The 15 rarest McDonald’s menu items in the world

It doesn't matter where in the world you live, chances are there's a McDonald's nearby. Probably the biggest fast food chain in the world - boasting around 40,000 restaurants globally - Maccy's serves approximately 70 million hungry customers on a daily basis. While many head through the Golden Arches to indulge in the universally famous items, like the iconic salty French Fries or the classic Big Mac, McDonald's also has an extensive menu featuring other favourites like the McCrispy, the Filet-O-Fish and the ever-friendly Happy Meal (Picture: McDonald's)

But if you've ever popped into a McDonald's not on your home turf, you've likely come across a string of items you don't recognise. This is because every country has their own unique menu, with many adding dishes that cater to their local cuisine. Granted, you can still grab a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese pretty much anywhere if that's your go-to staple, but if you're feeling adventurous, how about a US McLobster or Japan's offering, a Matcha Kuro-Mitsu Warabi Mochi Pie? Here, we've sifted through a ton of McDonald's menus from around the world to provide you with some of the rarest - and at points - most bizarre items for you to try… (Picture: Madison Burgess)

1) Kaprao Rice - Thailand

If you've ever been to Thailand, you'll know the cuisine is literally to die for. The South East Asian country's street food is world-acclaimed, and there's a huge emphasis on stir-fries, curries, soups, and noodles. So, it was no surprise to find Kaprao Chicken Rice on the Maccy's menu - a take on one of Thailand's most popular meals. In a nutshell, it's a stir-fry made with basil, garlic, sugar and Thai chilli, and seasoned with a mix of soy, oyster and fish sauce. It also typically contains onions, bell peppers and green beans. McDonald's version comes with the classic crispy chicken and a mound of steamed rice (Picture: McDonald's)

2) McLobster - USA and Canada

You've probably heard about the elusive McLobster and thought, 'how on Earth was McDonald's able to afford - and justify - selling a lobster roll?' For one, it's not on the menu all the time, and only occasionally makes an appearance once in a blue moon - mostly in the summer when lobster is abundant. And two, it's only available in limited locations. In the US, this includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. So basically, just in the New England region, with Maine being the largest lobster-producing state in the nation. In Canada, it's only found in the Atlantic region. For those intrigued as to what the McLobster consists of, it's what it says on the tin: a lobster roll served in a hot dog bun with 'lobster sauce' and shredded lettuce (Picture: McDonald's)

3) Matcha Kuro-Mitsu Warabi Mochi Pie - Japan

To honour Japan's traditional custom of flower viewing in the spring (especially the pink cherry blossoms), the country's McDonald's launched a new limited-edition Matcha Kuromitsu Warabi Mochi Pie. The new spring-like snack combines two unique features: it's the chain’s first-ever pie with a 'three-layer flavour,' and it's the first-ever matcha-flavoured pie. Diners can expect soft warabi (bracken fern) mochi, smooth matcha bean paste, and kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) sauce all enveloped inside McDonald's classic crispy pie dough (Picture: McDonald's)

4) Sweet Potato Fries - Norway:

Petition for Maccy's sweet potato fries to be launched everywhere? Unlike some of the other more geographically specific items, this side dish doesn't need much explaining. Other than can you imagine how salty and tasty they'd be considering the original McDonald's fries are world-famous for their explosive flavour? (Picture: McDonald's)

5) Shaurma Roll - Azerbaijan

If you're looking for the perfect McDonald's item to fill you up after a night out on the town, you'll definitely want to head to Azerbaijan to pick up the tasty-looking Shaurma Roll. Consisting of a classic McDonald's fried chicken breast fillet and their moreish fries, the kebab-type meal also features pickled cucumber and special sauce, all wrapped up in a warm tortilla (Picture: McDonald's)

6) Chicken Curry Rice Bowl - UAE

Who doesn't love a rice bowl? Especially when it's generously filled with McDonald's Crispy Chicken Tenders. For those who'd rather ditch the burger and chips the next time they're ordering a Maccy's and opt for something a little lighter instead, the rice bowl offerings at the United Arab Emirates restaurants have your name stamped all over them. This Chicken Curry version looks super succulent, and comes with 'bright, spicy, and savoury' flavours. Not to mention the classic McDonald's aromatic curry sauce drizzled all over the top. There are also two other rice bowls up for grabs - the Chicken Teriyaki one, complete with the same Crispy Chicken Tenders, but topped up with a sweet, tangy, umami teriyaki sauce. Or, there's a beef one on offer, which contains a 'juicy Quarter Pounder Patty drizzled with savoury Gravy Sauce' and mushrooms. Lastly, all rice bowls come with butter-flavoured rice (Picture: McDonald's)

7) Caesar Chicken Salad - Australia

Granted, you might not think to turn to McDonald's for a salad, but the Australian Chicken Caesar Salad looks pretty good. Located under the 'Wraps & Salads' section (which also includes the tasty-looking Alioli Chicken Wrap and a Chicken Caesar Wrap version), you'll find the fresh, succulent offering in all its glory. According to the McDonald's menu, the dish includes '100% Aussie RSPCA approved chicken breast' and is mixed with the rest of the Caesar Salad staples, from lettuce, rasher bacon, shaved parmesan, croutons and topped with 'a creamy caesar dressing' (Picture: McDonald's)

8) McRib

Ahh the illusive McRib. The description on the McDonald's menu for this item literally says it will 'blow your mind,' which in our book is the only incentive we need to try something. Anyway, just by looking at the picture, you can tell that it's going to be juicy, full of flavour, but will also probably blow your head off at the same time. Made from 'delicious pork' and dripping in a spicy smoky sauce, this delight also comes with some classic salted cucumber and crispy white onions, all wrapped up in a fluffy bun topped with sesame seeds. OK, is anyone else hungry yet? (Picture: McDonald's)

9) Chicken, Quinoa and Kale Salad - Sweden

Another salad for those looking for a healthier lunchtime option. And one that is definitely interesting to look at, wouldn't you say? Carefully constructed in layers of colourful, crunchy goodness, this Swedish option comes in a transparent container so you can see exactly what you're eating. Which, if you were wondering, is a quinoa-based salad - a whole grain packed with nutrients, fibre, protein, and plant compounds. As per the menu, expect black quinoa (obviously), plus 'juicy chicken, pickled carrot, collard greens and crispy kale.' Yep, that sounds like something we can get on board with as a summer lunch dish (Picture: McDonald's)

10) Shamrock Shaker - Ireland

By the title of the name, you just knew the Shamrock Shaker was going to be an item on the McDonald's Ireland menu. For some context, a shamrock is a type of clover and it's used as a symbol of Ireland. But, in the food and drink world, you'll most likely recognise the clover from when bartenders pour the perfect shamrock onto a pint of Guinness. In terms of this Irish McDonald's offering, there's no alcohol involved, but it still does sound - and look - super tasty. Available for a limited time, treat your tastebuds to a 'deliciously minty thick dairy milkshake' (Picture: McDonald's)

11) The Grand McWrap with Algerian Sauce - Morocco

In the words of McDonald's Morocco, the Grand McWrap with Algerian Sauce is one of their newest gourmet delights. Thanks to the glaringly obvious name, this item has clearly been inspired by the cuisine of North Africa, which as a whole, features a lot of spices like cumin, ginger, paprika, cinnamon, peppermint, parsley, coriander and saffron. As for the Grand McWrap, think of it as a fusion of the region and the classic McDonald's menu. Expect the crispy breaded chicken fillets, Emmental cheese, a slice of fresh tomato, crunchy salad, fried onions, and steak house fries, all seasoned with a plentiful dollop of Algerian sauce. Now, for what goes into the Algerian sauce, traditional recipes consist of a creamy base of mayonnaise balanced out with a small offering of tomato ketchup for a sweeter note. This is all finished off with cumin and paprika to give the overall flavour a nice kick (Picture: McDonald's)

12) Tomato and Mozzarella Panzerotti - Italy

Right, these mini pizza pies that look like the Italian version of a Cornish Pasty look unbelievably yummy. No arguments. And do you want to hear the best bit? They also come piping hot in a huge 'Tasty Sharing Basket' alongside some other snacking greats, including six Chicken McNuggets, six Spicy Chicken McNuggets and three sauces. But if you're solely interested in the Panzerottis, let us tease your tastebuds by explaining exactly what goes into them. Their description reads: 'A warm and stringy heart to give you a moment of goodness. The 100% Italian Panzerotti with tomato and mozzarella are a pleasure for the palate.' Yep, we couldn't have said it better ourselves (Picture: McDonald's)

13) Sopa de Feijão Verde - Portugal

Never thought you'd be ordering a soup from McDonald's, did you? Well, you can if you're in Portugal. The Sopa de Feijão Verde - otherwise known as a green bean soup - is just one of the four different soups you can try should you be in the southern European country. The other flavours include cream of pea, carrot cream soup, and the Spanish Peasant Soup (which tastes nicer than it sounds and is traditionally made with humble ingredients like lamb, barley, carrots, tomato, pepper, olive oil, vegetable broth and spices). The soups come in two sizes - a small,150ml, and a large 300ml (Picture: McDonald's)

14) Cheese bread stuffed with mozzarella cheese sauce - Brazil

Breakfast anyone? Because McDonald's Brazil literally have a big ball of fluffy cheese bread oozing with warm mozzarella and cheese sauce. We're salivating already… Cravings aside, this item is only available on the breakfast menu, which in Brazil is until 11am. There are no more words for this, other than when is it becoming a worldwide morning McDonald's option? (Picture: McDonald's)

15) Shrimp Snack Wrap - South Korea

This one's for the McLobster lovers. How about, after hitting up all the McDonald's in the New England and Canada Atlantic region, you jump on a flight and travel about 6,000 miles to South Korea to grab yourself a Shrimp Snack Wrap? To unpack the South Korean delight, expect a 'rich shrimp patty full of real shrimp' (a slight red flag, as you'd hope it would be real in the first place), some crunchy lettuce, plus a nice dollop of mayo and sweet chilli sauce! Designed to taste spicy and sweet, we've got our eye on this lunchtime snack if we're ever in Seoul (Picture: McDonald's) This article was originally published in March 2024