McCafe Mango Pineapple Refresher short review

 

 (I wanted to post a picture of the actual drink instead of the generic one on McDonald's website, but my Airdrop is not working >___<)

This is the final Refresher from McDonald's/McCafé (same difference 😜) summer refresher lineup, and it is by far the most interesting of the three. It was also probably the most frustrating and yet enjoyable experience of the bunch (you'll see why below).

According to McDonald's, this drink is:

A match made in the McDonald’s kitchen: a refreshing lemonade beverage made with real lemon juice concentrate, with the sweet taste of mango and pineapple swirled in. Finished off with strawberry-flavoured popping pearls, this drink is like a dance party for your mouth.

Impressions:

• love the strawberry popping pearls!
• surprisingly difficult to get the popping pearls without a straw because of the ice
• any size straw works for sucking up the pearls
• the popping pearls completely steal the show
• mango and pineapple become secondary flavours to the strawberry pearls
• mango and pineapple are much weaker than expected compared to the strawberry

First off, I love the popping pearls. They were easily the highlight of the drink, and I thoroughly enjoyed the little "pop" sensation every time one burst in my mouth.

Ironically, the thing I loved most about the drink was also what frustrated me the most. The popping pearls settled at the bottom of the cup, while the ice sat on top, making them surprisingly difficult to reach without a straw. It almost defeated the "no straw" design of the cup because, at least initially, a straw made drinking the pearls so much easier.

Once the ice melted a bit, however, everything worked much better. The pearls became easier to drink without a straw, which I suspect was how the drink was intended to be enjoyed.

As for the flavour itself, I was expecting the mango and pineapple to be the stars, but the strawberry popping pearls completely took over the show. The strawberry flavour was sweeter, tangier, and much more intense than either the mango or pineapple. In comparison, the mango and pineapple were surprisingly subtle and mostly acted as a backdrop to the pearls.

Despite the minor frustration, this ended up being my favourite of the three Refreshers. I never thought I would prefer a mango-pineapple drink over the Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, but the addition of the popping pearls made the experience much more fun and memorable.

This one isn't just a drink — it's a drink and a snack at the same time 😛.

Score: 9.5/10 🥭🍍🍓✨
Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/mango-pineapple-refresher-medium.html

McCafe Blackberry PassionFruit Refresher short review

 (I wanted to post a picture of the actual drink instead of the generic one on McDonald's website, but my Airdrop is not working >___<)

This is the second drink I got to try from McDonald's/McCafé (same difference 😛) Summer Refresher lineup.

According to McDonald's, this drink is:

Turn your lemonade beverage all the way up to 100 with the sweet and tart taste of blackberry and passionfruit, and the undeniable refreshing flavour of real lemon juice concentrate. Now, push it to 200 with irresistible freeze-dried dragon fruit for an extra punch.

Impressions:

• sweet with chunks of dragon fruit
• tastes more like blackberry than passionfruit
• sweet rather than tangy
• lots of dragon fruit pieces in every sip

I liked this one — it was quite good — but it is still my second favourite compared to the Strawberry Watermelon Refresher.

I am not a huge fan of blackberry, but this drink actually helped me appreciate blackberry's unique flavour. Despite McDonald's describing it as a blackberry-passionfruit drink, I found the blackberry to be the dominant flavour, while the passionfruit was much more subtle and harder to detect.

I was also expecting it to be more tart because of the blackberry, passionfruit, and lemonade combination, but surprisingly, it leaned much more toward the sweet side than the tangy side.

What I enjoyed most were the dragon fruit chunks. They added a nice texture and made the drink more interesting to sip. If you've ever eaten dragon fruit before, you'll know it has those tiny edible seeds that create a texture similar to kiwi. McDonald's was quite generous with the dragon fruit pieces, so if you enjoy that texture, you'll probably love this drink. If you're not a fan of those little seedy bites, you may not enjoy it quite as much.

While it didn't beat the Strawberry Watermelon Refresher for me, it's still a refreshing and enjoyable drink that helped me see blackberry in a new light.

Score: 8.0/10 🐉🫐✨
website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/blackberry-passionfruit-refresher-medium.html

McCafe's Strawberry Watermelon Refresher Short Review

 

(I wanted to post a picture of the actual drink instead of the generic one on McDonald's website, but my Airdrop is not working >___<)

It’s that time of year again when McDonald's/McCafé (same difference 😛) introduces their Summer Refreshers! This year, they have three flavours, and I got to try the Strawberry Watermelon Refresher first! (The other two are: Black Passion Fruit and Mango Pineapple)

According to McDonald’s, this drink is:

“A refreshing lemonade beverage to quench your thirst, made with real lemon juice concentrate, and the sweet taste of strawberry and juicy watermelon. But the pièce de résistance? Freeze-dried strawberries for something a little fancy.”

Impressions:

• not too sweet
• more strawberry than watermelon
• nice tanginess
• huge strawberry chunks in every sip

I really liked it! Despite how it looks, it isn’t overly sweet at all — it has the perfect amount of sweetness, which I really appreciate (I hate overly sweet drinks).

There’s a reason strawberry comes before watermelon in the name, because the drink is mainly strawberry-forward, with the watermelon balancing it out so the strawberry flavour doesn’t become too intense.

I don’t usually like sour or tangy drinks, but this one has a really nice balance — not too tangy, but enough for me to enjoy it.

And what I liked most were the huge strawberry chunks in almost every sip! They’re soft, chewy, and honestly make the drink much more enjoyable and interesting to drink.


This is definitely off to a great start for McDonald’s summer refresher lineup!

Score: 9.2/10 🍓 
Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/strawberry-watermelon-refresher-medium.html

McDonald's Frank's RedHot Hot Honey Sauce short review

McDonald's Frank's RedHot Hot Honey Sauce

McDonald's has been hard-selling this new sauce — Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce. It’s everywhere: breakfast sandwiches, burgers, and even offered as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets.

It’s exactly what it sounds like — a hot honey sauce. It adds sweetness to hot sauce or adds spiciness to honey (both work 😛). I actually ordered it without realizing it was a hot sauce at all. I just saw it splashed all over the promotional banners and the McDonald’s app… so of course I had to try it.

It was good — but not as good as I thought it would be. I still prefer my usual favourite, the Spicy Habanero Sauce, especially for chicken nuggets.

That said, since I’m reviewing McDonald’s new Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce, here are my thoughts:

• I really like the balance between the RedHot heat and the honey sweetness

• It has a cayenne pepper base, which gives it that distinctively spicy, slightly sweet flavour with earthy undertones — spicy, but not aggressive

• It works well as a sweet-and-spicy sauce without overwhelming your taste buds or burning your mouth

• The sweetness makes it addictive, while the spice adds a gentle kick

• McDonald’s was right to put it on everything — it works well with nuggets and even surprisingly well with fries

One of the biggest strengths of this sauce is how versatile it is. Its flavour profile isn’t tied to any specific cuisine or regional taste, which means it can be added to pretty much anything without clashing. Sweet, spicy, familiar, and easy to like.

Conclusion:
While it didn’t dethrone my personal favourite nugget sauce, I can absolutely see why McDonald’s is pushing this so hard. Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce is balanced, approachable, and crowd-pleasing — sweet enough to draw you in, spicy enough to keep things interesting. It may not be my go-to, but it’s a solid, well-thought-out addition that works across the menu. Definitely worth trying at least once.

Score: 8.5/10
Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/newsroom/article/We-Put-It-On-Everything--McDonald-s-Canada-Turns-Up-the-Heat-with-Frank-s-RedHot--.html

McDonald's/McCafe Watermelon Lime Fruit Splash short review

 

I’ve really come to enjoy the Watermelon Lime Fruit Splash from McDonald’s—so much so that I’ve ordered it three times in the past few weeks!

It captures that familiar summer watermelon flavour with an interesting balance between natural and slightly artificial notes. The hint of lime and lemon adds a refreshing citrus twist without overpowering the drink. The result is a light, fruity beverage that’s both sweet and tangy, making it a perfect choice for a hot day or when you're simply craving something vibrant and thirst-quenching.

McDonald’s says it’s “a refreshing lemonade beverage made with real lemon juice concentrate and real lemon pulp, with the sweet and tangy taste of watermelon and lime—served over ice.” And honestly, it lives up to that description quite well.

If you’re looking for a non-carbonated, fruity drink with just the right amount of citrus zip, this one is definitely worth a try!

The only complaint I have is that it’s a bit too sweet for my personal taste. While the fruity flavours are enjoyable, the syrupy sweetness can be a little overpowering. To make it more refreshing and better suited to my palate, I usually let the ice melt slightly before drinking it. I’ve also started adding a bit of water to dilute the drink, which helps tone down the sweetness without losing the essence of the flavour. It’s a small adjustment, but it makes a big difference in how much I enjoy it.

Overall, the Watermelon Lime Fruit Splash is a fun, fruity, and refreshing treat—perfect for quenching my thirst. The fact that I’ve happily ordered it multiple times says it all. With a little tweaking—like adding water and letting the ice melt—it hits just the right balance for my taste.

score: 9.5/10
website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/watermelon-lime-fruit-splash-medium.html

McDonald's Spicy Mango Splash short review

 

I'm always up to trying new drinks, so when I saw this Spicy Mango Splash, I had to try it.

McDonald's describes this as: 

A refreshing lemonade beverage made with real lemon juice concentrate and real lemon pulp, with a sweet and spicy taste.

And that description is pretty spot on—it was a unique experience. The flavour instantly reminded me of the spicy baby mango snacks my friend brought back from Mexico. It hits your taste buds all at once with a punch of sweetness, a tangy lemony zing, and a surprising kick of spice that lingers just a little.

It’s kind of strange—in a good way—because it stimulates so many different parts of your tongue at the same time. It’s not your typical mango drink, that’s for sure.

Whether you’re a mango or spice lover, I can’t say for certain that you’ll love it—but if you’re an adventurous eater who enjoys bold and unexpected flavors, this might just be your next fun find. It’s less of a drink and more of a flavor experience. 🥭🌶️

score: 8/10
website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/spicy-mango-fruit-splash-medium.html

McDonald's Baked Peach Pie review

Peaches are one of my all-time favourite fruits, so when I heard that McDonald's was offering Peach Pies for a limited time, I was very excited! As someone who loves trying new seasonal menu items, I couldn't wait to get my hands on one of these pies and see how it compares to their classic apple pies.

McDonald's Peach Pie

Impressions

Gooey & Moist:

Right off the bat, the texture of the Peach Pie stood out to me. It was much gooier and more moist than the usual apple pies McDonald's offers. The filling had a soft, almost jam-like consistency that added a rich, luscious feel to each bite.

the pie couldn't hold its shape

Fragrant Peach Flavor:
The peach filling wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet, which I appreciated. Instead, it had a beautiful, fragrant peach flavour that came through without being cloying. The peaches didn't seem fully ripe, but surprisingly, the pie still delivered a delicious flavour. Despite the slightly under-ripe fruit, it was still enjoyable. I appreciated the pie's mild sweetness, which was balanced without the sugary overload you might expect.

smaller peach "chunks"

Smaller Peach Bits:

While the peach filling was flavorful, I did notice that the peach pieces were much smaller than the chunky apple pieces typically found in McDonald's Apple Pies. I would've loved a bit more texture from larger chunks of peach, but the small pieces still packed plenty of fruity goodness.

Additional Thoughts:

Golden, Crispy Crust

As with McDonald's other pies, the crust was golden brown and perfectly crispy, offering a satisfying contrast to the gooey, tender filling inside. The outer shell had just the right amount of crunch without being overly greasy, making it easy to enjoy. However, due to the gooeyness of the filling, the pie struggled to maintain its shape, but the crispy outer shell still held up well, making each bite enjoyable despite the soft interior.

Verdict

Overall, I really enjoyed McDonald's Peach Pie. While I was expecting more substantial peach chunks, the fragrant filling and gooey texture made up for it. If you're a fan of peach-flavoured treats or just love trying new seasonal items, I highly recommend giving this a try before it’s gone. It's a perfect blend of sweetness and fruitiness, wrapped up in McDonald's signature crispy pie shell. Definitely worth the indulgence!

Score: 7.8/10
Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/peach-pie.html

McDonald's McRib short review

McRib

Pork is hardly ever my first choice of meat. I have always missed the McRib limited-time offering, so I could never understand the craze over it. 

After a 10-year hiatus, the McRib finally made its way back to Toronto, and this time, I can finally taste it! (And it is good 👍 )

impressions:

• cute packaging ❤️ 
• bigger than I thought it would be
• lots of BBQ sauce
• only 5 ingredients: the bread, barbeque sauce, raw onions, rib steak (without the bones, of course),  and the pickles.
• it is super tender, smooth ribby, meaty and delicious

it's not like I haven't seen it in pictures, but it definitely looked bigger than I thought it would be. 

One of the reasons why pork is hardly my first choice of meat is because it is tougher and "rougher" than others, but McRib's pork is tender, soft and smooth.

The combination works so well. It is simple, but they all complement each other so well :D

score: 10/10
website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/mcrib.html

Canada McDonald's Spicy Chicken McNuggets review

5 years ago, I had McDonald's Spicy Chicken MuNuggets in Japan, and they were good. I gave them a very high score. Last month, I had the chance to try the Canadian version of these spicy nuggets and I was very excited to see how they are different from the Japanese ones! The first thing I noticed was that the packaging is very different from the Japanese one... which is good.

McDonald's Spicy Chicken McNuggets

The second thing I noticed about these nuggets is that they look darker than the regular/original Chicken McNuggets... the sizes and shapes look similar to regular nuggets.

I wanted to note that the Canadian McDonald's Spicy Chicken McNuggets don't come with a special sauce (the ones in Japan did). 

Impressions:

• very crispy
• thicker batter than regular Chicken McNuggets
• quite spicy (especially compared to the Japanese version)
• heat builds up

a close-up of a spicy chicken McNugget... you can see the crispiness

According to McDonald's website, the spiciness is created with a blend of aged cayenne and chilli pepper!

I believe them because the spiciness of these McNuggets caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting them to be that spicy (the spiciness is bearable but I wasn't expecting these nuggets to be that spicy). I really appreciated the thicker batter which made the McNuggets very crispy. Beware, the heat builds up... I had to drink cold water on my 3rd McNugget! 

Score: 9.5/10

Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/spicy-chicken-mcnuggets-6-piece.html