The Best McDonald's Menu Items Of All Time

Is there an objective way to declare something is greater than all other alternatives — to proclaim a thing as the best? Outside of the late, great Tina Turner, who found the concept exceptionally easy to define ("the best" is simply someone who's "better than all the rest," you see), it's nigh impossible to compile a set of universally accepted standards for labeling something the so-called best. Yet the vagueness of that term has never stopped us before — and it didn't stop us from attempting to single out the best McDonald's menu items of all time, either.

With more than seven decades in business as of 2023 — and billions upon billions of hamburgers sold around the world — there are plenty of potential menu items to choose from in McDonald's long history. But compiling a list of the best foods ever sold by Mickey D's wasn't nearly as daunting as the restaurant's lengthy tenure may suggest. In fact, between our decades of experience as consumers of all things McDonald's and our expertise as food journalists, the choices were largely self-evident.

While some may complain about a missing item here and there, there's no disputing the track record of each McDonald's menu item mentioned in this article. So without further ado (and in no particular order), here is our list of the best McDonald's menu items of all time.

The disappearance of all day breakfast from McDonald's during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic may have made sense for the company from a financial standpoint. But just because we understand the logic behind a business decision doesn't mean we have to like it. So while we'd love to satiate our late afternoon or early evening Egg McMuffin craving, we'll simply have to wait for the morning — and settle for discussing the menu item's overall greatness instead.

To be clear, for our purposes, we're not exclusively discussing the classic Egg McMuffin served with Canadian bacon — although that version played a huge hand in its inclusion on this list. But when you consider the additional option of a sausage Egg McMuffin on McDonald's menus, it's exceptionally easy to see why this fast food breakfast icon belongs among the best of the best from the international juggernaut.

Actually, a single bite of any Egg McMuffin — which was first created in 1971 by Santa Barbara, California-based franchise owner Herb Peterson — answers any and all questions about the breakfast item's awe-inspiring glory. We may be disappointed Egg McMuffins aren't available after the morning in a post-COVID-19 world, but we'd never question the menu item's status within McDonald's — nor did we hesitate to include it on this list.

If there are any discernible differences between a McFlurry and a Blizzard — the famous ice cream-and-topping-mixed treat served by Dairy Queen — we're not sure what they are. But any specific similarities between the McFlurry and Blizzard notwithstanding, it's quite clear McDonald's' version of this frozen treat has been a hit since its 1995 introduction — and stands among the best desserts ever offered by the chain.

Perhaps the greatest argument in the McFlurry's favor as a McDonald's legend lies in its inherent adaptability. After all, while U.S. consumers are almost certainly well-acquainted with the standard McFlurry flavors like Oreo pieces or M&Ms mixed with the restaurant's vanilla soft serve ice cream, a number of other intriguing flavors have come and gone through the years, as well.

Additionally, if you ever venture to an international McDonald's location, you're apt to find a number of unique flavors available as well. In other words, since the standard vanilla soft serve used in a McFlurry appears to blend well with any possible mix-in, you'll never be disappointed after ordering one.

Despite the additional inclusion of the restaurant's signature "Mc" in its name, McDonald's Chicken McNuggets aren't all that different from similar products sold by other fast food chains. After all, just like countless other fast food nuggets, McNuggets aren't made with 100% pure chicken. But the relative lack of separation from its competitors' nuggets does little (or, more precisely, does nothing at all) to change Chicken McNuggets' place among McDonald's menu items.

McDonald's was a pioneer of the concept of chicken nuggets, and the chain's version of this classic childhood finger food just may be the most iconic one on the market. That's not to say the McNugget's existence hasn't been without controversy since first appearing on menus in 1983 — though the uber-processed chicken product does not contain pink slime as the rumor suggests.

Then again, a little uncertainty regarding their overall ingredients hasn't dulled the American public's immense desire to order a six or 10-piece box of McNuggets every so often. Consequently, we think it's fairly obvious why this iconic McDonald's menu item is also one of its best, and are more than comfortable including it on this list.

What — did you expect our list of the absolute greatest menu selections ever sold by McDonald's would be limited to permanent items? If so, perhaps you should reconsider your knowledge of the fast food chain's history. Because even if you don't leap for joy each time the McRib makes its triumphant return, it doesn't take an expert to recognize the rib-shaped BBQ sandwich's cult following formed because it's one of McDonald's best menu items of all time.

Though it often reminds us of a school lunch option from back in the 1990s, it's impossible to debate the McRib's place in the golden arch's lore. There may be some uncertainty regarding the limited-release menu item's origins (it wasn't actually invented by a University of Nebraska professor as an urban legend goes). But there's also no plausible argument opposing the McRib's placement among McDonald's greatest menu items, either.

Quite frankly, whether or not the insanely processed piece of pork is healthy (or contains any actual rib meat) is irrelevant. The McRib will always cause a stir when it returns to menus, just as it will always deserve a spot on any list discussing the restaurant's greatest products.

A litany of beloved fast food deals have come and gone through the years, with many of our favorites riding off into the sunset. And while the one-dollar McDouble may be nothing more than a memory (along with the original incarnation of McDonald's Dollar Menu), we can appreciate the fact the burger itself remains available for purchase. Of course, even if the McDouble had disappeared once its $1 price point vanished, we'd still feel inclined to include the single-cheese-sliced, two-patty burger among the best ever from McDonald's.

The genius of the McDouble mainly comes from its supreme simplicity, as it essentially splits the difference between a single and double cheeseburger. In fact, one could plausibly choose to describe the McDouble as a single cheeseburger with an extra patty ... or a double cheeseburger featuring a single piece of orange-hued American cheese instead of two.

Is the McDouble less enticing when it costs more than a single buck? Perhaps. But there's still no way we could deny the sandwich's overall impact and delightfulness — hence, it belongs on any list of the chain's best menu items of all time.

Does a Shamrock Shake taste like a real shamrock? Actually, when you consider the likelihood that an actual, real-life shamrock likely tastes like grass, that question is fairly easy to answer. With that in mind, it's no wonder McDonald's instead chose to utilize a minty flavor for its famous Shamrock Shake — the green, St. Patrick's Day-themed milkshake that's as beloved as the chain's other famous limited-time menu item: the McRib.

Any similarities between the Shamrock shake and McRib obviously end once you've established that neither item is a permanent menu selection. No one would mistake the shot of minty meltiness found in each sip of a Shamrock Shake for the pork-centric sandwich, after all.

Either way, with a legacy that traces back more than 50 years, it's tough for anyone to dispute our decision to place this item among the best McDonald's menu selections of all time. In fact, if you don't believe us, just wait for the consistent clamor from dedicated Shamrock Shake fans next spring when the dessert-like beverage makes its triumphant return to stores across the U.S.