I tried 5 of the most bizarre menu items at McDonald's in Finland, and I'd travel back for the Chicken Pizza Mac
The Chicken Pizza Mac was a winner, but a beef burger in rye bread was less convincing.Rachel Hosie/Insider
- The McDonald's menu varies from country to country around the world with items tailored to each nation's tastes.
- In Finland, for example, every burger can be served in a rye bun.
- When I went to Finland back in January, I ordered five of the most unusual things on the McDonald's menu: the famous McVegan burger, the Chicken Pizza Mac, the Rye Feast burger, the Nordic Chicken Salad, and the Falafel Bites.
- I was disappointed by the McVegan and the salad, and I wasn't sure the rye bun went with a McDonald's burger.
- I'd travel back for the delicious Chicken Pizza Mac and the Falafel Bites, though.
The entrance to the McDonald's branch in central Helsinki looked much like any other I'd ever been to — it was quite dark, but it was underground in a shopping center after all.
McDonald's in central Helsinki.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
I got straight down to ordering what sounded most interesting: A Rye Feast, Chicken Pizza Mac, Nordic Chicken Salad, McVegan, and Falafel Bites.
Rachel's order.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
It turns out you can customize any burger with a rye or gluten-free bun, which is cool. Order placed, I waited to collect my feast — you can have table service, but I didn't want staff to judge me for having five meals to myself.
Waiting to pick up the order.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
After a longer than expected wait, my order was ready and I found a spot to sit down. It was a lot of food.
A five-dish Finnish McDonald's feast.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
First up, the much-hyped McVegan burger (€3/$3.50).
The McVegan burger.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
Truth be told, all I tasted was mayo and the whole thing was incredibly mushy. It was better when I scraped some of the mayo off, and actually the vegan patty on its own was tasty — but it was overwhelmed by the bun and sauces. Not worth finishing.
It was mushy.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
Next up, the Chicken Pizza Mac (€2/$2.36): A chicken burger with tomato sauce and mozzarella. This doesn't look like much, but it was absolutely delicious and I demolished it.
The Chicken Pizza Mac.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
The chicken was tender, I loved the tomato sauce and the cheesy bread. It reminded me of a chicken parmigiana, only in a bun. The cheese could have been better melted and it was very squished, but otherwise, I loved it.
It came in a cheesy bun.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
On to the Rye Feast burger (€4.25/$5). Now, I really like rye bread but I wasn't convinced it went well with a beef burger. Perhaps it would have been better with one of the chicken burgers. It was also twice the price of the Chicken Pizza Mac.
The Rye Feast.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
It was very flat and didn't look particularly enticing, but it wasn't bad. It just tasted like a McDonald's burger, in a rye bun.
Rachel eating the Rye Feast,
Rachel Hosie/Insider
My fourth dish was the Nordic Chicken Salad (€8.95/$10.60 with a soft drink), consisting of chicken, cabbage, lentils, and kale.
The Nordic Chicken Salad.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
No one goes to McDonald's for salad, do they? It was crisp and fresh, but it mainly tasted like mustard. I didn't finish it and wouldn't order it again.
The salad was crisp but not particularly tasty.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
The final test was the Falafel Bites (€2/$2.36). Ideally, I'd want a hummus or tahini dip, but obviously this was McDonald's. I settled for garlic mayo.
McDonald's Falafel Bites.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
The falafels themselves were surprisingly tasty. They were super crisp and tasted slightly sweet but also nicely spiced. I was full, but they were so yummy I ate them all.
The falafels were sweet and spiced.
Rachel Hosie/Insider
The verdict:
My Finnish McDonald's experience was quite the rollercoaster of highs and lows, wins and fails.
The McVegan was disappointing given the hype. The rye bun was nice in theory, but in reality tasted weird with a beef burger. And the salad? Don't waste your money.
The two items I would order again, however, are the Falafel Bites and the Pizza Mac, which also happened to be the cheapest.
Tragically for the population of Finland, the Pizza Mac doesn't look to be on the menu right now, but it was so good that I hope they roll it out worldwide.
Read more:
McDonald's first-ever vegan burger is becoming a permanent menu item in Finland and Sweden
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