McHappy Day

While I don’t go there nearly as often as I did in a previous life, I still have a fondness for the “golden arches”! One of my favourite McDonald’s menu items of all time is the Big Xtra (or Big N’ Tasty for the American audience). This sandwich has vastly disappeared from most McDonald’s restaurants, but for some reason is available at all Wal-Mart McDonald’s outlets.

When I once worked conveniently across the street from a McDonald’s, I would occasionally walk a couple extra blocks to the nearby Wal-Mart to get my true menu item of choice. On a recent Wal-Mart shopping expedition, complete with Big X-tra indulgence, I got to thinking about McDonald’s mains and sides I’d love to see back on the menu.

Shaker Fries

Back when Mickey-D’s featured a limited-time “Taste of the Month” menu item, the shaker fries were introduced. The flavour options included sour crème and onion and barbecue. The gimmick was simple. You’d pour your carton of fries into a shaker bag, along with your seasoning of choice, give it a quick whirl and voila, flavoured fries. When Mrs. Sip and I were visiting New Zealand, we came across a McDonald’s that had these very fries and best of all, you were able to eat your meal inside a replica small plane!

Arch Deluxe

A precursor of sorts to the company’s current crop of “luxury” burger offerings, the Arch Deluxe featured a larger than normal beef patty, along with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, and optional bacon. Today, the chain offers Angus burgers in its place (in Canada, at least) and we have this innovator to thank for the progressive burger movement.

McPizza

Another McDonalds oddity that was actually pretty decent. I remember Papa Sip – never a huge fan of McDonalds food, except breakfast – would always order this menu item. McPizza was taken off the menu because it took the restaurants too long to make each order, thus not falling in line with the concept of fast food.

McDonaldland Cookies

A very memorable childhood treat and featured in a little cardboard box, the McDonaldland chocolate chip cookies existed in a time where we didn’t force kids to have a side of apple slices with their cheeseburger because they don’t know what it’s like to go outside and exercise. Sadly, these cookies have been extinct for some time now. I wonder if anyone is selling a pack on EBay or something.

Orange Drink

This stuff was totally radical! It was like that Super Socco juice box, except watered down to extreme levels. If I could get my hands on this substance today, first I’d also ask to take a tour of the McDonalds facility (do you remember when they used to do that at birthday parties?) and play in the ball pit, before heading home and coming up with some drink ideas for the sweet nectar.

Deli Sandwiches

These subs were pretty good… not Subway good, but not too shabby, either. The sandwiches were released at a time when McDonalds was trying to improve its image as a healthy choice in the fast food market and compete with restaurants like Quiznos and the aforementioned Subway. My choice among the lot was the Turkey BLT, which came with all the ingredients you’d expect from its name.

Meal Days

Mondays were Big Mac day, Tuesdays featured the Big Xtra, Wednesdays brought the McChicken to the yard and so on. The only meal day I didn’t much care for was Filet O’ Fish on Fridays, but cheap burgers each day of the week was pretty epic. Why they ever got rid of this promotion, which surely had to be successful, I’ll never know. At least it existed during my high school days. Ah, so many classes skipped to hang out at McDonalds, playing cards, and scoring cheap eats!

Drink #128: McNuggetini

• Rim glass with Barbecue Sauce
• 1.5 oz Vodka (I used Pinnacle Chocolate Whipped)
• Top with McDonald’s Chocolate Milkshake
• Garnish with a Chicken McNugget

Such an awe-inspiring concoction! There are many McDonalds’ items that I have yet to try, as I constantly add to my “To Eat” list. This includes the McRib and McLobster sandwiches as well as McPoutine. Help me on my quest by donating to the ‘Make a Sip Foundation’. Seriously, though, go out and grab a menu item that provides money for charity on this, the happiest of all days, McHappy Day!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4.5 Sips out of 5):
Most people probably can’t wrap their heads around the Barbecue Sauce rim working with a Chocolate Milkshake, but I have to say that the sweet sauce was a nice compliment to the chocolate shake. Chocolate Whipped Vodka was also an excellent call, on my behalf.