McDonald’s Piri Piri Shake Shake Fries

Review of McDonald’s India Piri Piri Shake Shake Fries

Website: http://www.mcdonaldsindia.net/shake-shake-fries.aspx

What they say: Shake Shake Fries are back! Rush to your nearest McDonald’s to get the irresistible combination of spicy Piri Piri mix with your favourite French Fries. Shake’em up in the shake bag to give your fries a spicy twist.

Price: Not applicable.

Calories: Unknown.

DISCLAIMER: THIS PRODUCT IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE UK.

As Burger King start the process of discontinuing their unsuccessful, healthy option ‘Satisfries’, Burger Lad® acquires a packet of McDonald’s India Piri Piri spice mix from their Shake Shake Fries.

McDonald’s India Shake Shake Fries…

I would just like to thank Travelling McDonald’s for sending these over from Singapore – you can check out his original review here. Thank you again for sharing and we really appreciate it!

McDonald’s have recently been testing “Shakin’ Flavor Fries” in the USA.

For those that don’t know the concept it is fairly basic. Customers receive a shaker bag and seasoning packet of the flavour they choose. You then tear open the packet, pour in as much or as little of the spice mix as desired and shake the bag to coat the fries in the flavouring.

The flavours being tested in the Greater Philadelphia Region include Garlic Parmesan, Spicy Buffalo and Zesty Ranch.

It’s not a revolutionary idea or innovation (see Smith’s Salt ‘n’ Shake).

In fact, countries in Asia have been having Shaker Fries for years and they are very popular. At the My Burger Final I was asked by the McD UK MD what products I would introduce if I was in charge for a day and ironically I included “Piri Piri Shaker Fries”. As you can imagine I was very excited to test these out (plus I am a huge Nando’s fan!!).

Chicken Curry flavour currently available in Indonesia…

Below are examples of some of the flavours that have been available in the past, even Sweden currently has them on the menu with some sort of Mexican flavouring…

Links to Travelling McDonald’s reviews are provided where available.

Japan – Seaweed

Singapore – Citrus Thai

Hong Kong – Zesty Tomato

Various – Cheese, Honey BBQ, Curry, Hot and Spicy, Katsu Curry, Spicy Roasted Chicken, Honey Chipotle, American BBQ.

Kickin’ Ketchup flavour currently available in The Philippines…

Unfortunately I do not have a shaker bag for this experiment. But I do have what is vital for this taste test of the Shake Shake Fries – the Piri Piri Spice mix… straight from McDonald’s India via our good friends in Singapore.

McDonald’s India Piri Piri Spice Mix…

We sailed through the drive-thru on Sunday evening – I have never seen one so quiet!

Halfway up the road we had to do a quick U-turn cause out of all of the order the one thing that was missing were the Medium French Fries off the Saver Menu.

Back at BLHQ I struggled with the spice mix sachet, it seemed really difficult to open so I resorted to scissors to get inside – maybe it was all the air miles it had clocked up or my impatience to get in the mix.

Where’s my brown paper bag gone…!?

I wasn’t sure just how much of the seasoning to add and glancing in my makeshift shake shake bag (the smallest brown McDonald’s bag they use) I saw that only half of the packet was required.

The Fries had received a respectable, even spread and from the quite pungent smell coming from them it was apparent no more of the spice mix was required.

Use within six months of date listed…

I was always going to compare this to the Nando’s Peri Peri Salt so how did it compare?

Well the McDonald’s India spice mix had a very, very strong garlic taste which was absolutely the most dominant flavour on play here.

It was spicy too (probably to cater for Indian palates). It bears no resemblance to the Nando’s variety.

But it was interesting, not unpleasant, but due to its strong flavouring I was glad of a) the fact we only used half the sachet and b) I had a drink to hand. And I’m from the school of Naga people.

So if you think Burger Lad® can’t handle a bit of spice you can “sachet away”.

French Fries evenly coated with the Piri Piri mix…

On the whole this was enjoyable and made a nice change to the standard McDonald’s Fry. Will we see this or a similar flavour in the UK? Maybe… I suppose the fact the Shaker concept has reached Sweden shows there is a chance we could see it on these shores in the distant future.

I doubt we’d see a flavour quite this “harsh” as it really hits the back of your throat – I actually could have done with a dipping sauce just to take the edge off.

If released, my money would be on a cheese/garlic or BBQ type spice mix.

Thanks again to Travelling McDonald’s for sending this McDonald’s India Piri Piri Shake Shake Spice Mix, we enjoyed it and look forward to trying the Garlic Chilli Sauce next.

We’ll leave you with one last look at our cobbled together version of the Shaker Fries. Tweet McDonald’s UK and ask them if they’re coming here soon, you never know they might just do it!

McDonald’s Piri Piri Shake Shake Fries…

Burger Lad®

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