MCDONALD’S is launching a new menu within days – but how did it stand up in a taste test?
The home of the Big Mac is adding four never-before-seen items to its offering on Wednesday.
Fast food fans will be able to get their hands on a Birthday Cake Doughnut and Cheesy Garlic Bread Dippers.
Two new McFlurry flavours are also making their way to menus – Munchies Cookie Dough and Milkybar Raspberry Ripple.
Three burgers are also making a comeback, including two versions of the Double Big Mac and the McCrispy BBQ Smokehouse.
The Sun got an exclusive invite to try the four new menu items before anyone else ahead of their debut on menus this week.
Here, reporter Sam Walker reveals what he thought.
Bear in mind, if you fancy trying the latest additions, which mark McDonald’s 50-year anniversary in the UK, they will only be on menus for around six weeks.
Cheesy Garlic Bread Dippers
5
I’m always quick to add any type of cheesy bite on to my McDonald’s order and love garlic bread, so was keen to give the new Cheesy Garlic Bread Dippers a try.
The dippers combine mozzarella cheese flavoured with garlic chives in a ciabatta-style breadcrumb coating, served with rich tomato dip.
They will cost you £2.39 for a pack of four and £6.49 for a larger sharebox.
The first thing I noticed when taking a bite was the instant crunch of the batter followed by the gooey and salty cheese, with the garlic chives offering a nice herby undertone.
The texture of the cheese was a bit rubbery though, and the rich tomato sauce was too sweet and watery, and lacking depth of flavour.
I’ll probably just leave the sauce on the side when I go to buy the dippers next, though.
In any case, I much preferred these dippers with their garlick-y kick compared to the standard mozzarella bites, despite their cult status among fans who describe them as “delicious”.
Both sides are priced at £2.39, so if you’re a fan of garlic bread, you’ll likely be more keen on the Cheesy Garlic Bread Dippers.
The mozzarella bites are only limited edition though and will be coming off menus tomorrow (July 16).
Rating – 8/10
Birthday Cake Doughnut
5
The Birthday Cake Doughnut is one of three new desserts included in the new Maccies menu.
It boasts a strawberry flavoured filling, topped with a buttercream-flavoured icing and sprinkles. It costs £1.99.
My usual McDonald’s dessert, if I get one, is the classic Sugar Doughnut and I was doubtful the Birthday Cake Doughnut would beat that.
The strawberry-flavoured filling was jammy and sharp while the buttercream-flavoured icing was velvety and sweet.
The soft crunch of the sprinkles added a nice textural element too.
But overall, I’d say it wasn’t quite as good as the Sugar Doughnut, which keeps things nice and simple in terms of ingredients.
That said, the Sugar Doughnut isn’t currently available on menus, so the Birthday Cake Doughnut might be the best option for the time being.
Rating – 7/10
Munchies Cookie Dough McFlurry
5
The Munchies cookie dough McFlurry combines soft dairy ice cream swirled with chocolate-coated Munchies biscuit pieces all topped with a caramel cookie dough sauce.
Customers can get a mini version for £1.59 or regular for £2.19.
I was keen to give it a try as I’m a big fan of Munchies chocolates.
The caramel cookie dough sauce was rich and malty, offset by the creamy vanilla ice cream.
But the biscuit pieces were too small for me and it would have been nice to have something more substantial to crunch on.
Rating – 7/10
Milkybar Raspberry Ripple McFlurry
5
Another trip down nostalgia lane, the Milkybar Raspberry Ripple McFlurry combines ice cream with mini Milkybar chocolate drops, topped with a raspberry sauce.
A small version will cost you £1.59 while the regular is £2.19.
On first taste, I was expecting the combination of flavours to be far too sweet for my taste buds.
But I was shocked at how nicely the tart raspberry sauce complimented the buttery white chocolate drops and ice cream.
Of course, one gripe was that the ice cream melted quickly meaning the flavours and textures all combined into a homogeneous mess.
It was a definite surprise winner of the taste test for me.
Rating – 9/10
What else is being added to menus?
Returning to the menu is the iconic Double Big Mac and Double Big Mac with Bacon.
They feature four beef patties, a slice of cheese, lettuce, onion, and pickles and Big Mac sauce.
The Double Big Mac will cost £5.39 for a single and £7.19 for a meal.
To get the burger with bacon, customers will have to pay £6.19 for a single or £8.09 for a meal.
Elsewhere, the McCrispy BBQ Smokehouse is returning for the first time since October 2023.
The burger is made up of chicken breast fillet in a crispy, crunchy coating with a smoky BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, red onion, lettuce, all in a sourdough style sesame topped bun.
Burger fans can get the burger on its own for £5.59 or £7.49 as part of a meal.
History of McDonald’s in the UK
HERE’S a brief history of McDonald’s in the UK…
1974 – its first UK restaurant opens in Woolwich, London, in October. It also opens its head office in Hampstead, North London.
1982 – breakfast options are first added to menus. Its head office is moved to East Finchley, North London.
1983 – McDonald’s opens its 100th restaurant across the UK, pulling up the shutters on the restaurant in Market Street, Manchester.
1986 – Happy Meals are added to menus for the first time, while its 200th branch opens in Ipswich, Suffolk.
1991 – McDonald’s opens its first restaurant in Northern Ireland, in Belfast.
1995 – the fast food chain becomes the official restaurant of the FA Premier League.
2000 – McDonald’s launches its website – www.mcdonalds.co.uk. In the same year, the first ever McFlurry is launched in branches.
2003 – the chain adds Fruit Bags to menus.
2011 – McDonald’s starts printing nutritional information on packaging and menu boards.
2017 – trials of McDelivery are launched in April 2017, as the business rolls out its click-and-collect app.
How to save money at McDonald’s
You might not think it, but you can end up being charged more solely based on the McDonald’s restaurant you choose.
Research by The Sun found a Big Mac meal can be up to 30p cheaper at restaurants just two miles apart from each other.
Meanwhile, you can pick up a Big Mac and fries for just £2.99 by filling in a feedback survey found on any old McDonald’s receipt.
The receipt should come with a 12-digit code which you can enter into the Food for Thought website alongside your submitted survey.
You’ll then receive a five-digit code which is your voucher for the £2.99 offer.
Make sure you check out all the various apps and platforms if you’re ordering McDonald’s to your home too.
Our research found some can charge up to £1.20 more than others.
Remember, you can find your nearest McDonald’s branch by using the locator tool on its website.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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