The Hunt for the Best European McNugget® title with a chicken nugget wearing a crown. (Stripes Staff)
Being stationed in Europe comes with quite a few perks. My favorites are the opportunities to travel and try new foods. I have eaten escargot in France, Belgian chocolate and waffles in Antwerp, schnitzel in Germany as well as sipped tea with scones and clotted cream in England. While these regional dishes elicited a variety of responses (snails are not for me; however, Belgian chocolate is superb), there is a commonality hidden amongst all of the restaurants I’ve seen in city centers: McDonald’s.
When I see the sign, I almost immediately hear the voice of Michal Keaton in my head saying, “The Arches.” Those M-shaped golden arches alert every visitor, especially travelers with picky eaters amongst them, that McNuggets®, cheeseburgers, Happy Meals® and more are accessible to them, even when they are far from home.
Kids meal (Tamala Malerk)
When I am visiting a new country, of course I want to try their culinary specialties; nonetheless, I also try McNuggets® in every country I visit to see who reigns supreme in having the best chicken nugget. I have tried McNuggets® in 13 countries: the U.S. (yes, I count this), England, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Czechia and, most recently, Poland (which was a top five Mcnugget).
I realize that the term “best” is subjective and what I think is the best could be different from what the best is for someone else. The three main things I consider when trying McNuggets® are:
Flavor- Does it taste good?
Breading-to-chicken ratio- Is there too much breading and lack of chicken? Or is there too much chicken and not enough breading and seasoning to add flavor?
Crunch- No one likes a soggy nugget. To make it to the top of my list, there must be a distinctive *crunch* sound when I first bite into the nugget.
I have yet to have a bad McNugget®, but most of them fall under, “yep, this is a McNugget®.” However, some McNuggets® stand out. France reigned supreme for the best nugget from 2019-2023. However, in summer 2023, Liechtenstein, which had the most expensive McNugget® at 5 Swiss Francs for four (not even a full Happy Meal®), took the crown. It must be those high-quality, expensive ingredients.
Sometimes, I will get an entire Happy Meal® so that I can see how the toys vary across the countries and that has afforded me some really cool German Pokémon cards as well as French and Dutch children’s books. It also lets me experience what different countries consider a side dish for a kids’ meal. Instead of apples in the Netherlands, they gave me cherry tomatoes.
McRaclette® in open container (Tamala Malerk)
If McNuggets® aren’t your thing or you want to try other food, each country tends to have something special that you will not find in the U.S. Here are some items to try on your European adventures.
Germany
McNuggets® + Pizzataschen (pizza bites) Box: Add some fries and a McFlurry® and put on your favorite comfort movie for the ultimate night in.
Chocolate Chips and Caramel Sauce McFlurry®: Vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips and caramel sauce.
Italy
McChicken® The Provolone: The Italian take on a McDonald’s classic featuring Provolone Valpadana and mayonnaise with capers from the Aeolian Islands.
Baci® Perugina® McFlurry®: This decadent Italian dark chocolate treat is swirled with vanilla ice cream for a tasty after dinner treat.
The U.K.
Veggie Dippers: Red pepper and sundried tomato pesto covered in breadcrumbs and fried.
Galaxy® Chocolate and Raspberry Pie: Chocolate pastry filled with raspberry compote and Galaxy® chocolate ganache.
Poland
McRoyal® Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon: A cheesy, spicy and saucy twist on the classic burger which features jalapeño and BBQ sauce.
Coconut Iced Latte with Whipped Cream: Espresso is combined with a creamy coconut base, topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream for a sweet drink.
Spain
McExtreme® Pulled Pork Doble: Two beef patties are topped with pulled pork and crispy fried onions and smoky bacon, smothered in BBQ sauce with smoked cheese and bacon.
McDalene®: You have your choice muffins, either chocolate or salted caramel, that make for a yummy bite with a hot coffee from the McCafé®.
Belgium
McCrispy® Samurai: A crispy chicken sandwich with Batavia lettuce, cheddar cheese, two pieces of bacon, red onion and slightly spicy Samurai sauce.
Lotus Biscoff McFlurry®: Vanilla ice cream with Lotus Biscoff cookie crumble.
The Netherlands
McKroket: A fried beef burger topped with a creamy mustard sauce.
Stroop Waffle McFlurry®: This Dutch classic dessert is blended with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for a delicious treat.
France
The Royal Deluxe: A beef and steak burger, onions, lettuce, mustard sauce and tomato. Add cheese for Samuel L. Jackson’s iconic “Royale with Cheese.”
Le Bio à Boire Fraise (organic strawberry drink): A French dessert that is a healthier, yogurt-based version of a strawberry milkshake.
Luxembourg
McPlant Mango Chili: A Beyond Meat burger with crispy onions, lettuce, tomato, cheese and mango chili sauce.
Twix McFlurry® with White Caramel Sauce: Crispy Twix pieces and white caramel sauce mixed with vanilla ice cream.
Ireland
McSpicy® x Frank’s RedHot®: What pairs better with spicy chicken than more spice from Frank’s sauce?
Sugar Donut: It’s simple; it’s sweet; it’s tasty.
Switzerland
Homestyle Curry Veggie: A crunchy Valess brand meat-substitute sandwich with lettuce, tomato and curry sauce. (For those who eat meat, I recommend the McRaclette®).
Torino McFlurry®: Vanilla ice cream mixed with Swiss Torino chocolate and almonds.
Liechtenstein
Shrimp: Dip the fried shrimp into cocktail sauce.
McPops®: Similar to mini donut holes filled with either wild berry jam, apple cinnamon compote or chocolate hazelnut sauce.
Czechia
Cheese King: This burger has bacon and a giant piece of fried cheese added to it for the ultimate experience of savory indulgence. It is also available as a chicken sandwich
Dubai Style Donut: This trend has hit Czechia. The cocoa pastry is filled with pistachio cream for a sweet treat.
Editor’s Note: All “Mc” titles such as McFlurry, McNugget, Happy Meal and McCrispy are registered trademarks and owned by the McDonalds corporation. Some items listed may no longer be available when you go on your European McDonald’s adventure.
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