The Mexican-Style Egg McMuffin You'll Find At McDonald's South Of The Border

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McDonald's is a fast food giant the world over, and it didn't get to that position by accident. While Americans might be familiar with the menu in the United States, the company has been aggressive in catering its offerings to the local tastes of international markets, including right across the southern border in Mexico. Even iconic standbys like the McMuffin get an overhaul to reflect regional ingredients, including the innovative, flavorful McMuffin a la Mexicana.

The sandwich has been a feature of McDonald's Mexican menu since at least 1999. Much like the traditional version, it's built on a familiar breakfast sandwich structure of eggs, meat, and cheese, sandwiched between two English muffins. However, unlike the fried egg served on the American version, the Mexican one includes a Mexican-style omelet, which has diced green peppers, onions, and tomatoes mixed into eggs. One American dining at a McDonald's in Mexico, trying it for the first time, stated it also has a spicy kick to it. The familiar Canadian bacon (which isn't really Canadian) or breakfast sausage patty is replaced by traditional bacon, topped with cheese, while the bun also gets a scoop of refried beans spread across it before closing the sandwich.

The McMuffin a la Mexicana isn't alone in its status as a McDonald's item you can only find outside the United States. Teriyaki burgers –with either a pork burger or chicken filet — are available at the company's Japanese locations, Venezuelans can order arepas — scrambled eggs with tomato and cheese sandwiched in flat bread — from the Mickey D's breakfast menu, and Hong Kong customers will find the unusual Sausage N' Egg Twisty Pasta — pasta topped with eggs and sausage in broth. There are even regional-only items on American menus, such as the seasonal lobster roll in New England, Spam platters in Hawaii, and hatch green chile double cheeseburgers in New Mexico. 

To be sure, the McMuffin a la Mexicana isn't a traditional breakfast dish for the region. Although it may bring some extra flavor, the McMuffin a la Mexicana is a fast Americanized version of an authentic Mexican breakfast. Though tortillas are typically used for sandwiches, rather than English muffins, ingredients like beans, salsa, and cheese are often involved. However, there's little doubt that it belongs on the list of egg dishes from Mexico you need to try at least once, especially for fans of the Golden Arches.