Review: McDonald's Buffalo Ranch McChicken

McDonald's Buffalo Ranch McChicken is a Hot 'N Spicy McChicken with buffalo and ranch dressing rather than plain mayo. Beyond the sauce, it includes the same shredded lettuce and Hot 'N Spicy McChicken on a plain hamburger bun.

I ordered one for $1. It's actually cheaper than the Hot 'N Spicy McChicken, which costs $1.29 at my local McDonald's restaurant.

The seasoning of the ranch sauce in the Buffalo Ranch McChicken was pretty light and it mostly served as a creamy buffer against the heat of the buffalo sauce.

The buffalo sauce was rather tangy with a medium heat that didn't last very long. It's probably too mild for heavy spicy eaters but is good for a small kick of heat for most.

It seemed they mixed up Hot 'N Spicy McChicken patty with a standard McChicken patty as it wasn't spicy at all (I was actually worried this might happen with the overcrowded McDonald's menu). It wasn't all that crispy either on this occasion. The McChicken patty has a seasoning that stands well enough on its own and I'm not sure it goes all that well with buffalo sauce. I think a lightly seasoned patty might have been a better option (but wouldn't make sense operationally).

The lettuce wasn't crisp at all and was subpar for the fast food segment.

Overall, it seems like McDonald's is trying to capitalize on the popularity of Buffalo wings during football season but does a bit of shoehorning with the Buffalo Ranch McChicken, which was also lacking execution-wise on this visit. It's cheap but I'd rather just get a plain McChicken for the same dollar.

Nutritional Info - McDonald's Buffalo Ranch McChicken - 5.1 oz (145g)
Calories - 350 (from Fat - 130)
Fat - 15g (Saturated Fat - 3g)
Sodium - 980mg
Carbs - 40g (Sugar - 5g)
Protein - 14g