Please Bring These International Menu Items to the U.S.

One of my favorite things to do when I’m on an international vacation is stop by my go-to fast food restaurants to see how different the menus are compared to ours in the U.S. Maybe I’m just a huge food nerd, but I love to know what we’re missing out on in the states. And, if you’ve ever done the same thing, then you know it’s a lot. 

Even though chains like KFC, McDonald’s, and even the Costco food court, are inherently American, they sell different—and, oftentimes, better—menu items in other countries. The brands occasionally test the international favorites stateside—like KFC’s Chicken Quesadilla from Spain and Portugal and McDonald’s Chicken Big Mac from the U.K.—but there are still items we’ve yet to see in the U.S. 

So, KFC, here is our official bid to get these menus to the U.S. as soon as possible.

Original Tenders Crunch Bowl

We may have the Famous Bowl made with mashed potatoes, corn, chicken nuggets, gravy, and cheese, but what we’re missing is the crunch. KFC Australia’s Crunch Bowl features crispy chicken tenders, corn chips, dressed slaw, and pepper mayo so you really do get crunchy bits in every bite. The real question is: Why don’t we have any KFC menu items with chips in the U.S.?

Mashies

Mashies are a fan-favorite menu item in the South Pacific and, especially, Australia. The fried mashed potato bites come with a side of gravy for dipping and recently graced KFC’s Australian menu for a limited time after more than 10 years.

I tried Mashies at KFC’s Lousiville, Kentucky headquarters, and they have no business being as delicious as they are. They’re the perfect textural contrast of crunchy and smooth. I’m a sucker for KFC’s gravy—I add it to everything—so the two together are phenomenal.

Because I’ve tried them, I’d like to believe there’s a possibility that Mashies will make it to the U.S., but I won’t get my hopes up, either.

Colonel Original Fish

Yes, it’s Kentucky Fried Chicken, but Americans love fast food fish sandwiches, so how is the Colonel Original Fish not available here? At least make it a limited-time Lent offering for Catholics on Fridays. The fried cod filet is topped with cheese, lettuce, burger sauce, and Original sauce on a sesame seed bun that’s available in a few countries, including France.

The Stuffing Stacker

It’s official: I’d do anything for a KFC holiday menu. In 2023, KFC’s U.K. restaurants served up The Stuffing Stacker, which was a chicken sandwich topped with sage and onion stuffing, lettuce, cheese, burger sauce, and spicy cranberry sauce. It was only available as a Christmas special, but seeing as we Americans eat stuffing for Thanksgiving, we could really make the holiday sandwich worth it for a few months. 

Plus, look how much people love Wawa’s Gobbler sandwich and The Pilgrim from GetGo. KFC, I’m telling you, you’re missing out on major business.

Tower Burger

KFC’s Tower Burger is like if Mickey D’s Chicken Big Mac and secret menu McBrunch Burger had a baby. The chicken sandwich is topped with a few different ingredients depending on its country, however, the most important part is the crispy filet and hash browns. From there, you might find cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and ketchup, based on whether you get it in New Zealand or the U.K.

Cookie Dough Bites

It seems KFC is overlooking the sweet treats in the U.S. While we’ve had desserts like pie poppers, cake, and brownies, there’s one I’m truly begging for: Australia’s Cookie Dough Bites. The chocolate chip cookie dough is coated in a batter and fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside but warm and gooey on the inside. 

Snack influencer and friend of Allrecipes, @snachwithzach recently tried them and said they were “god tier.”

“The texture was perfect. I can’t even explain it, but people would freak out if they launched,” he told Allrecipes.

Crispy Hot Dog Cheese & Bacon

KFC loves turning non-chicken food into a chicken-packed meal—hello Double Down with chicken filet “buns” and Chizza with fried chicken crust. Now, enter the fried chicken hot dog. 

The Crispy Hot Dog Cheese & Bacon is a limited-time menu item in France. While it’s deemed a “hot dog,” there’s no actual pork. Instead, the chicken tenders act as the “dog.” France’s Crispy Hot Dog starts with a sesame seed bun stuffed with two chicken tenders, bacon, melted cheese, mustard, and fried onions. 

KFC restaurants in the Philippines have also sold Double Down Dogs, which are true hot dogs covered with cheese in a chicken filet bun. So, I guess I’d take either one.

Honorable Mention: Fried Pickles

Unfortunately, KFC’s Fried Pickles have never been an official menu item. However, I tried them at KFC’s HQ—as did @snachwithzach—and am very hopeful that they’ll eventually come to menus. 

“I’m not kidding when I say these are some of the best I’ve ever had, so they better get released,” @snachwithzach says in his video. 

Fried pickles are a classic and I can’t believe KFC hasn’t brought them to menus yet. However, maybe they were waiting for the official launch of the new Comeback Sauce since fried pickles and spicy dipping sauce are a match made in heaven.