Unlike some of its big-name fast food competitors such as Burger King or Taco Bell, McDonald’s has been generally avoiding launching wild new menu items that seem to be mostly about generating buzz—things like the Whopperito or the Naked Egg Taco. It may help explain why McDonald’s McGriddles were such a big deal when they first hit the market in 2003: The breakfast sandwich that uses two maple-flavored griddlecakes as a bun is about as far-out as McDonald’s goes. But those little pancake sandwiches have proved popular to this day, and now, they’re even getting a new twist: a French toast version.
McGriddles French Toast is essentially your typical McGriddles but instead of griddlecakes, the bun is “warm brioche French toast with a touch of syrup.” Between that toast, you’ll find a full breakfast worth of proteins: “freshly cracked egg, sausage, thick-cut bacon and melty American cheese.” According to the McDonald’s website, the whole thing comes in at 650 calories—and a mere 53 percent of your recommend daily value of sodium, 57 percent of your fat, a no longer snark-worthy 71 percent of your saturated fat, and an eye-popping 129 percent of your cholesterol. In announcing the new sammy, McDonald’s said they are “fulfilling our customers’ desires for a little indulgence at breakfast,” and boy, they are not kidding… but they also claim it’s worth it.
“You get savory and smoky flavors from the sausage and bacon,” McDonald’s Chef Mike Lingo said in a statement. “Creaminess, cheddar flavors and salt from the American cheese; sweet cinnamon, spice and vanilla flavors from the French toast. It tastes like homemade French toast. It’s everything you love about breakfast in one sandwich.”
For now, this new McGriddles French Toast is only available in Minnesota, though the initial test run includes over 200 participating restaurants, so if you live in the state, finding one shouldn’t be difficult. However, it’s also worth noting that the sandwich, which has a suggest price of $3.99, is apparently only available during breakfast hours—so don’t expect to swing by late night and score one as a dessert.
McDonald’s McGriddles Now Come in French Toast Form [Food & Wine]