McDonald’s Reportedly Selling Spam and Oreo Burger in China

Rumors of a strange new menu item at McDonald’s have surfaced in China, sparking fresh fears about public health. According to a report by The New York Post, McDonald’s restaurants in China may soon be selling a “Spam burger” topped with crushed Oreos. Posts on the Chinese social media app Weibo indicate that the sandwich could be available as soon as this week.

China’s Spam and Oreo burger could be released any time now, but it is expected to be a limited edition item. According to video game analyst Daniel Ahmad, there will be only 400,000 sandwiches to go around. Ahmad also posted photos of the burger, although it is unclear whether these are official promotional photos or not.

The very existence of this sandwich raised far more questions than it answered. Users shared their disgust at the sight of it — many claiming that they had eaten other decadent fast food concoctions before, but that this one was somehow different. Many were at a loss to even see the appeal of the combination.

According to Ahmad, customers in China feel the same way. They are not sure why this new offer is on the way, or who it is meant to appeal to. One person tweeted: “Are you okay, China?” while another added: “I mean.. I’d try it but spam is already gross on its own so imagine it being mcdonald-fied and then with Oreos on it…”

While some users criticized China and Chinese culture for giving rise to this fast-food abomination, others looked back further for the source. Many noted that McDonald’s is an American company, with operations in China taking direction from the central leadership here. They reasoned that this meant the Spam and Oreo burger was first conceived of on U.S. soil in some capacity.

Some users on Weibo say they have already eaten the new sandwich, and the reviews are mixed. One commenter wrote: “I thought it was delicious. Is that because I love McDonald’s too deeply? Or is something wrong with my taste?” Another added: “When you hate someone but have to invite him to dinner, you can ask him to eat McDonald’s Oreo lunchmeat burger.”

Some speculated that this strange new menu item was an act of desperation by a company that has suffered big losses during the coronavirus pandemic. McDonald’s was forced to close its locations altogether in some countries and lost business even in the ones that allowed it to remain open. While customers have been eager for comfort food over the last year, McDonald’s has still seen a 68 percent drop in earnings compared to the same period last year, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.