McDonald's In Venice Sells A FOMO-Inducing Pizza Pocket Favorite
There are many varieties of comfort food. For some, fast food restaurants have cornered the market: You can always count on McDonald's to deliver a consistently delicious Big Mac, perfect French fries, and spot-on Coca-Cola (with or without ice). That consistency can soothe the soul while it fills your belly.
That said, fast food restaurant menus aren't the same around the world and offer plenty of variation, usually highlighted by restaurants catering to local tastes and ingredients. Global fast food restaurants have numerous items you can't find in the United States. For example, Mexican Dairy Queen locations sell slushes made with chamoy and topped with chili and Blizzards with chocolate-covered marzipan mixed in; South Korean Pizza Hut restaurants sell pizzas topped with bulgogi beef.
In Italy, McDonald's sells mini calzones. Let that sink in for a minute: McDonald's — which doesn't serve pizza anywhere in the U.S. — makes and sells pizza pockets in Italy. Redditors and other visitors to major Italian cities have attested to the fact. As Hot Pockets and Pizza Rolls are both commonly enjoyed in the U.S., and pizza is one of America's favorite foods, we've got some serious FOMO from this discovery. What are these specialty treats like? They come in packages of two and are filled with bits of tomato and rich, gooey cheese. One Redditor commented, "I had these when I was in Rome years ago and still probably the best thing I've ever had from McDonald's."
McDonald's pizza pockets aren't competing with authentic Italian pizza
It's not strange if you think about it: After all, McDonald's apple pies are a dessert version of Hot Pockets. Plus, there's a lot of great pizza around the Italian peninsula, which likely helped inspire this McDonald's twist on one of the country's most beloved dishes. It's a match made in paradise.
The folks who run McDonald's franchises are no fools, though. Italian McDonald's restaurants aren't about to engage directly in competition with the country's famously fantastic pizza. Its mini calzone is called a "Pizzarotto," which comes from pizza combined with the Italian word panzarotto (a mini calzone of sorts). So, they're in their own category. The pizza pockets can even be included in the Italian version of a McDonald's happy meal, which may add appeal to kids and people who want a quick snack. Pizzarottos aren't the only different items on the Italian menu, either. McDonald's Italia boasts an expanded pastry menu, including Nutella croissants, tiramisu, and macarons. McCafé menus even serve authentic Italian espresso! Beyond that, its McFlurrys can be made with two popular Italian flavors: pistachios or Baci Perugina chocolate. Have you booked that flight yet?