American road trippers can count on McDonald's to provide a familiar, predictable meal for highway-weary travelers. East or west, you can count on a Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets to battle a grumbling tummy. But if your vacation plans take you to international destinations, what was a predictable meal before you stepped on that plane can become a culture shock to the system. We've rounded up some of the most interesting meal options you can expect when dining at the golden arches overseas.
— Additional reporting by Nicole Perry and Erin Cullum
McDonald's introduced the Sweety con Nutella in Italy, which is a meatless "hamburger" with Nutella as the filling.
You can get your churro fix at McDonald's in South Korea with a fried pastry coated in sugar.
Japanese McDonald's wants customers to do some of the work with Shaka Shaka Chicken: place the fried chicken piece in a paper bag, add your choice of seasonings (red pepper, lemon, or cheese), and shake it for a flavorful bite.
The Pancake Helado from McDonald's in Uruguay is a pancake filled with dulce de leche and topped with vanilla ice cream.
McDonald's in Singapore has Twister Fries, its version of curly fries.
Order your fries as poutine in Canada, and they will come topped with gravy and cheese curds.
A croquette of beef-stuffed potato, a popular dish in the Netherlands, sits at the center of a McKroket's bun.
If you love the creamy cheesiness of a croque-monsieur, then try a Croque McDo, filled with ham and two slices of Emmentaler cheese. In Belgium, polish it off with a Jupiler beer.
In addition to the famed McDonald's apple pie, Chinese restaurants serve pies stuffed with sweet taro.
Sidle up to a McDonald's breakfast in Mexico, and you can have the McMollete: English muffins topped with beans, melted cheese, and pico de gallo.
In Cyprus, the Greek Mac is essentially a Big Mac in a pita, drizzled with tzatziki sauce.
While it's no longer available, Germany McDonald's has a history of crowd-sourcing menu item ideas like the Pretzelnator, a beef patty sandwiched in a pretzel bun and topped with ham, lettuce, onions, mayonnaise, and American and Italian cheeses. And for fans of the elusive McRib, you can find it year-round at German McDonald's restaurants.
The ham and cheese McToast is a popular offering in Greece and many other European countries.
India's famous paneer cheese makes up the meaty part of this McDonald's wrap.
The kao fan burger in Hong Kong serves up a fried chicken patty in a bun made from rice.
Though McDonald's isn't known for its Italian fare, restaurants in the Philippines aren't afraid to offer McSpaghetti.
Want something fast and comforting while in Indonesia? Order up a bowl of Buryam: rice porridge with chicken and fried crisps.
Il Mac may sit on desktops in Italy, but it's not a computer; these McDonald's sandwiches contain a beef patty, cheese, lettuce, and tomato hugged by a ciabatta roll.
While in the Middle East, sink your teeth into a flat-bread-wrapped McArabia sandwich for a different take on McDonald's grilled chicken.
In a country known for its wonderfully seasoned beef, it makes sense that South Korean McDonald's offer the Bulgolgi Burger.
In addition to your fries, order up a shrimp burger with a side of corn soup in Taiwan.
The Pay de Queso, or queso pie, is a popular offering at McDonald's in Guatemala and Mexico.