McDonald’s new festive menu is now available in its Reading area branches, offering seasonal treats plus a visit from The Grinch.
With festive drinks, desserts and limited-edition meals, there is a wide selection of choices … but the menu is only being served for six weeks.
Heading up the menu is the new Cheesy McCrispy (£5.99, meal deal £7.79).
The centrepiece is a chicken breast fillet covered in a crispy and crunchy coating. It comes with bacon, lettuce, crispy onions, a pink pickled onion chutney, plus two slices of cheese and cheese sauce.
Returning is the Big Tasty (£5.79, meal £7.59): a beef burger served with cheese, onions, tomatoes and a smoky-flavoured sauce in a bun. There is the option to have a bacon version of this for £6.59, with a meal costing £8.39.
There is more cheese with the return of the Cheese Melt Dippers (£2.49, sharing portion £6.79). Served with a rich tomato dip, these are portions of Camembert cheese breaded and fried so it breaks apart easily while remaining soft and gooey.
Those enjoying a Happy Meal (£3.49) will find The Grinch all over it.
The Dr Seuss character was born with a heart ‘two sizes too small’ and hates Christmas. He plans to stop Whoville’s festive celebration by stealing all the town’s decorations and gifts.
Thankfully, there is a happy ending to the story, and there is a happy surprise in the Happy Meal box.
Each one contains one of eight Grinch-themed toys, games and decorations. There is also a special Twelve Days of Grinchmas tale.
During the festive season, The Grinch will be visiting some branches to spread some Christmas spirit.
Happy Meal choices include fish fingers, chicken McNuggets, a cheeseburger, a hamburger or veggie dippers, and come with a side and a drink.
More Christmas: Discover the pantomimes and festive plays in Reading and the wider area
A staple of many Christmas stockings is the orange … or Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
McDonald’s is paying homage to that with two new dessert items.
First is a Terry’s Chocolate Orange Pie (£1.99).
It is a crispy chocolate pasty filled with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange flavoured chocolate ganache.
For those who enjoy McDonald’s ice cream, there is a Terry’s Chocolate Orange McFlurry (£2.19 or mini-sized £1.59), which includes pieces of the chocolate treat plus an orange-flavoured chocolate sauce.
There is also a Galaxy Caramel McFlurry (£2.19 or mini-sized £1.59).
This features Galaxy chocolate stars and is topped with a Galaxy Caramel sauce.
The McDonald’s festive menu also includes some hot drinks: Galaxy Caramel Latte (£2.69) and Galaxy Caramel Hot Chocolate (£2.69).
McDonald’s says these are perfect for these colder days, especially for Christmas shopping trips and attending Christmas light switch-ons.
The coffee is described as a smooth latte, blended with Galaxy Caramel flavour syrup, topped with caramel cream and Galaxy Chocolate stars, while the hot chocolate will be perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
Special prices across the week
Fans of its wraps already know that McDonald’s drops the prices of some of its menu on different days of the week.
Throughout the festive period, it is doing the same with its menu.
On Monday, the Mayo Chicken is just 99p.
The same price applies on Tuesdays to the Cheeseburger.
Wednesdays is a 99p deal on six Chicken McNuggets.
Thursday is buy one get one free on selected items.
On Fridays, selected burgers and fries can be bought for £1.99.
Saturday sees Happy Meals reduced to £1.99, while Sundays offers a £5 discount when £15 is spent.
Across the week, the Vegetable Deluxe is an option for those who prefer a non-meat meal.
And there are Christmas gifts in store
McDonald’s has placed gift tags in a number of places, with prizes and offers available.
The company says the codes can be found in emails, on television, by bus stops and down the road.
There are also posters in store that contain codes.
Participants just have to enter the code they find into the app, just one per day.
McDonald’s says there is a guaranteed offer every time, and there is also a chance to win free food or merchandise.
McDonald’s launches Christmas advert
To accompany the menu, McDonald’s has also created a Christmas advert called The Gift of McDonald’s.
Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, the larger-than-life light show celebrates those moments when, sometimes, people need a break from the chaos of preparing for Christmas.
It includes appearances by familiar McDonald’s characters including Grimace, Biride and the Hamburglar.
Michelle Graham-Clare, Chief Marketing Officer, S.V.P at McDonald’s, said: “Christmas is a magical time, but it can also feel like a whirlwind.
“With long gift lists, crowded shops, and endless wrapping, it’s easy to forget to take a moment for yourself or with your loved ones. That’s why we’re reminding everyone that the perfect festive break is always just around the corner.
“With The Gift of McDonald’s, we aim to capture those small moments of lightness and joy, from festive gift tags to our seasonal menu and exclusive merchandise.”
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