McArabia facts for kids
 |
|
| Nutritional value per 1 sandwich | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 590.0 kcal (2,469 kJ) |
|
47.0 g
|
|
| Sugars | 4.0 g |
| Dietary fiber | 4.0 g |
|
33.0 g
|
|
| Saturated | 9.6 g |
| Trans | 0.2 g |
|
Protein
|
26.0 g
|
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Calcium |
2%
20.0 mg |
| Iron |
0%
0 mg |
| Sodium |
57%
860.0 mg |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
The McArabia is a special sandwich you can find at McDonald's restaurants. It's popular in many Arab countries and Pakistan. This sandwich is made with soft pita bread.
It has different names in other places. For example, it's called the Grilled Chicken Foldover in Singapore and Malaysia. In Spain, France, and Holland, it's known as the McOriental. The sandwich was created to offer a taste that people in West Asia would really enjoy.
How the McArabia Started
The McArabia sandwich first appeared in Greece in 2001. It was called the Greek Mac back then.
In March 2003, McDonald's introduced the McArabia in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This happened because the company's sales had dropped in 2002. Many people were choosing not to buy from American brands. This was due to a war happening in Iraq at the time. Some people also believed that the ingredients were not from local sellers.
The McArabia became a regular item on the menu. The first version used grilled chicken with pita bread. At first, the pita bread came from the UK. But after a week, McDonald's started using pita bread from local bakers. In 2004, a new version with Kofta (spiced meat patties) was added. The sandwich also came to Malaysia in 2005. A spicy beef version was available for a short time in 2006.
What's Inside the McArabia?
The McArabia comes in several tasty versions. Each one is wrapped in a special Arabic-style pita bread.
Different Kinds of McArabia
- McArabia Grilled Chicken: This popular version has two grilled chicken patties. It also includes fresh tomatoes and lettuce. A creamy garlic sauce is added on top. You can find this in countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Pakistan. It was also available for a limited time in Malaysia as the Grilled Chicken Foldover.
- McArabia Grilled Kofta: This sandwich features two grilled kofta patties. Kofta are like spiced meatballs. It comes with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and garlic mayonnaise. This version was mainly served in Egypt. It was also available for a short time in September 2014.
- McArabia Crispy Chicken: This variant has crispy fried chicken instead of grilled chicken. It was available in September 2014.
- McArabia Veggie: For those who prefer vegetables, this version has a patty made from vegetables. It was available in Kuwait around September 2014.
- McArabia Sujuk: This variant uses Sujuk, which is a type of spicy sausage. It replaced the Kofta in some areas and was available in the UAE in September 2014.
- McArabia Saveur Tagine: This special sandwich was only available in Morocco in April 2009. It had cumin bread, basil sauce, onions, cumin, and coriander. It also included grilled vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, with a spicy basil sauce.
- McArabia Saveur Badinjan: Another Moroccan variant from April 2009. It featured cumin bread and grilled vegetables like eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes.
- Crispy Fish Foldover: This sandwich has a large crispy fish fillet. It comes with tomatoes, white onion, lettuce, and a special sauce similar to Sriracha mayo. It was available in Malaysia for a limited time in April 2020.
- Mini McArabia: Also known as P'tit McArabia, this was a smaller version. It had one patty and fewer vegetables. It came with either Sujuk or Grilled Chicken patties.
- McArabia Halloumi: This is a breakfast item. It has lightly grilled Halloumi cheese in pita bread. It's served with lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives.
