Macdonalds - USA and UK - Why the difference?

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  • cupcakesplz
    cupcakesplz Posts: 237 Member
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    Australian burgers are getting smaller!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    McDonald's tailors their food to suit the country. Sometimes it's obvious, like the meals listed here: foodnetwork.co.uk/article/crazy-meals-mcdonalds-menus-around-world.htmlhttp://

    Sometimes it's more subtle, like a burger having mayo in the US and not in the other country. Plus, the food sourcing is different depending on country and the laws for nutritional labels differ, too. You'd need to dig a bit deeper to know exactly where the difference lies in this case.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    mcdonalds as far as im aware is very similar world wide. but the sizes differ. large for me is medium for you for example.

    I think some european countries have less sugar in their bread.

    The Macdonalds bun in UK has no discernible sweetness, so this is obviously one difference.

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    suziecue20 wrote: »
    I've just been looking at the calories for Macdonalds food and find that a bigmac in UK is 508 cals and in USA 570 cals. The difference is even greater with the fries - UK large portion = 444 cals and USA large portion = 570 cals. I always thought Macdonalds food was the same worldwide but obviously not. What is the difference in the bigmac - just overall bigger bun and patty or richer sauce, more lettuce ;) or what? and why?

    Look at the macros for the answer.

    Also bear in mind we use different labelling and analytical conventions. Fibre / fiber probably has different calorific values for example, UK carbohydrate doesn't include Fiber, etc.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    stealthq wrote: »
    McDonald's tailors their food to suit the country. Sometimes it's obvious, like the meals listed here: foodnetwork.co.uk/article/crazy-meals-mcdonalds-menus-around-world.htmlhttp://

    Sometimes it's more subtle, like a burger having mayo in the US and not in the other country. Plus, the food sourcing is different depending on country and the laws for nutritional labels differ, too. You'd need to dig a bit deeper to know exactly where the difference lies in this case.

    I was just talking to my brother about how I would totally try everything on the Indian McD menu. McSpicy Paneer? Veg supreme McMuffin? McAloo Tikki? Yum!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Large Fries - US first, UK 2nd
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    US Large French Fries - 5.9 oz (168 g), UK 160 grams so pretty similar.


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  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
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    I'm from the UK but was in NYC last week. My boyfriend had a McDonalds twice. The big mac looks the same but the large fries and drinks are alot bigger! There is a better selection of drinks too lol. I had a grilled chicken sandwich which i've never seen in the UK (but then again I haven't been in a few years!) and wish they would introduce over here.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    suziecue20 wrote: »
    avilancaster871 wrote: »

    Yes, fair enough but why? does every US citizen have a bigger appetite than citizens in every other country?

    No. I just don't order the bigger sizes.
  • scyian
    scyian Posts: 243 Member
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    Bigger portion sizes. That caught me out when I was in the states as asked for a large coffee and regretted the monster I received. I was wired for the whole trip!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,210 Member
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    Different portion size, different ingredients. I know the values are different between the US and Canada as well. Some higher, some lower. The differences are based in what would be allowed in their products from country to country, the tastes of the culture, and the like. Frankly, I find there is a noticeable taste difference between Canada and the US when I eat at McDonalds.
  • BurnWithBarn2015
    BurnWithBarn2015 Posts: 1,026 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Bigger portions indeed...

    But bread in the US contains more sugar and salt than over in Europe. So does ketchup and mustards and all other sauces.

    All those little differences ad up

    for fries a potato grown in another climate can have other macro/micro values for sure. Think of sweeter/sugar strawberries and other fruits when they are longer in the sun.

    Butter the same
    And for diary yes there is a difference for sure what kinda milk a cow gives...it depends on what kind of food you feed them. ( there are thousands of different kind of grass)

    I stated in another thread before...US food ( same foods with the same weight) contains most of the time more calories than UK/European food. Not much but still there can be a difference in calories.

  • flatlndr
    flatlndr Posts: 713 Member
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    Having lived on both sides of the pond ... the serving sizes are the key difference.
  • WMLizard
    WMLizard Posts: 22 Member
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    Queenmunchy wrote: »
    stealthq wrote: »
    McDonald's tailors their food to suit the country. Sometimes it's obvious, like the meals listed here: foodnetwork.co.uk/article/crazy-meals-mcdonalds-menus-around-world.htmlhttp://

    Sometimes it's more subtle, like a burger having mayo in the US and not in the other country. Plus, the food sourcing is different depending on country and the laws for nutritional labels differ, too. You'd need to dig a bit deeper to know exactly where the difference lies in this case.

    I was just talking to my brother about how I would totally try everything on the Indian McD menu. McSpicy Paneer? Veg supreme McMuffin? McAloo Tikki? Yum!

    I don't eat McDonald's much in the States - I just don't like what they offer very much (Wendy's? Heck yeah!). But in India...nom nom nom. Been twice. Ate there 2 or 3 times the first time, and only once the second (it was a tour group, less time on our own for food). The Paneer Tikka Wrap is delicious. I wish wish wish they offered it here.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    Vincent: "In Paris, you can buy a beer in McDonald's. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?"
    Jules: "They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?"
    Vincent: "No, man, they got the metric system. They don't know what the f*** a quarter pounder is."
    Jules: "Then what do they call it?"
    Vincent: "They call it a Royale with cheese."
    Jules: "Royale with cheese. What do they call a Big Mac?"
    Vincent: "Big Mac's a Big Mac but they call it le Big Mac."
    Jules: "Le Big Mac. What do they call a Whopper?"
    Vincent: "I don't know; I didn't go into Burger King."

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