McDonald's Philippines Menu Gives Jollibee A Run For Its Money

McDonald's Philippines boasts an extensive menu that features many of the same Filipino classics as the country's national chain, Jollibee. "McDo" (Mac-doe), as the franchise is affectionately known in the country, boasts some hits, but its market share is still dwarfed by Jollibee's (via Statista). While there's no perfect way to evaluate how McDo's menu stacks up, there's plenty of internet buzz on the topic.

In a recent TikTok, a reviewer rated a few of the chain's most popular offerings. He started with a glowing review of the "McFloat," a beverage that features vanilla soft serve ice cream atop iced coffee, milk tea, or Coke. For those who like to dip their fries or pair a sweet drink with something salty, the McFloat also comes as a combo. He also liked "Shake Shake" Fries, which are served with a packet of cheddar seasoning to add before shaking it all up in a bag. Another favorite was McDo's fried chicken, which he said had moist meat with crispy skin. He seemed less keen on the McDo burger (a hamburger featuring sweet mayo), and the Mushroom Pepper Steak (the franchise's version of a burger steak), which he deemed inferior to Jollibee's version.

Other tempting McDonald's Philippines menu items include the Chicken and McSpaghetti — McDo's version of Filipino spaghetti, which traditionally features a sweet sauce of ground beef, sliced hot dogs, and banana ketchup. With such a solid lineup, McDonald's Philippines is putting itself in the same arena as Jollibee.

Commenters had lots of suggestions for the TikTokker and opinions on how McDo's food measures up to Jollibee's. One user told the reviewer to try the "Chicken Fillet Ala King," which features a fried chicken filet topped with creamy sauce. Others seemed to flat-out prefer Jollibee over the American franchise, with one writing: "Try Jollibee you won't regret it."

Though McDo's menu can certainly hold its own against Jollibee's, the final verdict on which franchise "wins" probably won't be settled any time soon. On social media, a debate rages on regarding the quality of the menu staples at both chains, with many users weighing in on their favorites. The chains have similar offerings, but McDonald's has more dessert options, with a selection that includes the McDo Shake, McFloats, the Oreo McFlurry, and sundaes. On the other hand, Jollibee offers pie fillings of peach mango, coconut pineapple, and a savory tuna pie option. 

In general, Jollibee skews more towards Filipino classics, with options like palabok and Shanghai rolls/lumpia that are missing from the McDo menu. A popular format on Filipino Twitter shows users ranking six foods at both of the franchises: fries, spag (spaghetti), burgers, chicken, sundaes, and pies. Some insist the McDo fries and sundaes are better while Jollibee wins for its famous Chickenjoy and pies.