I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (2024)

It makes sense. After all, Switzerland is widely considered the most expensive country in Europe.

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On a recent trip to Zurich, I headed to McDonald's and ordered three sandwiches, fries, and three dipping sauces for 27.6 Swiss Francs.

I could pay in US dollars at the checkout though, and my card was charged $31.14.

Switzerland serves the world's most expensive Big Mac — and it was just OK

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (1)

According to The Economist's Big Mac index, Switzerland has had the most expensive Big Mac in the world for years.

But the Big Mac is quintessential McDonald's, so I had to get one.

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I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (2)

I don't eat at McDonald's very much, and I've probably only had a Big Mac once before. Still, I expected more.

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (3)

The pickles were crisp and vinegary. The cheese was flavorful. The patties were just thin enough. The sprinkling of diced onions was barely noticeable.

The paprika chicken sandwich was unique and tasty

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (4)

The Chicken Paprika, as it was called on the menu — or "Big Bang Chicken," as it was called on the wrapper — is not available to order at McDonald's in the US.

It's a fried chicken patty slathered in paprika sauce, on top of a slice of cheese on warm bun. The simple sandwich seemed to lean on the paprika sauce for its personality.

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (5)

It was a nice change of pace from other fast-food chicken sandwiches I've had. The chicken patty had the texture of a chicken nugget with a crunchy crust.

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I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (6)

The sauce was sweet, but I didn't taste very much paprika. Overall, it was tasty but a bit one-dimensional.

The $10 Big Tasty burger was the best thing on my plate

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (7)

This $10 Big Tasty burger was by far my favorite thing on the table.

It was slathered in a sweet, smoky sauce, covered in creamy Emmental cheese, and topped with big slices of onion and crunchy, smoky bacon.

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The bacon was the best part, and my only criticism was that the tomato tasted bland.

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (8)

The Big Tasty is available worldwide but is not a main menu item in the US. I would buy it again if I was at a McDonald's that served it.

The french fries were the loser of my meal

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (9)

They were pretty standard McDonald's fries, except that they were bland and not salty enough, in my opinion.

Thankfully, I had a variety of sauces to dip them in.

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Some sauces at the Zurich McDonald's were different from what I could get in the US

I picked out three sauces I've never seen on a US menu: hot devil, pommes frites, and curry. Each packet cost less than 50 cents.

The hot devil sauce was unnervingly goopy, but I liked how spicy it was. It was the kind of spice that rests on the front of your tongue.

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (10)

The next one was listed as pommes-frites sauce on the menu but showed up on my receipt as simply "mayonnaise."

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (11)

It did not taste like mayonnaise. In my opinion, it was flavorless and very oily.

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The curry sauce was my favorite. It was really sweet and had a nice curry spice flavor.

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (12)

I almost wish my chicken sandwich had curry sauce instead of the not-very-paprika-y paprika sauce.

The sandwiches I can't order back home were my favorites

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (13)

Overall, it was fun to try new dipping sauces, but the fries weren't very good. The sandwiches I can't order in the US were my favorite items.

And if you're at McDonald's in Switzerland, skip the world's most expensive Big Mac. Get the Big Tasty instead.

I spent $31 at the world's most expensive McDonald's. The fries were disappointing, but I'd reorder this $10 burger you can't get in the US. (2024)

FAQs

Why is McDonald's becoming so expensive? ›

“The battleground is certainly with that low-income consumer.” In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a new minimum wage measure that raises hourly pay for fast food workers to $20 an hour — a development that some McDonald's franchisees say has forced them to further hike menu items.

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Which country has the most expensive McDonald's? ›

Big Mac index worldwide 2024

At 8.07 U.S. dollars, Switzerland has the most expensive Big Macs in the world, according to the July 2024 Big Mac index. Concurrently, the cost of a Big Mac was 5.69 dollars in the U.S., and 6.06 U.S. dollars in the Euro area.

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How much did McDonald's original french fries cost? ›

One menu, which McDonald's told Nexstar dates back to the mid-to-late 1950s, shows only nine items available for sale, and most of them are drinks. At the time, a “pure beef hamburger” cost 15 cents, a “tempting cheeseburger” cost 19 cents, and “golden french fries” were 10 cents.

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What is McDonald's #1 selling item? ›

#1: French fries

It probably doesn't come as a surprise to learn that these delicious slices of golden goodness are the all-time bestseller. They've been a staple of McDonald's since its very first menu, and people have been asking for fries with that—or just fries—ever since.

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What's the most expensive McDonald's order ever? ›

On a recent trip to Zurich, I headed to McDonald's and ordered three sandwiches, fries, and three dipping sauces for 27.6 Swiss Francs. I could pay in US dollars at the checkout though, and my card was charged $31.14.

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Why is McDonald's losing popularity? ›

McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski says low-income consumers eating at home and finding other ways to economise. McDonald's has reported its first drop in global sales in over three years as inflation-weary consumers seek out cheaper options and cut back on eating out.

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Why is McDonald's changing their name? ›

Who wants a WcDonald's? The restaurant chain will temporarily change its name to resemble how it appears in anime series, which flip the 'M' for copyright reasons, but the logo remains unmistakable.

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Is Burger King cheaper than McDonald's? ›

If size-to-cost ratio matters, then Burger King wins the battle. However, if someone is looking to spend the least amount of money, and be somewhat health-conscious in the process, they may want to pay Ronald McDonald a visit.

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What country loves McDonald's the most? ›

Given that McDonald's was started in the United States, it should come as no surprise that the United States still has the most McDonald's of any country in the world.

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How much is a Big Mac 2024? ›

FALSE. The average price of a Big Mac Meal in 2019 was $7.29 and in 2024 is $9.29 (27%). The average price of a Big Mac in 2019 was $4.39 and is now $5.29 (21%).

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How much was a Whopper in 1986? ›

I remember the Whopper being 99 cents back around 1986.

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How much was a hamburger at McDonald's in 1970? ›

Back then a McDonald's hamburger cost 18-cents (1970) and rose during the mid-70s high inflation period to 28-cents (1975). Today the burger is $2.00. We're still in the same 8x inflation ballpark.

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What was McDonald's original menu? ›

The original menu only had nine items on it.

The original McDonald's menu offered hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries, milk, root beer, orangeade, Coca-Cola, coffee, and three kinds of milkshakes: chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla.

What is McDonald's biggest cost? ›

Company-operated restaurant expenses, including food and paper, payroll and employee benefits, and occupancy and other operating expenses, accounted for the largest sum of the company's costs.

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Where is the fanciest McDonald's in the United States? ›

A 19th-century mansion in New Hyde Park, New York, is the most beautiful McDonald's in America. The location is a historical landmark that has been a home and a few other restaurants.

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