Aldi Has An Entire Line Of McDonald's Copycats In The UK And We Want In

Ever wish you could enjoy the delicious familiarity of your favorite McDonald's menu items at home without having to schlep to the drive-thru? The fast food giant's fans in the United Kingdom can, thanks to an entire line of McDonald's copycat meals available at Aldi.

The German grocery chain launched a McDonald's-inspired line in May 2023 in an effort to provide customers with fast food favorites at a fraction of the cost. The products include Aldi 12 Chicken Nuggets With Dips, which cost £1.69 (compared to the McDonald's Chicken McNuggets price of £3.29 for nine), as well as the Aldi Snacksters Big Stack Burger, which runs £1.49 (compared to the McDonald's Big Mac price of £3.29), and Aldi 10 Breakfast Hash Browns, which cost £1.49 (compared to the McDonald's price of £0.89 per hash brown). 

According to the press release for the new items, the updated line was inspired by other Aldi items that customers say are similar to McDonald's favorites, including Oakhurst frozen french fries that shoppers say taste just like the fries from McDonald's, Aldi Crispy Chicken Strips that ring in as a close comparison to McDonald's Chicken Selects, and the Aldi x2 Tasty Catch Buttermilk Fish Burger that could pass for a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich.

There are plenty of self-proclaimed copycats out there, but do the items from Aldi's UK McDonald's line truly taste like original Mickey Ds? The reviews are in, and they're mixed.

Aldi's hash browns received the highest marks. YouTube reviewer Rhiannon Gallagher raved about them, saying, "That is like I'm eating a McDonald's hash brown ... 10 out of 10," and describing themselves as "gobsmacked" and promising to finish off the package and buy more. The Big Mac and Chicken McNuggets copycats, however, left much to be desired. "It's not bad, but not a lot of flavor," Gallagher said of the Aldi Big Stack Burger. "It does not taste like a McDonald's burger." Similarly, a Liverpool Echo reviewer writer concluded that the Aldi nuggets "ended up being quite dry" and did not stand up to the signature McNuggets.

The overall winner when it comes to McDonald's taste, however, is a copycat item that has been part of the Aldi line for a bit longer; the Aldi Crispy Chicken Strips really do give McDonald's a run for their money. "They were just as juicy and as crispy as the McDonald's Chicken Selects, and had that scrumptious southern fried chicken taste that we all know and love," the Echo reviewer wrote. "I'd heard mixed things about the Aldi Chicken Select dupes, but they actually ended up being the most impressive out of them all." 

Whether you're in the United States and don't have access to Aldi's McDonald's copycat line, or the line is missing your personal McDonald's favorites, don't fear! There are plenty of McDonald's dupe recipes you can try out at home, starting with the McDonald's sausage McGriddle. Sausage, eggs, and maple syrup sandwiched between two pancakes is the perfect way to start a lazy weekend morning.

Or how about McDonald's apple pie? You can whip up this mouthwatering favorite in the comfort of your own kitchen by combining all the gooey apple, sugar, and cinnamon goodness inside packaged pastry dough and baking in the oven until golden brown.

For those who are obsessed with McDonald's American cheese, look no further than your neighborhood Walmart. That's right, Walmart's Great Value Deluxe slices are a close copycat for McDonald's American cheese, according to one of its former corporate chefs. It's just the thing to take your own copycat Big Mac to the next level.