McDonald’s is known for its tried-and-true Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, and Chicken McNuggets, but the iconic fast food restaurant also isn’t afraid to change up its menu at various locations. Lucky Micky D’s fans may have tried McDonald’s international menu items like India’s McSpicy Paneer or Japan’s Teriyaki McBurger while traveling abroad or regional specialties closer home. One such location-specific McDonald’s sandwich is the Green Chile Double Cheeseburger, available exclusively in New Mexico.
McDonald’s regional foods, menu items offered only at specific locations, typically reflect the local cuisine and favorite flavors in the area. The Hatch Green Chile Double Cheeseburger is simply a regular double cheeseburger with Hatch green chiles added. Hatch chiles are a pepper with a spiciness level ranging from mild to quite hot depending on the variety. They add a subtle kick to your burger, bringing a smoky, spicy, and slightly sweet flavor that many people, particularly New Mexicans, love.
Hatch chiles are grown exclusively in the Hatch Valley of southern New Mexico, which explains why some McDonald’s in the desert state offer these tasty burgers with a kick. New Mexico is the largest producer of chili peppers in the U.S., producing around 77% of the country’s chiles, the majority of which are green chiles. It’s said that part of what makes Hatch chiles so special is the unique, nutrient-dense soil in which they are grown as well as the generations of farmers that have perfected the growing of these beloved spicy peppers.
Other regional McDonald’s menu items
McDonald’s has a variety of regional items you may not be aware of. Just as the Green Chile Double Cheeseburger is only sold in New Mexico, the fast food restaurant once featured a shockingly affordable McDonald’s lobster roll exclusively at New England locations. The now discontinued sandwich was a seasonal item featuring chunks of lobster, mayo, and lettuce on a hoagie roll. The lobster roll is a popular East Coast sandwich, particularly in Maine, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and reflects the abundance of high quality seafood in the area.
Heading to another region, some Micky D’s locations in the American South offer biscuits and gravy on their breakfast menus, a favorite comfort food in the region. The meal features a creamy sausage gravy poured over buttery biscuits. This hearty breakfast has a long history in the South, beginning as a cheap and filling meal for sawmill workers in the late 1800s (hence the reason sausage gravy is sometimes called sawmill gravy).
For prime examples of McDonald’s regional items, take a peek at Hawaii’s menu. The island state sells a number of culturally specific foods, including fried haupia and taro pies, and Spam and eggs. Haupia is a traditional Hawaiian pudding made with coconut milk, while taro is a purple root vegetable that can be mashed and sweetened with sugar to make a creamy filling. Spam also has a long history in Hawaii, dating back to WWII, and is incorporated into a variety of local dishes.
