American visitors take back stories about Canadian fast food all the time. A lot of them are short-term promos, or things that existed in the United States years ago. Some are regular items that Canadians happily enjoy. A few are everyday orders & some are region-specific.
Either way, they’re all completely normal for Canadians. Here are ten Canadian fast-food items that Americans wish existed south of the border. Which one do you think they’re missing out on the most?
SMARTIES McFlurry
McDonald’s Canada sells a version of their standard McFlurry dessert that includes SMARTIES. However, it’s based on the Canadian chocolate candy, rather than the American sugar candy version, and they mix the candy directly into the soft-serve ice cream.
You’ll struggle to get Canadian SMARTIES in the United States at all. That makes it impossible to get them in a McFlurry option as well, and that’s what makes it such a sought-after sweet treat down there.
A&W Canada’s Mozza Burger
A&W Canada may have started as a sister company of the US brand of the same name, but it’s now a separate company in its own right. It even has special menu items, like the Mozza Burger, that don’t exist in America. The burger includes mozzarella cheese, bacon, lettuce & tomato with a trademark Mozza sauce.
Americans tend to only learn about how great the Mozza Burger is when they’re visiting Canada. It doesn’t take long for them to wish they had it in their country.
Harvey’s Frings
Harvey’s is another restaurant that doesn’t exist down south. Frings are one of the dishes that the chain sells that many Americans love, and it’s essentially a split between fries & onion rings. You could even get them with poutine for a limited time in 2025.
But the chain doesn’t have any storefronts in the United States. The only way that Americans can order Frings is by coming to Canada and buying them.
Pizza Pizza’s creamy garlic dipping sauce
Most Canadians know how creamy & delicious Pizza Pizza’s garlic dipping sauce is, whether they use it for pizza or as a mere side. It’s something you can buy in every franchise location across the country.
Unfortunately, the chain doesn’t operate any locations in America, and that means that our neighbors down south have no way of ordering the sauce domestically. They’ll simply have to do without.
Pizza Pizza’s panzerotti
That’s not all for Pizza Pizza. Yes, you can get calzones in Canada, but nothing quite compares to Pizza Pizza’s panzerotti, especially since you can get it either baked or fried. It comes with toppings like mozzarella & pepperoni.
You can also get it with mushrooms, and whatever flavor you decide, you can guarantee that it’s going to be delicious. But Americans can’t get it.
Swiss Chalet’s Signature Chalet Dipping Sauce
Another equally popular sauce is Swiss Chalet’s Signature Chalet Dipping Sauce, which you can get with their rotisserie chicken meals. It’s actually so popular that you can buy the sauce in grocery stores in Canada.
Americans aren’t able to get it so easily, though. Swiss Chalet only has restaurants in Canada, and the sauce is exclusive here, so most Americans are left wanting.
Costco Canada’s chicken strips & fries
Even American chains like Costco are short-changing people in the United States, as they don’t have our chicken strips & fries combo. The meal has occasionally appeared in American warehouses. But it’s not as much of a staple as it is in Canada, and many American food writers have written about how good it tastes.
Many Americans wish Costco America would bring the dish over permanently, yet it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen anytime soon.
KFC Canada Twister
You can still find KFC’s original Twister in Canada. It’s slightly different from the Zinger Twister combo version sold overseas, and it’s a wrap you can get here as a normal item on the menu.
KFC removed the Twister years ago from the United States. It has made a few reappearances since then as a market test product, but it’s certainly not a regular option like in Canada.
Hot chicken
The Hot Chicken sandwich is a normal part of St-Hubert’s takeout menu. It’s made from rotisserie chicken and is usually dark meat, unless you ask for white meat, served on bread. Don’t forget about the hot chicken sauce & peas either.
Unfortunately for America, St-Hubert’s restaurants only exist in certain Canadian provinces. There’s no way for Americans to order it in their country.
Lil’ Crispy Chicken Burger with Pickles
Another popular St-Hubert’s item is the Lil’ Crispy Chicken Burger with Pickles. It’s so much more than a simple sandwich, as it’s made of a crispy seasoned chicken breast, covered with tartar sauce & pickles. It also comes with a side, BBQ sauce, and coleslaw.
But it’s something that Americans are missing out on, and they only have the chance to sample it when they come up north.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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