After years of reviewing fast food in the US and UK, I'm still shocked by the size differences. Take a look at the most drastic ones.

Joe AvellaFeb 11, 2023, 21:54 IST

Joe Avella from Food Wars with his fast food haul.Joe Avella/Getty Images

I host a youtube series where I compare fast food chains in the US to the UK.
From McDonald's to KFC, I've been consistently shocked by how much larger US portion sizes are.

Along with my Food Wars cohost Harry Kersh, I've reviewed dozens of fast food chains and compared their menus between the US and the UK.

Food Wars host Joe Avella is impressed by KFC's fries.Food Wars/Insider

If you haven't seen the show yet, allow me to break the news: we tend to have much bigger portion sizes in the US. Drinks, fried chicken, pizzas — they're all bigger.

A typical day for Avella at the office.Food Wars/Insider

If you haven't seen the show yet, allow me to break the news: we tend to have much bigger portion sizes in the US. Drinks, fried chicken, pizzas — they're all bigger.

From McDonald's fries to Domino's pizza, here are some of the most drastic differences I've noticed over the past three years between US and UK fast food.

Joe with a table full of McDonald's items.Food Wars/Insider

Let's start with McDonald's. American small and large drinks are both 89% bigger than their British counterparts.

Harry Kersh (L) and Avella (R) compare UK and UK McDonald's drinks sizes.Food Wars/Insider

And a medium drink in the US is 55% bigger than a UK medium.

The US (Bottom) has much bigger cups than the UK (Top).Food Wars/Insider

The largest Chicken McNuggets option in the US is double that of a UK McDonald's. That's 40 pieces compared to 20 pieces.

40 McNuggets from an American McDonald's.Food Wars/Insider

At 190 grams, a large fry in the US was almost double the UK's largest size, which weighed around 125 grams when we measured them.

Kersh (L) and Avella (R) measure large fries from a UK and US McDonald's.Food Wars/Insider

If you particularly like fries — or chips, as they say in the UK — you should head to an American KFC and order a large fries. They're a whopping 100% bigger than the British large.

Avella weighing a large fries from a US KFC.Food Wars/Insider

If you particularly like fries — or chips, as they say in the UK — you should head to an American KFC and order a large fries. They're a whopping 100% bigger than the British large.

You're also getting about two more pieces of chicken in a bucket of fried chicken at a US KFC.

A bucket of KFC fried chicken poured onto a plate.Food Wars/Insider

At Domino's, it's not just sides and drinks that are different. The largest pizza size in the US — an extra-large — is 2.5 inches bigger than the largest pizza size in the UK — a large pizza.

A large Domino's pizza in the UK (L) and an extra-large Domino's pizza in the US (R).Food Wars/Insider

At Domino's, it's not just sides and drinks that are different. The largest pizza size in the US — an extra-large — is 2.5 inches bigger than the largest pizza size in the UK — a large pizza.

Though 2.5 inches may not sound like a big difference, it actually amounts to 30% more pizza in the US.

The 2.5-inch increase adds 30% more pizza.Food Wars/Insider

My favorite size discrepancy comes from Starbucks. As a coffee fanatic, I was pleased to find the largest iced coffee portion sizes are 50% bigger in the US compared to the UK.

Starbucks iced coffee sizes in the UK (L) and the US (R).Food Wars/Insider

My favorite size discrepancy comes from Starbucks. As a coffee fanatic, I was pleased to find the largest iced coffee portion sizes are 50% bigger in the US compared to the UK.

After three years, I've concluded that size naming conventions can be misleading in the US.

Lots of Lay's chips.Food Wars/Insider

In my experience, a small isn't as puny as it sounds in the US. So I tend to stick to those sizes to avoid overeating.

Less fast food gives Avella more energy.Food Wars/Insider

I tried one of Rihanna's favorite dishes in NYC, and everything from the fries to the short rib blew me away

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

After years of reviewing fast food in the US and UK, I'm still shocked by the size differences. Take a look at the most drastic ones.

Along with my Food Wars cohost Harry Kersh, I've reviewed dozens of fast food chains and compared their menus between the US and the UK.

If you haven't seen the show yet, allow me to break the news: we tend to have much bigger portion sizes in the US. Drinks, fried chicken, pizzas — they're all bigger.

From McDonald's fries to Domino's pizza, here are some of the most drastic differences I've noticed over the past three years between US and UK fast food.

Let's start with McDonald's. American small and large drinks are both 89% bigger than their British counterparts.

And a medium drink in the US is 55% bigger than a UK medium.

The largest Chicken McNuggets option in the US is double that of a UK McDonald's. That's 40 pieces compared to 20 pieces.

At 190 grams, a large fry in the US was almost double the UK's largest size, which weighed around 125 grams when we measured them.

If you particularly like fries — or chips, as they say in the UK — you should head to an American KFC and order a large fries. They're a whopping 100% bigger than the British large.

You're also getting about two more pieces of chicken in a bucket of fried chicken at a US KFC.

At Domino's, it's not just sides and drinks that are different. The largest pizza size in the US — an extra-large — is 2.5 inches bigger than the largest pizza size in the UK — a large pizza.

Though 2.5 inches may not sound like a big difference, it actually amounts to 30% more pizza in the US.

My favorite size discrepancy comes from Starbucks. As a coffee fanatic, I was pleased to find the largest iced coffee portion sizes are 50% bigger in the US compared to the UK.

After three years, I've concluded that size naming conventions can be misleading in the US.

In my experience, a small isn't as puny as it sounds in the US. So I tend to stick to those sizes to avoid overeating.