The McDonald's Fountain Drink You Can Only Find In Scotland
There are many fast food items only available outside the U.S. that Americans wish were sold here. Whether it's Bulgogi pizza at Pizza Hut in South Korea or the United Kingdom's plant-based Whopper, there are many quick, affordable food options at chains in other countries that we can only dream about. TikToker @Live_thedash, who travels to different McDonald's to try items you can't find elsewhere, discovered that locations in Scotland carry a drink not found anywhere else: Irn-Bru.
Irn-Bru soda (pronounced like "Iron Brew") is often jokingly described as "Scotland's other national drink," and a cure to the inevitable hangover caused by Scotland's main national drink — whiskey. On McDonald's website, Irn-Bru is described as having been "BRU'd in Scotland since 1901 to a secret recipe of 32 flavours with a spirit that's as bold as its taste. You can't describe it, because there's nothing like it. Only available in Scotland."
Saying the drink is indescribable is not an exaggeration. In a survey The National conducted of more than 1000 Scots, 20% of Glasgow residents described the flavor as "Tutti Frutti," 21% of those from Edinburgh described it as bubblegum, 10% of the Highland area thought it tasted like cream soda, and 20% of those in the Lowlands described it as sherbet.
Irn-Bru was invented by an American company
Irn-Bru was officially launched in Scotland in 1901 by Robert Barr in Falkirk, and his son Andrew G. Barr (AG Barr & Co) in Glasgow. It was called Iron Brew until the end of World War II, when AG Barr rebranded it as Irn Bru. Despite it being embraced as a Scottish beverage, Iron Brew was actually invented by the New York-based chemicals company Maas & Waldstein. The drink was first sold in Jamaica, with the earliest known ads for the beverage published in 1891.
At first glance, you'd assume Irn-Bru is similar to Fanta Orange since both are bright orange carbonated beverages. But the similarities seem to end there. "In most Scottish houses they have a Hot Tap, Cold Tap, and an Irn-Bru Tap," TikToker @Live_TheDash says in his video. "More Irn-Bru gets drunk in Scotland than Coca-Cola."
@live_thedash McDonalds food around the world in Glasgow Scotland 🏴 #mcdonaldsaroundtheworld #mcdonaldsfood #mcdonaldsscotland #irnbru #mcdonaldsmenu
While the fact that Scotland McDonald's carries Irn-Bru may be impressive to some, Scots on TikTok seem to have mixed feelings. "McDonald's Irn-Bru hits different," said one. Another commented, "Get the [OG] Irn-Bru it tastes better (glass bottle) you will probably find it in a corner shop."