I Tried McDonald's In Pakistan & Here Are The Menu Items That The US & Canada Are Missing

The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.

For those who have only experienced eating at McDonald’s in North America, I have to say, you’re missing out on some pretty delicious international menu items.

I recently spent a few weeks in Pakistan for the holidays and decided to hit up the local McDonald’s a few times, and it’s safe to say I was not left disappointed.

If you’re wondering what you're missing, let me just say that the loaded masala fries and the Hot n Crispy burger from the McDonald's Pakistan menu should be available everywhere. Not only did the chicken taste more like chicken, but the Pakistan McDonald's team does not hold back when it comes to the seasoning.

I tried a mix of menu items that are only available in Pakistan and some that are also found in North America, such as the Spicy McChicken, and the Pakistan offerings were superior in most cases.

For starters, the loaded masala fries were just as delicious as they sound.

Loaded masala fries. Sameen Chaudhry | Narcity

It’s no secret that McDonald’s fries are probably some of the best fries out there because of the perfect amount of saltiness, crispiness and the very distinct taste associated with them. Adding masala to the mix gives these already great fries another punch of flavour, and it was definitely a great idea.

Even though the fries tasted amazing, I will admit that they look like a sloppy mess. But then, so does poutine, right?

Loaded masala fries. Sameen Chaudhry | Narcity

Next was the Hot n’ Crispy burger, which tasted exactly as the name suggests; super spicy and crispy.

Hot n’ Crispy burger.Sameen Chaudhry | Narcity

They did not hold back when they seasoned the Hot n’ Crispy burger because you could definitely feel the kick from the spice.

North American McDonald’s could never.

The last item I tried, which was potentially also the best, was the chai.

McCafe Chai.Sameen Chaudhry | Narcity

I’m a bit of a chai snob, so I didn’t have high expectations for McDonald’s to serve anything close to an authentic chai, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I got.

It was the perfect ratio of milk to tea, and those who know how to make chai would know that’s a key element to making a good cup of chai.

The sweetness was also not overpowering, so I could really taste all the spices in the chai. I would definitely give it a solid 8.5 out of 10.

As much as I enjoyed Pakistani McDonald's, I will say that you'll be disappointed if you expect the same menu from McD's Middle East locations.

After Pakistan, I went to Doha, Qatar, where I decided to give the GCC McDonald's a try.

The Qatar menu had items like the McArabia and The McRoyale, which I was excited to try but was heavily disappointed with what I was served.

For starters, I had the McArabia, which I remember tasting better when I was younger and growing up in Qatar.

McArabia chicken. Sameen Chaudhry | Narcity

They advertise the sandwich as the perfect fusion of Arab flavours and the classic McDonald’s burger, but honestly, it was far from that.

The only element of the sandwich that was Arab was the flatbread they used instead of the burger bun, but everything inside was basically the same thing as a McChicken. They didn’t even try to include ingredients like tahini or hummus.

McArabia chicken. Sameen Chaudhry | Narcity

Next was The McRoyale, which was not even remotely Arab in flavours. The ingredient consists of a halal beef patty, pickles, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard.

The McRoyale.Sameen Chaudhry | Narcity

That basically sounds like the quarter-pounder burger.

The McRoyale.Sameen Chaudhry | Narcity

It’s safe to say that McDonald’s in Pakistan trumped the versions available in North America and the Middle East, in my opinion.

So if you ever find yourself in a South Asian country, go on a hunt for loaded masala fries and chai from McDonald's.

You'll be lovin' it!