The BTS McDonald’s Meal Is HERE, & This New Sauce Is Literal Fire
A sauce as hot as BTS? Yes, please!
In Elite Daily's series Chef's Kiss, we taste the latest food and drink trends to help you figure out which ones you definitely don’t want to sleep on. In this piece, we tried the highly-anticipated BTS meal from McDonald’s.
On Wednesday, May 26, McDonald’s gave ARMYs a tasty reason to head to the Golden Arches with the launch of its BTS meal collaboration. Following its successful 2020 partnerships with Travis Scott and J Balvin, McDonald’s and the “Butter” hitmakers are reinventing your classic Chicken McNuggets with fries, thanks to two new sweet and spicy sauces. Wondering what McDonald’s BTS meal tastes like? Here’s what to expect.
The limited-edition BTS McDonald’s meal, which will be available until June 20 in the United States, will roll out to McDonald’s locations in almost 50 countries throughout the summer. Meant to resemble the K-Pop stars' "signature order," the meal dresses up some McDonald’s faves with new textures and flavors.
When you order a BTS meal, you’ll get a 10-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, an order of medium fries, and a medium Coke. The twist is in the limited-edition dipping sauces — Sweet Chili and Cajun — which are inspired by popular existing sauces in South Korean stores but were previously unavailable for U.S.-based customers.
Despite its moniker, the Cajun sauce is much more reminiscent of an Asian-inspired yum yum sauce with notes of honey mustard throughout. The yellow, creamy sauce is pretty mild with some subtle sweetness and tang, which makes it pair really well with the Sweet Chili.
Unlike its companion, the Sweet Chili definitely serves up some major heat. While the sauce’s overall sweetness hits your tongue first, the spiciness and umami flavor from the gochujang (a Korean chili paste) definitely linger on your tastebuds, which gives the Chicken McNuggets an extra kick. IMO, it’s McDonald’s version of Korean fried chicken, and it’s delicious.
For fans who don’t want as much heat, you might want to consider mixing the Sweet Chili with the Cajun sauce to help temper some of the spiciness and sweetness. The textures of the two sauces (creamy for the Cajun and BBQ sauce-esque for the Sweet Chili) also go well together and make for a tasty dipping sauce for the fries.
As for the McNuggets, Coke, and fries, well, you can expect the classic Mickey D’s offerings you know and love. However, the two dipping sauces definitely elevate both the crispy McNuggets and fries, giving them a pretty different flavor profile than what you’d normally get during a visit to the Golden Arches.
Considering both the J Balvin and Travis Scott McDonald’s collaborations dealt with high demand and even ingredients shortages due to their popularity, you won’t want to wait on trying BTS’ signature eats by ordering the meal in-store at participating locations, with mobile order and pay in the McDonald's app, or by getting it delivered. When you order, make sure to follow the CDC's most updated guidance on masking and social distancing.
