Here's How French McDonald's Are Different From American Ones

    First of all, French people call it "McDo."

    Marie Telling
    by Marie Telling

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    Hi! I'm Marie, I'm French, and I'm here to talk to you about McDonald's. This may come as a surprise, but McDonald's is very popular in France.

    HBO

    France is the largest European market for the fast-food chain, and it's considered an American staple by French people (despite some *not*, in fact, lovin' it).

    And as I was reminded after I moved back to France after seven years in New York City, French McDonald's are pretty different from American ones.

    The differences are true of any global McDonald's. But no matter what country you're in, locations are designed so you'll always recognize one.

    Bertrand Guay / Getty Images

    In each country, McDonald's adapts itself and its menu, catering to local tastes and offering specific foods and experiences that you won't find elsewhere.

    Here's a peek into the menu at McDonald's in France:

    1. First things first: French people don't call it McDonald's. We call it McDo.

    𝖅 @Daintyls

    Les nuggets du McDo quelle bénédiction vraiment.

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    As this Twitter user says, "McDo's nuggets really are a blessing."

    2. French McDo restaurants can actually get pretty fancy.

    Kelly Ann Collins @itskac

    My fellow Americans, we’ve been duped. This is #McDonalds in France. And it looks good. 😃 #fastfood 🤔

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    They're not all as nice as this one, but French locations are usually very sleek and clean — much more inviting than the ones I visited when I lived in NYC. At McDo, you can order from screens, and many of them also feature a McCafé.

    3. This is what the display at a French McCafé looks like.

    4. In the morning, you can also get a croissant or a pain au chocolat with your coffee.

    5. French breakfast isn't complete without bread and jam, which you'll also find at McCafés.

    6. And yes, in Paris you CAN buy a beer in a McDonald's.

    Ryan Cracknell @tradercracks

    Royal with cheese and a beer. France McDonalds is fantastic

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    Vincent Vega didn't lie. You can also buy beer at McDonald's in the rest of France, by the way.

    7. While we're talking about Pulp Fiction, the Quarter Pounder with cheese was indeed called "le Royal Cheese" in France.

    Miramax Films

    That's because, as Vincent pointed out, we use the metric system. But "le Royal Cheese" is actually not on the menu anymore — it was taken off in early 2019.

    8. What you will find on the menu, though, is McDo's take on a croque-monsieur.

    9. You will also find a TRIPLE cheeseburger.

    10. Speaking of cheese, you can also get a burger with raclette and Emmentaler, two of the most beloved cheeses in France.

    11. There's also "le Blue Cheese and Bacon" burger.

    12. When it comes to sides, you can go traditional with some french fries or try the "potatoes," which are thick-cut potato wedges.

    Thick-cut potato wedges from McDonald's France
    Marie Telling

    For authenticity, "potatoes" should be pronounced "poe-tah-toes" when you order them. They come with a "creamy deluxe" ("creemee duhlewxe") sauce, which is sort of a creamier mayo with chives in it. It's very good. If you want to go the lighter route, you can also order cherry tomatoes as a side, although I've never actually seen anyone do that.

    13. Let's talk desserts! There is "le Very Parfait," an ice cream parfait with caramel, chocolate, or strawberry sauce, topped with a ton of whipped cream.

    14. And, last but not least, the McFlurry. Just like the US, we have M&M's and Oreo toppings, but there are other options, too.

    What are the food and drink items specific to McDonald's in your country? Leave them in the comments!