Leaving Your McComfort Zone

After finishing your amazing adventure around India, you have eaten more curry and spice in the past 6 weeks than in your entire lifetime. You are waiting for your flight and despite still recovering from a bout of the unavoidable ‘Delhi Belly’ you are killing for some comfort food, something familiar, and you can’t even wait till you arrive home! You are thinking a good old hamburger will do it, and run to the always reliable, always consistently lardy Maccas.

On the menu you don’t see your beloved Big Mac nor the Mighty Angus, there isn’t even a bacon option, WTF!

Then you realise that of course, Maccas’ around the world must change to suit local tastes and religious beliefs.

Here’s a few different McOptions so you might avoid the culture shock.

INDIA
To satisfy Hindu religious traditions you can find an array of vegetarian burgers such as McAloo Tikiburger with a potato and pea patty or the McVeggie burger that has a green bean, potato and bell pepper patty with a spicy sauce. Halal certified chicken and fish are the only meat products used in India so the Indian version of the Big Mac, called the Maharaja Mac, is made with two grilled chicken or lamb patties.

GERMANY
McDonald's in Nuremberg now sells the Nuermburger, a wheat bun with three small sausages in it. Some branches of McDonald's sell McBeer, although it's not served in a stein.

CANADA
In Maritime Provinces of Canada the McLobster burger is on offer. It is called McHomard in French. French fries from a combo may be substituted by the McDonald's version of Poutine, which consists of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy.

TAIWAN
McDonald's has introduced Kao Fan (literally "baked rice"), a burger-like entrée with rice patties in place of buns. Taiwan also has a corn soup that can be ordered as a substitute for the fries, or as its own stand alone entrée.

CHILE
In Chile, customers can add avocado paste to any sandwich, other than the McPalta (Chilean Spanish for: McAvocado) whose basis is the avocado paste along with Lomito or pork. Cheese empanadas are also sold at all McDonald's locations in Chile under the same category as fries. McFlurry is available also in 'Guayabita' (popular local guava chocolate) and 'Tapita' (popular local chocolate).

ISRAEL
Israel is one of the only countries (along with Argentina) that have Kosher branches of Maccas. Their meat is barbecued on charcoal rather than fried. They also have the McKebab, two patties with Middle Eastern seasonings, stuffed into pita bread.

JAPAN
Japan totally reinvents McDonald’s with its Ebi Filet-O (shrimp burgers), Koroke Burger (mashed potato, cabbage and katsu sauce, all in a sandwich), Ebi-Chiki (shrimp nuggets), Mega Teriyaki Burger and Green Tea-flavoured milkshake!

NORWAY
In fish-loving Norway, they have the McLaks, a sandwich made of grilled salmon and dill sauce. Not fancy just a little bit..you know.