American Blown Away by the Difference in European McDonald's—'Very Jealous'

Ever wonder what the McDonald's menu offerings are like in other countries?

One American was impressed by what he found following a visit to a branch across the pond in England in the U.K. where he tried several dishes.

Kalani Smith, a 25-year-old full-time content creator based in Nashville, Tennessee, visited a McDonald's venue by the Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool, the famed hometown of the Beatles. There, Smith tasted six different items and some sauces, including the BBQ and curry flavors, he told Newsweek.

The content creator shared a viral video on TikTok (@kalanighosthunter) showcasing the different foods he tried during his U.K. McDonald's visit. The clip has had 2 million views since it was posted on January 30.

Smith told Newsweek: "I think the biggest difference is the food quality," saying that the McDonald's offerings in the U.K. "don't have all the additives that we have here [U.S.] and you can really taste it in the food."

McDonald's, the American fast food chain, expanded into international markets from 1967, when it opened in Canada and Puerto Rico. Today, the company has over 36,000 restaurants in over 100 nations.

Fast-food chains often get a bad rap due to the processed nature of many of their dishes. However, the food at some branches may be healthier than others, depending on the country.

For example, one study of the McDonald's menu, which looked at the total amount of saturated fat ("bad fat") in three of the company's most popular items (one Big Mac burger, a medium portion of fries and six chicken nuggets), found that the total saturated fat in these dishes in Turkey (22.2 grams) was nearly double the amount reported in the U.S. (13.42 grams). The total saturated fat for those three foods on the U.K. menu was reported to be 11.28 grams.

The study was conducted by NiceRx, an online drug savings company. The survey was done among all OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries where McDonald's operates.

The study also showed that Turkey ranked highest in salt content (4.5 grams), surpassing the U.S., which reported 3.37 grams of salt across the three food items. The U.K. was found to have 3.10 grams of salt for those dishes.

The total number of calories across the three dishes was found to be highest in Japan (989 calories), outranking the total reported in the U.S. (912 calories) and the U.K. (888 calories), the study showed.

Newsweek has contacted McDonald's for comment via email.

McDonald's in U.S. Versus U.K.

Below is a list of some of the basic ingredients used in the U.S. vs. U.K, as noted at the websites of both branches.

Ingredients in McDonald's U.S. restaurants

• "100 percent pure beef" patties.
• A "freshly cracked" egg for every egg McMuffin sandwich.
• Whitefish sourced from "sustainably managed wild-caught fisheries" to make the Filet-O-Fish sandwich.
• "Real buttermilk" for the buttermilk crispy chicken dish.
• "White meat chicken" for their chicken nuggets.

Ingredients in McDonald's U.K. restaurants

• "100 percent beef" sourced from over 20,000 British and Irish farmers.
• All eggs used for its breakfast menu are British and Irish eggs.
• No use of fat or oil to cook the beef burgers (they're cooked on hot plates instead).
• "Chicken breast meat" is the only meat used for its chicken dish range.
• Only "whole potatoes" are used for their fries, which are cooked in "a blend of rapeseed oil."
• Organic milk sourced from U.K. dairy farms for its milkshakes.

'Very Jealous'

Smith told Newsweek that the toppings on the burger he tried at the U.K. McDonald's branch was "fresh," which tends to be a "hit or miss" in the U.S.

The meat also tasted better, while the fries tasted more like "real potatoes," he added, noting that "you can tell it's cooked in a different oil."

The element he was most surprised about at the U.K. venue was it's lack of "fountain drink stations," where you could refill your drinks, he said.

The footage in the latest viral clip shows Smith ordering different items on a menu board at the Liverpool McDonald's, including the "Steakhouse Stack," which piqued his interest.

He later praised the burger in the video, saying "the toppings looked "a lot better" than in the U.S., with the lettuce and onion looking "actually fresh."

The content creator noted he's a fan of the chicken wrap, saying in the video that he is "very jealous" that it isn't offered in the U.S.

He also loved the U.K. menu's "garlic cheesy bites" and curry sauce as well as the "Galaxy Caramel Pie," which was "freaking good."

The quarter pound burger with cheese was "really close" to that in the U.S., adding that "the patty may be a little different." The fries also had the same consistency and texture as in the U.S, he noted.

Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.