Fans of McDonald's know that the company is very, very particular about its exclusive ingredients and recipes, from the soda (it's not your imagination, McDonald's soda really does taste better) to the ketchup to its use of only one kind of potato for its fries. Pickles are no exception, and if you're into McDonald's burgers, you know that there's something about those pickles that feels unlike anything you can get from at a grocery store.
It turns out that this notion isn't entirely true, according Chef Mike Haracz, a former McDonald's chef. Haracz is famous on TikTok for dealing out McDonald's insider info, such as why the company probably won't bring back snack wraps and what the whole deal was with that Szechuan sauce controversy. Now, he's saying that a brand of pickles available at Walmart very closely mimics the taste of McDonald's pickles. After some personal research, Haracz settled on Best Maid Hamburger Slices as the ultimate copycat product.
Mike Haracz is not a guy who takes McDoanld's copycats lightly. He's argued against the notion of copycat products in the past, such as when he adamantly insisted that there's no ketchup in Big Mac sauce, though the condiment makes an appearance in many recipes. For Haracz to stake a claim to these pickles says a lot, and according to him, the Best Maid pickles "taste almost absolutely identical" to McDonald's pickles. In addition to acing the taste test, Best Maid's nutritional info is very similar to that of McDonald's pickles, though the ingredient list is in a slightly different order. The only real difference is that Best Maid's pickles are crinkle-cut, while McDonald's are flat-sliced.
Haracz also says that the affordability of these pickles checks out. Best Maid pickles are heat-treated, meaning you'll find them stored at room temperature on grocery store shelves. Pickles that must be refrigerated are more high-end, which usually means a slightly higher price tag, more crunch, and a stronger flavor. While these traits might be desirable in many situations, they don't line up with McDonald's pickles. So if you want to recreate a McDonald's burger or sandwich with nearly-identical pickles, get your hands on some Best Maid Hamburger Slices. Just don't add any ketchup to your copycat Big Mac sauce.