25 Rare Regional McDonald's Items We Wish Were Available Nationwide

Hatch Green Chile Double Cheeseburger

Green chiles bring the heat to a classic McDonald's double cheeseburger that you can only find in the Hatch chile's home state, New Mexico.

Brats

Brats at McDonald's? You betcha. This special debuted in Wisconsin in 1998 as a partnership with Johnsonville and returned for a short time to Wisconsin and parts of Michigan in 2016.

Cheese Curds

In 2016, Cheeseheads were lucky enough to score another Wisconsin delight at McDonald's in the state: cheese curds, made with Wisconsin dairy and deep fried to golden perfection.

Lobster Roll

People in New England love a lobster roll, and come summer, McDonald's releases a version even locals can get on board with at about half the cost of lobster rolls in the region. The McLobster rolled out nationwide in 1993, but now you'll only find it seasonally in select states.

Lone Star Stack

With two beef patties, white Cheddar, applewood-smoked bacon, caramelized onions, and barbeque sauce, the Lone Star Stack boasts Texas-sized flavor. It came about in 2016 as the winner of McDonald's Texas Burger Showdown contest, which invited customers to come up with burgers based on the state.

ChiTown Classic

Another contest champion, the ChiTown Classic won over the Windy City in 2015 with white Cheddar, pepper Jack cheese, Canadian bacon, applewood-smoked bacon, baby spinach, baby kale, sliced tomato, sliced red onion, and mayo on a sesame bun.

Rio Crisp

You're not seeing double. Rivaling the ChiTown Classic in Chicagoland's Burger Build Off was the Rio Crisp, featuring pepper Jack cheese, tortilla strips, guacamole, peppercorn sauce, red onions, lettuce, and tomato on a brioche bun. McDonald's released both burgers in Chicago for a limited time.

Spam, Portuguese Sausage, Eggs, and Rice

Where but Hawaii could you find Spam® alongside sausage and eggs on a breakfast menu? Served with rice, this McDonald's breakfast platter will keep you full.

• Slammin' Things To Do With Spam®

Saimin

You can slurp Hawaii's signature noodle soup all over the islands, including at McDonald's. In fact, the local dish has remained a fixture of the fast food chain's Hawaii restaurants since the 1960s! It packs in egg noodles, char siu (barbeque pork), kamaboko (fish cake), and nori (seaweed).

McTeri Deluxe

We're not saying McDonald's plays favorites, but it has certainly given its Hawaii restaurants a little extra love with limited-time specials like the McTeri Deluxe, a burger coated in McDonald's signature teriyaki sauce.

Haupia Pie

Haupia, a Hawaiian pudding-like coconut dessert, fills flaky fried pies that you'll only find in the Aloha State.

Fried Taro Pie

Filled with tarro, a purple root vegetable that only grows in the Pacific Islands, these fried pies hold a permanent place on McDonald's menus in China and have popped up on menus in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hawaii. In fact, Hawaii last served these pretty pies in April 2022 — but for only a month.

Fried Apple Pies

Consider Hawaii the unofficial McDonald's pie capital of the U.S. It's the only state sanctioned to fry its apple pies, which, you may remember, used to come fried at all McDonald's restaurants before the chain decided baking them would be better.

• There’s an Actual Reason McDonald’s Apple Pie Tastes So Good

Strawberry and Creme Pie

Surprise! This rare Strawberry and Creme Pie isn't found in Hawaii, at least not now. It hails from Oklahoma, where a company called Bama produces all of McDonald's pies. We don't know whether this special will become available nationwide, so head to the Sooner State sooner than later to try it.

Guava and Creme Pie

Once again, pies prove to be a regional delicacy. The Guava and Creme Pie resembles a Latin American pastry called guayaba y queso. McDonald's released this Florida offering in 2016.

Crab Sandwich

Only in Maryland and Virginia could McDonald's customers get their claws on the Crab Sandwich, which features stuffed Snow Crab meat, mayo dressing, romaine, and tomato slices between slices of sourdough. The 2003 exclusive didn't last long — that is, until it popped up in San Jose, California, for a limited time in 2017.

Gilroy Garlic Fries

California's most popular McDonald's promotion, Gilroy Garlic Fries paid homage to the state's Gilroy garlic, gracing the menus of 240 restaurants around the state.

Denali Big Mac

Honoring the tallest peak in North America, which it's named after, this Big Mac has bigger patties and more special sauce than the Big Mac you can get anywhere else in the States.

Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuits and gravy are a staple breakfast item in the South, which is why you can only get this comforting meal at Mickey D's in the southern states. While the flaky biscuits with sausage gravy used to be a staple menu item, now it's only available on the "secret menu" in select states.

Catfish Sandwich

McDonald's fried Filet-O-Fish sandwich is a beloved menu item in every state. But once upon a time customers in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi could enjoy a catfish sandwich. In 1991, McDonald's tested crispy catfish sandwiches at 214 locations across the South, but the sandwich must not have been as big of a hit as the OG Filet-O-Fish because it's no longer available.

Vernors

Anyone who has tried Vernors ginger ale knows why it has remained a fan favorite for the past 150 years — especially in the drink's hometown, Detroit. In 2015, McDonald's introduced Vernors to its Detroit menu to add some hometown flair.

Old Bay Filet-O-Fish

What's seafood without some Old Bay? That's probably what McDonald's was thinking when they introduced their Old Bay Filet-O-Fish sandwich to over 700 locations across the Mid-Atlantic in 2015. The sandwich, which featured Old Bay tartar sauce, was available for a few months during the Lenten season in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia. The sandwich was so popular that Mickey D's brought it back again during the Lenten months in 2016.

Mini Bundt Cakes

Who wouldn't want a mini Bundt cake to go with their morning McCafe coffee? These cakes became available in select locations in Los Angeles, San Diego, Florida, Houston and Atlanta in 2014. Your options were chocolate, cinnamon, and lemon flavor, but the tiny cakes are, unfortunately, no longer available.

Steak and Egg Burrito

Only four states are lucky enough to have the McDonald's steak and egg burrito. Since 1991, the breakfast burrito has been available on menus in New York, Arizona, California, and New Mexico. The mouthwatering burrito features scrambled eggs, shredded beef, vegetables, cheese, and salsa roja.

Steak, Egg, and Cheese Bagel

The Steak, Egg, & Cheese Bagel is a limited edition menu item that makes frequent comebacks to the Philadelphia menu. It's made with steak, scrambled egg, American cheese, and grilled onion on a toasted bagel.

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