'I ate at McDonald's in India and was surprised by alternative to Big Mac'

McDonald's is the largest fast food chain in the world, serving more than 68 million customers daily in 119 countries. And although you'll find a lot of the same items in various countries, there are also some notable differences.

For example, if you go to McDonald's in the US, you might find some different items such as the McGriddle, and there are different size variations. But one Maccies fan who recently visited a Golden Arches chain in India was very surprised by the different offerings, including something he said was their alternative to the popular Big Mac.

Travel content creator Matt Shoe recently took to his @mattshoeclips TikTok account to share his thoughts. He explained that in India they don't have the classic Big Mac, which is a classic burger sold by the fast food giant. It consists of two beef patties, Big Mac sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions, served between three slices of buns.

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Matt went on to explain that McDonald's in India doesn't sell beef or pork because of the Hindu and Muslim beliefs in the country. Instead, they have various other offerings. The content creator decided to try the Chicken Maharaja Mac, Veg Maharaja Mac, which are the alternatives to Big Mac, and McSpicy Chicken.

The three burgers came to about $7 (£5), and he decided to try the McSpicy Chicken burger first. Matt said the chicken "looks pretty, pretty good" and after trying it he was happy to report that it was "really tender", and he was happy with the amount of meat in the burger. However, he said the burger itself was "slightly dry, though".

He then tried the Chicken Maharaja Mac, and was surprised it looked very similar to the Big Mac. After trying it, he said: "It looks like some kind of a chicken patty. It's pretty nice but I actually prefer the real chicken [fillet] one." Matt also tried the vegetarian version, and he was surprised that the patties looked "better". "They look crispy and more full," he added.

** Warning: the video below contains strong language **

"I didn't think I'd ever say this in my entire life, but I prefer the veg version [...]. My life has been a lie," he said. On the McDonald's India blog, it explains about the Maharaja Mac burger: "It took a while to conceptualise this burger. When McDonald's was working on its first menu for India, more than half of the menu items were changed to suit the tastes of Indian consumers. Based on the initial research and surveys, it was found out that customers were looking to try filling a burger with premium ingredients. Hence, it was decided that an Indian equivalent to the Big Mac should be created."

The development process to create the Chicken Maharaja Mac took nine months. They explained: "It comprised a delicious chicken double patty, with rich habanero sauce, fiery jalapenos, juicy tomatoes and crunchy shredded onions, placed on cheddar cheese and a bed of iceberg lettuce. That was the Chicken Maharaja Mac for you, bursting with flavours in every bite."