I went to the only US McDonald's that sells items from its international menus. The super speedy table service was even more impressive than my spicy Thai sandwich.

Grace DeanJun 8, 2024, 17:57 IST

I ordered the Samurai McSpicy from McDonald's Thailand.Grace Dean/Business Insider

McDonald's has a restaurant in Chicago that sells items from its international menus.
When I visited, the lineup included dishes from Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong, Finland, Japan, and Canada.

McDonald's has more than 40,000 restaurants across the world. But one of its Chicago locations has a menu that makes it stand out from the rest.

The McDonald's in Chicago's West Loop looks unassuming from the outside. It's sleek, modern, and very clean, but there's nothing to set it apart from the chain's other modern-image restaurants.

The restaurant looks like a normal McDonald's from the outside.Grace Dean/Business Insider

The McDonald's in Chicago's West Loop looks unassuming from the outside. It's sleek, modern, and very clean, but there's nothing to set it apart from the chain's other modern-image restaurants.

But the restaurant, located underneath the burger chain's headquarters, is actually a one-of-a-kind McDonald's that sells menu items from the chain's vast empire of restaurants around the world.

The restaurant sells McDonald's items from restaurants around the world.Grace Dean/Business Insider

But the restaurant, located underneath the burger chain's headquarters, is actually a one-of-a-kind McDonald's that sells menu items from the chain's vast empire of restaurants around the world.

As well as items from McDonald's regular US menu, the restaurant has a rotating range of "global favorite" dishes.

You don't just have to order international items.Grace Dean/Business Insider

These were advertised heavily on digital screens throughout the restaurant.

McDonald's advertised the items on screens throughout the restaurant.Grace Dean/Business Insider

This was the global line-up when I visited the restaurant in mid-May. The menu featured three burgers, a portion of fries, an ice cream, two doughnuts, and three flavors of McPops. The items came from McDonald's menus in Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong, Finland, Japan, and Canada.

Items included McShaker Fries with taco seasoning from McDonald's Finland.Grace Dean/Business Insider

This was the global line-up when I visited the restaurant in mid-May. The menu featured three burgers, a portion of fries, an ice cream, two doughnuts, and three flavors of McPops. The items came from McDonald's menus in Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong, Finland, Japan, and Canada.

I opted for the Samurai McSpicy chicken sandwich from Thailand. Like with other burgers and sandwiches, you could turn it into a meal.

You could upgrade your sandwich to a meal.Grace Dean/Business Insider

You could also customize the sandwich. I added pickles and tomato, the latter of which came with a $0.39 price tag. The sandwich came to $7.38, or $8.25 after tax.

My sandwich, with added pickles and tomato, came to $7.38 pre-tax.Grace Dean/Business Insider

The global menu burgers were priced similarly to the items from McDonald's core US menu, which surprised me. I had expected higher prices — I'm sure that diners would have paid a few extra dollars to be able to sample the chain's international cuisine.

The global menu burgers were priced similarly to McDonald's core US menu.Grace Dean/Business Insider

The global menu burgers were priced similarly to the items from McDonald's core US menu, which surprised me. I had expected higher prices — I'm sure that diners would have paid a few extra dollars to be able to sample the chain's international cuisine.

When I completed my order at the digital kiosk, I was told to take a number and place it on my table. I don't eat at McDonald's often, and I'd never been to one with table service before.

I had to take a table number.Grace Dean/Business Insider

When I completed my order at the digital kiosk, I was told to take a number and place it on my table. I don't eat at McDonald's often, and I'd never been to one with table service before.

While I waited for my food, I looked at the decor. The restaurant seemed quiet for a Saturday night and was impressively clean.

The restaurant was quiet when I visited.Grace Dean/Business Insider

There was a range of seating options, and I liked these sleek light fittings.

The restaurant's decor was very modern.Grace Dean/Business Insider

One part of the restaurant contained a long table with 18 stools and a door so that it could be closed off. I wondered if McDonald's used this for private company events.

There was a long table with 18 stools.Grace Dean/Business Insider

One part of the restaurant contained a long table with 18 stools and a door so that it could be closed off. I wondered if McDonald's used this for private company events.

Though you could order at a cashier, there was an emphasis on digital kiosks, which typically bring in bigger revenues for restaurants. There were QR codes on each table so you could order from your phone, too.

The restaurant had more than a dozen order kiosks.Grace Dean/Business Insider

Though you could order at a cashier, there was an emphasis on digital kiosks, which typically bring in bigger revenues for restaurants. There were QR codes on each table so you could order from your phone, too.

There were also dedicated shelves for customers to collect mobile orders they'd placed in advance.

There was a dedicated pickup station for mobile orders.Grace Dean/Business Insider

On one wall, McDonald's had a large world map, with Golden Arches that the chain previously said were lit up to indicate which countries were included in its current global menu. When I visited, all the Golden Arches were lit up apart from the one over Russia. McDonald's sold its Russian business in 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine.

Russia wasn't lit up on McDonald's world map.Grace Dean/Business Insider

On one wall, McDonald's had a large world map, with Golden Arches that the chain previously said were lit up to indicate which countries were included in its current global menu. When I visited, all the Golden Arches were lit up apart from the one over Russia. McDonald's sold its Russian business in 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine.

It took less than five minutes from me placing my order for it to arrive at my table. I was very impressed by the speedy service. Though I hadn't ordered a drink, it was served with a cup of water.

My food arrived very quickly.Grace Dean/Business Insider

It took less than five minutes from me placing my order for it to arrive at my table. I was very impressed by the speedy service. Though I hadn't ordered a drink, it was served with a cup of water.

Sadly the sandwich was served in a plain ol' box. For many products, McDonald's has custom packaging.

The packaging was lacklustre.Grace Dean/Business Insider

The only part of the presentation advertising my meal as anything out of the ordinary was this piece of paper covering the tray.

Only the paper gave away that it wasn't a normal McDonald's restaurant.Grace Dean/Business Insider

This is what my sandwich looked like. My first thoughts were "that's a lot of lettuce" and "this is going to be messy." The sauce had already oozed onto the box.

The box was packed full of lettuce.Grace Dean/Business Insider

The sandwich was made up of a McSpicy patty, teriyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and lettuce, served in a sesame seed bun. I'd added on pickles and tomato.

The sandwich had a generous portion of teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise.Grace Dean/Business Insider

The sandwich was dripping with teriyaki sauce. I have a low spice tolerance, but the sweet and sticky sauce and mayonnaise meant that the McSpicy patty wasn't as hot as I'd expected.

The sandwich was delicious.Grace Dean/Business Insider

The sandwich was dripping with teriyaki sauce. I have a low spice tolerance, but the sweet and sticky sauce and mayonnaise meant that the McSpicy patty wasn't as hot as I'd expected.

It was a delicious burger. I really enjoyed it, but it was perhaps a bit too messy thanks to all the sauce — and there was simply too much lettuce to hold in the bun.

A lot of the lettuce escaped from the sandwich.Grace Dean/Business Insider

It was a delicious burger. I really enjoyed it, but it was perhaps a bit too messy thanks to all the sauce — and there was simply too much lettuce to hold in the bun.

I decided to get a dessert, too. Sadly, quite a few of the desserts from the McCafé menu were out of stock. I opted for a pack of three White Chocolate McPops from McDonald's Spain for $3.99, or $4.46 after tax.

Some of the desserts were out of stock.Grace Dean/Business Insider

I decided to get a dessert, too. Sadly, quite a few of the desserts from the McCafé menu were out of stock. I opted for a pack of three White Chocolate McPops from McDonald's Spain for $3.99, or $4.46 after tax.

This time, there was just two minutes between me placing my order and it arriving at my table. And, once again, it was served with a glass of water.

My McPops were brought to my table, too.Grace Dean/Business Insider

The McPops were slightly smaller than the palm of my (pretty small) hand. They were essentially doughnut dough with a gooey filling inside.

The McPops were fun-sized.Grace Dean/Business Insider

They tasted fine but, if I'm honest, quite boring. I would have liked them to contain more of the white chocolate filling, too. I regretted not ordering the Boston Cream Donut from the Canadian menu or the Hot Fudge Waffle Cone from Japan.

I regretted my choice of dessert.Grace Dean/Business Insider

They tasted fine but, if I'm honest, quite boring. I would have liked them to contain more of the white chocolate filling, too. I regretted not ordering the Boston Cream Donut from the Canadian menu or the Hot Fudge Waffle Cone from Japan.

Overall, visiting the global menu restaurant was a fun experience. I would have liked to have seen a wider range of international items — perhaps some drinks or another side in place of some of the desserts. McDonald's France, for example, sells a range of company-branded flavored water and McDonald's Germany sells chili-cheese pops.

The restaurant looked like a normal McDonald's from the outside.Grace Dean/Business Insider

Overall, visiting the global menu restaurant was a fun experience. I would have liked to have seen a wider range of international items — perhaps some drinks or another side in place of some of the desserts. McDonald's France, for example, sells a range of company-branded flavored water and McDonald's Germany sells chili-cheese pops.

The Samurai McSpicy tasted great, but what blew me away was the speedy table service. It was a new experience for me and I was very impressed.

I enjoyed my Samurai Spicy sandwich.Grace Dean/Business Insider

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I went to the only US McDonald's that sells items from its international menus. The super speedy table service was even more impressive than my spicy Thai sandwich.

The McDonald's in Chicago's West Loop looks unassuming from the outside. It's sleek, modern, and very clean, but there's nothing to set it apart from the chain's other modern-image restaurants.

But the restaurant, located underneath the burger chain's headquarters, is actually a one-of-a-kind McDonald's that sells menu items from the chain's vast empire of restaurants around the world.

As well as items from McDonald's regular US menu, the restaurant has a rotating range of "global favorite" dishes.

These were advertised heavily on digital screens throughout the restaurant.

This was the global line-up when I visited the restaurant in mid-May. The menu featured three burgers, a portion of fries, an ice cream, two doughnuts, and three flavors of McPops. The items came from McDonald's menus in Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong, Finland, Japan, and Canada.

I opted for the Samurai McSpicy chicken sandwich from Thailand. Like with other burgers and sandwiches, you could turn it into a meal.

You could also customize the sandwich. I added pickles and tomato, the latter of which came with a $0.39 price tag. The sandwich came to $7.38, or $8.25 after tax.

The global menu burgers were priced similarly to the items from McDonald's core US menu, which surprised me. I had expected higher prices — I'm sure that diners would have paid a few extra dollars to be able to sample the chain's international cuisine.

When I completed my order at the digital kiosk, I was told to take a number and place it on my table. I don't eat at McDonald's often, and I'd never been to one with table service before.

While I waited for my food, I looked at the decor. The restaurant seemed quiet for a Saturday night and was impressively clean.

There was a range of seating options, and I liked these sleek light fittings.

One part of the restaurant contained a long table with 18 stools and a door so that it could be closed off. I wondered if McDonald's used this for private company events.

Though you could order at a cashier, there was an emphasis on digital kiosks, which typically bring in bigger revenues for restaurants. There were QR codes on each table so you could order from your phone, too.

There were also dedicated shelves for customers to collect mobile orders they'd placed in advance.

It took less than five minutes from me placing my order for it to arrive at my table. I was very impressed by the speedy service. Though I hadn't ordered a drink, it was served with a cup of water.

Sadly the sandwich was served in a plain ol' box. For many products, McDonald's has custom packaging.

The only part of the presentation advertising my meal as anything out of the ordinary was this piece of paper covering the tray.

This is what my sandwich looked like. My first thoughts were "that's a lot of lettuce" and "this is going to be messy." The sauce had already oozed onto the box.

The sandwich was made up of a McSpicy patty, teriyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and lettuce, served in a sesame seed bun. I'd added on pickles and tomato.

The sandwich was dripping with teriyaki sauce. I have a low spice tolerance, but the sweet and sticky sauce and mayonnaise meant that the McSpicy patty wasn't as hot as I'd expected.

It was a delicious burger. I really enjoyed it, but it was perhaps a bit too messy thanks to all the sauce — and there was simply too much lettuce to hold in the bun.

I decided to get a dessert, too. Sadly, quite a few of the desserts from the McCafé menu were out of stock. I opted for a pack of three White Chocolate McPops from McDonald's Spain for $3.99, or $4.46 after tax.

This time, there was just two minutes between me placing my order and it arriving at my table. And, once again, it was served with a glass of water.

The McPops were slightly smaller than the palm of my (pretty small) hand. They were essentially doughnut dough with a gooey filling inside.

They tasted fine but, if I'm honest, quite boring. I would have liked them to contain more of the white chocolate filling, too. I regretted not ordering the Boston Cream Donut from the Canadian menu or the Hot Fudge Waffle Cone from Japan.

The Samurai McSpicy tasted great, but what blew me away was the speedy table service. It was a new experience for me and I was very impressed.