocolate cream.
These sugar-dusted confections are not just cute to look at, but terribly tasty too. The
little bite-sized donut holes are sweet and soft. Kids will surely love them but adults
might find them somewhat hard to resist too! We see no reason why these wouldn't be loved
in America. After all, we love donuts and we love donut holes. So, what's not to love
about donut holes with a sweet sweet center? We bet that if these McPops made it to the
McDonald's U.S. menus, they would be a phenomenal hit.
Mickey D’s Spain And Chicken Wings
While Americans have to contend with just Chicken McNuggets, McDonald's Spain offers
its customers Chicken Wings too. Found on the extensive sides section of the menu, Chicken
Wings here are scrumptious and some even say that they taste better than at other restaurants
in Spain. The wings at McDonald's Spain are crispy and coated with a spectacular barbecue
sauce that will make it impossible to have just one piece. And that is a good thing because
the Chicken Wings here are served in portions of four to eleven wings; perfect to have by
yourself or to share with others. Appealing to both children and adults, the wings are
irresistible and undoubtedly sell like hotcakes. McDonald's Spain even offers you the option of mixing
Chicken Wings with Chicken McNuggets in a bucket. Now that's some seriously yummy stuff!
Many of you might be thinking, wow wings at McDonald's wish we had that here! Well McDonald's
actually tried this with their Mighty Wings, and unfortunately they failed and were discontinued.
But who knows, maybe their success in Spain will lead to a second attempt here in America!
Smaller portion sizes
American food, on average, comes in much larger serving sizes than the rest of the world is
used to. In fact, for Europeans, regular American portion sizes are considered 'large'. So,
it should really come as no surprise that there are very few supersized items at McDonald's
Spain. On the whole, their servings are smaller, catered towards the eating habits of the Spanish
people. And this is a good thing too, for smaller portion sizes are better for your
waistline. McDonald's in the U.S. doesn't much help fight its obesity epidemic with
its enormous portions. While we understand that reducing portion sizes at McDonald's
in America would create quite a furor, we really do wish that they would at least give
it a shot, even if on an experimental basis. Our waistlines and blood pressure would certainly
appreciate it.
It's Beer O'Clock Somewhere
If you were to describe McDonald's in a few words, it would certainly include the words
- cheap, fast and very American. The latter because McDonald's truly does embody the standard
American fare of burgers, sandwiches, milkshakes, and soda. And speaking of soda, how awesome
are the free soda refills in the U.S.? While Americans celebrate their free soda refills,
their Spanish counterparts seem to have the last laugh. Why you ask? Well, Mickey D's
in Spain has free beer! We'll wait a minute while you pick your jaw back up from the floor. While
not exactly free, in Spain, beer can be chosen instead of a soda when you order a McMenu
meal. Which are basically the same as our Combo Meals, which come with a soda. In Spain
you have beer as an option as your drink of choice to go with your McMenu Meal. You can
opt for a Mahou beer or even non-alcoholic Mahou beer. Mahou is a Spanish brand of beers
and are what's offered to those looking to add a little kick to their McMenu meal. I'm
sure many of us here in America would love for this to be a reality here too, but for
now, this is just one of the ways McDonald's is simply better in Spain, than it is in America.
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