I’ve been hammering the Fast Food vendors – particularly the Burger giants – about their ever-more-desperate attempts to raise their profiles above the competition and somehow grab a larger piece of the action. But I’m taking a break, today, in the spirit of the Holidays…
The Season’s Cravings combo from McDonald’s Canada. Looks nice, but a little more
thought and effort could have produced a really superior Holiday treat…
McDonald’s – as noted in previous posts – is the king of creative, often nutty season specials. But the Holiday combo just launched here in Canada is something different. It’s truly creative, it’s not loaded with too many or too nutty ingredients and it’s actually a combo whose components relate to each other in a sensible way. Reading about it, I wondered if there was a punch line to come, another shoe to drop. Apparently not.
What it is…
The Season’s Cravings combo includes something called a Potato Rosti Bacon Burger. It looks like a Bacon Burger topped with a round Hash Brown (a far cry from a real Rosti with Rosemary, Parsley and Onions) and sauced with Mayonnaise. It’s served on what looks like a McD’s premium ‘Brioche’ bun.
Alongside comes my favourite component of the Cravings package, a large sleeve of Waffle-cut Fries. It’s hard to draw a line to say where a Waffle Fry becomes a Waffle Chip. But I’m guessing the Cravings Waffle Fry would still land just on the Fry side. One thing is for sure, it’s thin enough to be really crisp, all the way through. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The crowning glory (dessert) is a Turtles Sundae (Vanilla Ice Cream ans Chocolate Sauce with Pecans and Chocolate Chips). What’s more Christmassy to Canadians than a box of Turtles under the tree? There is probably something, but it’s early, here, and I haven’t had my coffee yet…
A limited vision…
I would have liked the combo to have been centred on a Potato Rosti Chicken Sandwich with not only Mayo but a nice dollop of Cranberry Sauce (or at least something that resembles it). Keep the Bacon. Most definitely. Add another strip, while you’re at it!
I guess it would have been too much to ask McDonald’s to whip up a batch of Stuffing Patties, rather than the somewhat incongruous Rosti. There’s nothing particularly Christmassy about Rosti. In fact, it’s a year-round Breakfast staple in the European countries its various versions call home. They could at least have added onions and seasoned the Rosti to remind one of Stuffing.
I’m definitely going to try one and see how the Burger comes together on the palate. And I’m actually looking forward to trying the Fries. I just wish the was a special Dipping Sauce to go with them. Give me the Sundae and go away. I want to enjoy it in blessed solitude…
Am I high-maintenance?
A high-maintenance woman is defined as one who wants what she wants when she wants it, the way she wants it. But I still think the McDonald’s Canada season’s Cravings package could have been easily elevated above the usual dressed-up Burger premise and turned into something really special. Maybe next year?
Nevertheless…
I give The Season’s Cravings Combo three stars out of five. And that’s definitely good enough for a thumbs up!
~ Maggie J.