It’s the most wonderful time of the year for fast food fans… it’s McDonald’s Christmas menu time.
The chain has been playing Santa Claus of late, surprising fans with the return of the Double Big Mac, as well as the coveted McRib, which made a comeback in October after being axed almost a decade ago.
And Maccies is proving to be the gift that keeps on giving, as it’s just unveiled what’s in store for the end of the year and there are some real treats coming up.
The limited-edition festive menu will be available from November 20 for six weeks, and there’s going to be a brand new burger, plus a new pie.
An iconic fan-favourite is also back – and it’s something customers have been begging for since it left the menu in March.
Here’s everything you need to know:
What’s on the McDonald’s Christmas menu 2024?
Rumours have been swirling for a while, but now we know for sure – the Big Tasty and Big Tasty with bacon are finally returning.
This burger, which fans claim is ‘the best’, features a beef patty, Emmental cheese, onions, tomatoes, and a unique smoky sauce. (The recipe for which is top secret, much like the Big Mac sauce.)
There’s also going to be a brand new twist on a beloved menu item. A new Cheesy McCrispy will be available and it’s perfect for fans of the Philly Cheese Stack.
A chicken breast in a crispy coating, lettuce, crispy onions, pink pickled onion chutney, bacon, two slices of cheese, and cheese sauce are all layered in a toasted bun to create the ‘levelled up’ version of the classic McCrispy.
And of course, the savoury options wouldn’t be complete without swapping out the cheese bites for something a little more Christmassy. The current ones will be replaced by Camembert Cheese Melt Dippers with a rich tomato dip.
For those with a sweet tooth there’s a new pie, and the flavour is often considered to be a ‘rite of passage’ at this time of year.
Yep, you guessed it… Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
McDonald’s has combined its classic pie with the nation’s favourite zesty chocolate. The Terry’s Chocolate Orange Pie has a crispy chocolate pastry and is filled with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange-flavoured ganache.
The Terry’s Chocolate Orange McFlurry is also making a comeback. This dessert sees soft dairy ice cream swirled with Terry’s Chocolate Orange chunks and topped with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange sauce – it’s what festive dreams are made of according to Maccies.
If chocolate orange isn’t your thing, don’t panic as the Galaxy Caramel McFlurry is also returning, topped with adorable little chocolate stars and Galaxy Caramel Sauce.
McCafé fans might be thrilled to hear the Galaxy Caramel Latte is going to be on the menu once more. This is a smooth latte, blended with Galaxy Caramel flavour syrup, topped with caramel cream and Galaxy Chocolate stars. And the Galaxy Caramel Hot Chocolate is back as well.
For little ones the Happy Meal is also getting a festive makeover with a Grinchmas Meal.
From November 20 to December 31, the Grinch will be making his way to McDonald’s Happy Meals and each limited-edition box will come with one of eight Grinch and friends toys, featuring plush Christmas decorations, Grinch family card games, or the exclusive ‘Twelve Days of Grinchmas’ tale.
The Grinch will also be visiting McDonald’s locations nationwide to meet families in person and help them get in the Christmas spirit – who knew the Grinch could be so jolly?
What did Metro’s specialist food writer think of McDonald’s Christmas menu?
While Popeyes has a Festive Superstack Sandwich, and Taco Bell is launching a Christmas Burrito, McDonald’s by comparison has played it pretty safe with their winter offering.
The chain isn’t whipping up weird items like M&S with its turkey lasagne and chocolate tortilla chips, instead they just tweaked existing products and brought back a few old dependables. And while some might find this boring, I actually think they’ve nailed it.
You can’t please everyone, but McDonald’s has done a great job of giving the people what they want with something new, as well as the return of the Big Tasty.
For months, McDonald’s social media pages have been flooded with comments demanding the Big Tasty’s return, and the message was received loud and clear.
Controversially, I’m not really a Big Tasty fan, I’d rather have a cheeseburger. That said, I do like the Big Tasty sauce. I wish it was sold separately as a dip – it’d be perfect for dunking fries into.
But enough about the Big Tasty. The Cheesy McCrispy is where it’s at.
The chain said it was ‘levelled up’ and they weren’t lying. It’s not a game-changing creation, it’s essentially a chicken burger with extra cheese and onion relish, but they’ve done a good job with it. I can’t believe how much I enjoyed it.
The chicken has a satisfying crunch, the cheese feels indulgent but just the right amount, and the pink pickled onion relish adds sweetness and tang to the mix.
I recently said I thought MB Chicken, the latest chain to set up shop in the UK, had better chicken burgers than McDonald’s, but I think I’m going to have to eat my words. This is superior to the Big Mary (Sorry MB). It’s still not quite on Popeyes’ level for me, but it’s certainly rising up the ranks.
As for the rest of the menu, the Camembert Cheese Melts are delicious, but I’m over the tomato dip. It’s Christmas, I’d like some cranberry sauce please.
And last, but not least, the Terry’s Chocolate Orange Pie will surely be a hit. Brits just can’t help themselves when it comes to chocolate orange.
One word of warning though: The pie packs a punch with its flavour (the ganache filling is also a little more gelatinous than I expected). If you’d prefer something subtler, go for the chocolate orange McFlurry instead.
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