While fast food in America offers a kind of mind-numbing consistency — you get pretty much the same stuff prepared the same way no matter what state you're in — things can be weird and wonderful elsewhere in the world. This is especially true at McDonald's a fast-food giant that has taken the world by storm by emulating the tastes of international markets. According to its website McDonald's has more than 38000 locations worldwide and while iconic items like the McFlurry and Chicken McNuggets have all been given twists that push past the American standard the classic French fry arguably takes the prize for the most variations.
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 BuzzFeedVideo | 2020-12-13 16:00:23 |  4,683,451 Views |
Eating fries all over the world
The Big Mac may be named after the company but fries are probably the most famous and inimitable item in the McDonald’s repertoire. If you’re not up for making your own fries at home a red Mickey D’s cardboard sleeve is usually a good option but imagine buying one in Japan Norway or India where a regular salted chip is far from the only option. From the gravy-filled fries of Australia to the sweetcorn-seasoned fries of the Philippines here are some of the most exciting variations that McDonald’s has offered.
Yes you read that right: In India a favorite McDonald’s menu item is the Mexican Cheesy Fries which get a double drizzle of spicy salsa and nacho cheese. What makes this fried fusion food so popular? Funnily enough Indian-Americans and immigrants in the U.S. have long had an affinity for Tex-Mex chain Taco Bell which is familiar with its use of spicy sauces flatbreads and vegetarian options. Perhaps that explains why a salsa-and-cheese dish would go down well in India.
Flavorful sauces aren't the only thing that sets McDonald's Indian fries apart from the American originals: The sauces in India are vegetarian. You may not even know that the chain's signature fries contain beef extract which is meant to mimic the flavor of beef suet the original cooking medium for the potatoes (the company switched to vegetable oil in 1990). Beef is a non-issue in India given the country's large Hindu population. The religion considers the cow a sacred animal not meant for human consumption. We're sure the spicy punch of the salsa in the Mexican Cheesy Fries makes up for the lack of (almost unnoticeable) beef flavor.
