Definitely surprising in the variations I've seen around the world:

Would suggest JAPAN if you want a good chance of trying some of the wackier McD creations from the labs. They seem willing to test-market just about anything in terms of sandwiches there. Also tried their (very lame) clam chowder. I do like the Qoo white grape soda, though; wish they'd bring that to the U.S.

Grossest thing I ever tried at a McDonald's was the McCroquet in HOLLAND. It tasted like a glue sandwich and I think was modeled after FEBO places.

In Malaysia it's the McEgg Muffin, which is the Egg McMuffin stripped of the Canadian bacon (which I'm sure is called something else in other parts of the world; call it the ham disc). IMO it's just not the same. But the Malaysian Big Breakfast with tea works out to around $1.60 U.S., a nice bargain especially with the ringgit fixed to the dollar. Malaysia also had a green-goop sundae (not sure what they called it) for some time a few years ago.

SINGAPORE has the "real" Egg McMuffin but also this awful stuff called SingaPorridge on the breakfast menu.

Don't remember much unusual about the HONG KONG menu, but McDonald's is wildly popular there because it seems like every other sit down place in the whole city is twice the cost.

The PHILIPPINES is, I believe, the only country where McDonald's isn't #1 in its category. A bruising war with Jollibee has created some real bargains. They also have the wrapped rice scoops as sides.

Pretty lame in THAILAND: No breakfast, no quarter pounder with cheese, but ice cream cones are only about 17 cents. Supply issues probably make things tough; Wendy's couldn't hack it in that market and pulled out. And Burger King food has a freezer taste they'd never get away with in the U.S.

They were on a big patriotic kick in AUSTRALIA, with placemats explaining how the beef and other ingredients came from Australia. The french fries with Tasman potatoes did taste pretty good.

Finally, a salute to SRI LANKA, CAMBODIA, LAOS, VIETNAM, the MARSHALL ISLANDS, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Maluku and Papua provinces of Indonesia, all of which have not been invaded yet by the golden arches.

[This message has been edited by RustyC (edited Jan 04, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by RustyC (edited Jan 04, 2004).]