Fast food, as a whole, is generally not thought to be sophisticated, special, or worthy of a boozy pairing. It’s the stuff of road trips, late night cravings, and meals where you’re just so hungry that anything tastes good. But with careful flavor alchemy and culinary intuition, you can elevate the flavor of your fast food favorites by pairing them with boozy classics and give them the sophisticated upgrade they deserve. One of the most genius McDonald’s food and cocktail pairings?
Take the iconic McDonald’s Big Mac, in all of its double-decker glory, and pair it with a zesty, bright, and flavorful margarita, served frozen or on the rocks. The punchy and acidic lime notes will stand in beautiful contrast to the creamy and mustard-forward flavor of McDonald’s proprietary Big Mac sauce, while the boozy additions, like tequila and triple sec, will cut through the richness of the patty and introduce tart flavors to balance out the saltiness. It’s a cohesive and complementary pairing that you shouldn’t knock until you try.
More ways to customize the adult version of a Happy Meal
While there’s nothing wrong with taking your Big Mac home, whipping up a standard margarita with your favorite mix, and enjoying the two together, there are also many different ways to put a unique spin on this beverage and help it better contrast with your sandwich. One of the easiest ones is to turn up the spice. Try your hand at the ultimate spicy margarita by using canned jalapeños or macerated chili peppers. Add a couple of them to the top of your burger to create better synergy between your cocktail and your meal.
You can also play with different margarita flavors, like our spicy grapefruit mezcal margarita, to introduce new tasting notes. In this case, the grapefruit juice would add a bright, citrusy pop to further complement that creamy Big Mac sauce and cut through the richness of the cheese. Another potential avenue is to switch up your drink’s garnish, helping it mesh better with the burger’s components. A salt and lime juice rim would intensify the savoriness of your burger, whereas a Tajín rim would offer a little more kick — and stand in as the perfect foil to a rich, heavy Big Mac.
