It's a well-known fact amongst McDonald's enjoyers that its menu offerings and quality can drastically vary depending on where you are on the planet — heck, even the same order can taste 100% different in another country.
I personally learned this reality early on in life, when I first bit into a McChicken at the Frankfurt Airport in Germany. I moved from Canada to Europe at the age of four and even then, at the dawn of my own self-consciousness, I was able to recognize how superior Germany's McChicken was.
While I no longer eat red meat, a craving struck for a Big Mac, one that I could not deny.
An American Big Mac box.Courtesy of Sierra Riley
Knowing I had an upcoming trip to Portland, I decided to directly compare a Big Mac in Canada and a Big Mac in the US out of pure curiosity. And let me tell you, the results were quite surprising. Indeed, one was far better than the other.
The Canadian Big Mac
Alright, first up: Canada. I walked to my neighbourhood's humble McDonald's location with a general idea of the quality I'd be getting (historically speaking, not the best, not the worst).
The Big Mac was a little heavy on the sauce for my liking, but the meat patty (made with Canadian beef) was moist and the bun was soft.
My biggest critique was the shredded lettuce, which was wilted and sad.
A Canadian Big Mac.Courtesy of Sierra Riley
Overall, it was a solid three-star Big Mac. Pretty mediocre. Nothing to write home about.
The American Big Mac
Portland, like Vancouver, is a city of foodies. Tantalizing burger joints line the street, so it felt semi-sacrilegious walking up to a McDonald's. Nevertheless, my scientific curiosity won out and I ordered a Big Mac, figuring that America — the birthplace of McDonald's — would likely serve up a pretty killer combo.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
A digital kiosk at McDonald's in Portland.Courtesy of Sierra Riley
The bun was dry, the meat was dry and the cheese was crusty. I didn't even finish the thing.
American McDonald's has different meat suppliers than Canada, so perhaps the cows down south just taste different. Unfortunately, the only praise I can give this Big Mac is that the lettuce was relatively crisp.
An American Big Mac.Courtesy of Sierra Riley
Hey, maybe I just chose the wrong McDonald's to sample what the US has on offer, but I give the American Big Mac one star out of five.
The verdict
Next time, I think I'll stick to the McChicken, but if I ever get another red-meat craving, I probably won't take it across the border.
Although neither burger wowed me this time around, McDonald's Canada beat out its southern neighbour. The fries in either country still slap, though.