10 Genius Ways To Pair Your McDonald's Order With Booze

Drink pairings aren't just for the fine diners. Even fast food meals deserve to live up to their best, and drinks are all part of the dining experience. Not only are cocktails delicious, but they have specific flavors that bring out new personality in foods — even food from McDonald's. Wine is notable for pairing beautifully with food, but cocktails are far more intertwined in the kitchen, with mixologists often using the same ingredients as those behind the serving line. That said, your local fast-food restaurant is no place to be mixing up cocktails, so if you want to try this out, it's best to do the restaurant staff a favor and order your food to go and do your mixology at home.

The art of food and drink pairings is all about counterbalancing flavors, sometimes in unexpected ways. As Michael Turback and Julia Hastings-Black explain in their book, "Cocktails at Dinner," we want our cocktails to either mirror or contrast the flavors of our dish. By matching fat with acid, or sugar with bitters, new flavors are revealed in every bite.

I grew up in a tiny community with the nearest McDonald's a boat ride away, so my love for fast food was prompted by intrigue and curiosity. My appetite for fast food wasn't fulfilled until I was older, so McDonald's is closer aligned with late-night drinks than nostalgic family nights. Now that I'm a McDonald's fangirl who has spent what feels like a lifetime behind the bar, I feel destined to pair the most legendary menu items with cocktails. I conferred with some fellow bartenders to swap insights and gathered some excellent feedback to help solidify the most genius ways to pair your McDonald's order with booze.

Despite the consistent criticism, the Filet-O-Fish is one of McDonald's longstanding menu items. Restaurant chains don't typically pride themselves in fresh seafood, but this crispy fried pollock sandwich, topped with tartar sauce and a slab of American cheese, brings about feelings of fish stick nostalgia and has comforted the hearts of many. As the only seafood item on the menu, the Filet-O-Fish deserves sophistication, and what better than James Bond's go-to martini, the Vesper?

Comprised of gin, vodka, and Lillet, Vespers are stiff but magically smooth. Gin has been a classic fish and chips pairing for ages, but this cocktail takes it a step further with vodka, to calm the herbaceous gin and Lillet and brighten the tartar sauce. The splash of Lillet Blanc, a French aperitif wine with notes of sweet orange, really ties the two together, echoing the tartar sauce's lemony tang. Sautéed pollock would warrant a different pairing, but the fillet-o-fish's heavy breading and salty cheese benefit from a crisp palate-cleansing sip, and nothing compares to the bone-dry finish of a Vesper, typically dressed with a lemon twist. As Maine-based bartender Nicky Auletta asked when chatting with me about drink pairings, "Is a martini for the Filet-O-Fish too obvious?"

The Big Mac is McDonald's double-decker, stacked with 2 all-beef patties and an extra sesame seed bun, but surprisingly that's not the most alluring part of the burger. The Big Mac is complete with pickles, shredded lettuce, chopped onion, and American cheese, but it's all about the sauce. Big Mac sauce is reportedly just blended mayo, mustard, and relish, but it's what defines the burger and has launched a cult following. That being said, it felt right to focus on the sauce when considering the perfect cocktail to partner with a Big Mac, and a margarita was the unexpected winner.

We typically think burgers and beer, and if not, bourbon, but tequila plays an important role in this pairing. Salt isn't something I'd typically look to add to my McDonald's meal, but a tart margarita works twofold with the Big Mac. The lime's acidity cuts through the heaviness of the cheesy beef while the citrus complements the tangy Big Mac sauce. Tequila also has that distinct spicy sting that introduces some pepper to the burger.

My instinct for an egg McMuffin pairing was initially one of the classic morning cocktails, like a Bloody Mary or mimosa, but then I considered the need for a sweet caffeine rush. This McDonald's palm-sized breakfast would pair perfectly with a carajillo, Mexico's beloved espresso cocktail spiced with the unique Spanish liqueur, Licor 43. The brandy-like liqueur has a distinct thick sweetness to it, and when mixed or shaken with espresso, it becomes creamy and smooth.

A Carajillo is like a laid-back espresso martini, typically served on the rocks, but with sweet notes of vanilla and a sneaky hint of orange. Even when chilled, the cocktail makes your whole body feel warm, proving it a fantastic companion to a toasty English muffin. The iconic McMuffin is nearly perfect, with layers of egg, melty cheese, and Canadian bacon, but an unexpected sweetness wouldn't hurt. The smoky bacon is begging for some syrup, and the carajillo can act as a stand-in. It doesn't pair solely for its sweetness, either, as the bold espresso also helps to balance the blissfully cheesy and buttery sandwich.

We all know how hard it can be to score a McRib given its small seasonal window, so why not make the meal a memorable one and serve it with a Manhattan? The cult favorite BBQ pork sandwich is simple, topped with just pickles and slivered onions, but the bold sauce melts into the meat and drives the flavor.

Whiskey often moonlights as barbecue sauce's secret ingredient, so pairing it with the McRib seemed appropriate, but the ideal cocktail would carry some bitterness to combat the thick, tangy barbecue-soaked pork. A nice, chilled Manhattan does exactly that. Rye whiskey doesn't do all the heavy lifting in a Manhattan; the cocktail's sweet vermouth mirrors the molasses of the barbecue while the aromatic bitters bring out even more of the pork's natural flavors.

In my humble opinion, chicken McNuggets take the throne on the McDonald's menu, without hesitation. As delicious as freshly fried McNuggets are, it's all about the sauce. Personally, I reach for ranch and buffalo, but some days I can get down with sweet and sour. A suitable cocktail will work similarly to one of McDonald's many sauces, to penetrate the crispy breading and awaken the juicy chicken's natural flavors, and a peppery Moscow Mule can conquer that.

Regardless of what dipping sauce you choose, a Moscow Mule is sure to complement your McNuggets in all their greasy glory. This vodka-based cocktail is a palate cleanser with a little kick. The combination of spicy ginger and acidic lime creates a mouthwatering recipe that not only tastes refreshing and delicious, but also amplifies the savory flavor and texture of the fried chicken. Meanwhile, the effervescence of the ginger beer works to refresh your taste buds between nugget bites.

Another burger, another whiskey-based cocktail, right? Not this time. The one and only McDouble deserves to be savored, and as one of the more modest burgers on the menu, the wrong cocktail could steal all the attention. Topped with cheese, pickles, onions, and the usual suspects (ketchup and mustard), the McDouble is as conventional as they come, so its drink pairing should step outside the box. A burger and coke is quite possibly the American meal, so a Fernet and coke seems fitting for the double cheeseburger.

Some lone colas share the herbaceous flavors of Fernet, like Moxie and birch beer, but typically coke stays on the sweet side. By itself, Fernet Branca is an acquired taste. First and foremost it's a digestif, and it tastes like it: Bitter, herbal, and yet soothing. When mixed with coke, the almost medicinal notes blossom into earthy flavors with a hint of sweet licorice. They've figured that out in Argentina, where Fernet con Coca is the most overheard bar order. The liqueur's intense bitterness has the power to cut through rich fatty foods, so of course it's a great match for the greasy McDouble. It's not too syrupy, not too sweet, and perfectly refreshing to gulp down with your burger.

As one of the more tame sandwiches on McDonald's menu, adorned only with lettuce and heaps of mayonnaise, the McChicken could easily be swallowed whole by a bold cocktail. It deserves a more delicate beverage that highlights the sandwich's flavors instead of competing with them, and the winning choice is a Tom Collins.

Chicken and lemon are age-old pals. The two have been beautifully paired in endless dishes since well before my time, but the harmonious pairing is proven to extend past food when an ice-cold Tom Collins is introduced. The gin's juniper essence almost acts as a herby seasoning to the crispy breaded chicken while the tart lemon balances the mayo's heaviness and brightens the entire dish. The soda water tops it all off, literally and figuratively, giving you the chance to quench your thirst between bites.

We can't forget the sweet side. The McFlurry is a McDonald's institution, and the Oreo is arguably the most adored. Creamy vanilla soft serve is whipped with crushed Oreo cookies to create a beautiful concoction that can be enjoyed via straw or spoon, but adding a little sipper to the side can make it even better.

As Italy's after-dinner digestivo, amaro is more than fitting alongside this McDonald's frozen dessert. Vanilla is a blank canvas, and the Oreos are just the beginning of the flavor palette. Amaro's bittersweet complexity introduces botanical flavors that alter the soft serve sweetness for the better. This pairing is both delicious and practical, with actual digestive qualities that help ease the heavy soft serve. Apparently, bitter flavors can impact how we perceive sweetness, which is why Italian grandmothers have long insisted on amaro after dessert. You could certainly pour a little Amaro right into your McFlurry, but keeping them separate works to mesh the flavors without sacrificing any of them.

When the ice cream machine is down, McDonald's apple pies are the most coveted treats in the drive-thru. They're warm, lightly spiced with cinnamon, and packed with juicy baked apples. As Cognac is made from French grapes, this Autumnal dessert couldn't possibly be paired with anything other than a crisp Sidecar.

Prepared with Cognac, lemon juice, and triple sec, the classic Sidecar was practically made to accompany apple pie. The cocktail manages to turn a quick handheld pie into a five-star experience. The brandy brings out the cinnamon sugar in the pie while the triple sec accentuates the bright apples and the lemon's acidity tames the buttery lattice crust. It's like McDonald's version of the age-old French couple of Calvados and apple tart.

It doesn't get much more American classic than McDonald's French fries. People love them, people love to hate them, and people hate to love them, but they're a timeless novelty. McDonald's dresses up a lot of its menu items, but the salty shoestring fries are kept simple. When contemplating the perfect cocktail to sip between fries, the answer is easy: A cosmopolitan.

The cocktail's cranberry foundation almost mimics the fruity and acidic nature of ketchup, making it the ultimate fry sidekick. Given the fries' simplicity, the only flavor profile to really keep in mind is salt, and a stiff and sweet cocktail like a cosmo is just the ticket. Salt isn't intended to actually make food salty, but to enhance underlying flavors, so when it's sprinkled onto something sweet, incredibly delicious things happen. After years of enjoying Reese's and candied bacon, I'm well aware of how promising sweet and salty snacks can be. A cosmopolitan, tart with cranberry juice and lime, is slightly sweetened with the dash of Cointreau. It adds subtle orange notes with just enough sugar to balance every flavor in this snack-cocktail combo.