McDonald's in Korea

I'm not ashamed to admit I get cravings for McDonald's, just like anybody else. Despite eating a multitude of fabulous Korean dishes throughout my time here, sometimes I just want fast food and something "Western." McDonald's has quickly become my go-to for this fix because although they have many Korean-influenced menu items, they serve a number of the signature American staples. Many of my fellow expats in Korea know what I mean. Even when dining out at "Western" restaurants, 99% of the time the food will still be Korean style.

 

McDonald's has also piqued my interest in new mash-ups of individual menu items as well as something new altogether (corn soup, anyone?). Take a look at the menu items we've seen and eaten at McDonald's in Korea below.

Breakfast

1. Shanghai Chicken Snack Wrap - I haven't tried this out for breakfast, but I'm a fan of it as a snack. So why not breakfast, too? A spicy chicken strip and spicy mayo all rolled into a convenient little wrap.

Burgers

1. Bulgogi Burger - Sweeter than the usual bulgogi marinade, it serves as the sauce on top of the burger. If you're a fan of sweeter than usual bulgogi, this is right up your alley.
2. Hambak Burger - Imagine a sweet tomato-based barbeque sauce drenching a burger. There's your Hambak Burger.
3. Big Mac BLT - I think the last time I ate a regular Big Mac was probably in high school. The addition of bacon and tomato wasn't a bad idea at all.
4. 1955 and Double 1955 Burger - I ordered this back in the summer and it had a crispy hash brown in the middle of it. Although, the last time I looked, it's sans hash brown. It was an absolute mess to eat, but completely worth it.
5. Supreme Shrimp Burger - I think this is Korea's answer to the Filet-o-Fish. A crispy shrimp patty sandwiched between a bun with plenty of spicy mayo sauce.
6. Shrimp Beef Burger - Surf and Turf, McDonald's style. I haven't ventured to try this behemoth yet, but it's the Supreme Shrimp Burger plus a beef patty.
7. Golden Egg Cheeseburger - Golden Egg from the Golden Arches. Everything's better with an egg on it, if you're into that.

Sides

1. Corn Soup - As I mentioned in my Korean Snacks post, corn soup is an incredibly popular flavor for snacks here. Corns abundance as a crop has been put to good use in this soup.
2. Golden Mozzarella Cheese Sticks - Who doesn't love a good cheese stick? These were a surprising find on the sides menu, but they almost eclipse my love for the OG french fries. Almost.
3. Shanghai Chicken Snack Wrap - Same as mentioned from the breakfast menu above.
4. Wedge Fries - These were offered for a little bit during the summer. I am an equal opportunity fries fan, as long as they're crispy. The seasoned and crispy wedges did not let me down.

Chicken

1. McSpicy Shanghai Burger - Reminds me of the usual spicy chicken sandwich, nothing particularly special despite the jazzy name.
2. Crispy Oriental Burger - Change the McSpicy Shanghai Burger to dark meat, add onions and pickles and you've got the Crispy Oriental Burger.
3. McSpicy Chicken Tenders - Spicy is the default here, no buttermilk or glazed options. Served alongside only three sauce options: cajun, sweet chili or sweet and sour.

Sauces

1. Cajun - Basically a spicy mayo blend.
2. Sweet Chili - Equal parts spicy and sweet.
3. Sweet and Sour - Exactly as it tastes in the States. More sour than sweet.

Desserts

1. Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie - Chocolate crust, sweet cream cheese and raspberry filling. A surefire trio in handheld form.
2. Oreo Affogato - A dessert mix up of crumbled Oreos, espresso and vanilla soft serve. An inspired take on the traditional affogato.
3. Seasonal Dipped Cones - Spring brought the cherry blossom flavored dipped cone. So far it's back to chocolate dipped cones, even though I was thinking they'd take advantage of the pumpkin spice lovers out there for a fall version of the cult classic.

What's your go-to fast food place when you're on the road? Leave the name of the restaurant in the comments below. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and check in for my regular posts over on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.