The Golden Arches has recently taken to offering a McDonald’s lobster roll in New England during the height of tourist season. But how do they stack up to the real deal? In 2015, we asked Mike Urban, author of Lobster Shacks (Countryman Press, 2016), to size up the McDonald’s lobster roll in comparison to New England seafood shack rolls.

Mike Urban

The McDonald’s Lobster Roll Experience

It feels easy to make fun of McDonald’s these days, with their bloated menu and sagging sales. To rekindle customer interest, the company periodically rolls out regional, seasonal specials, such as the McRib sandwich, which I used to order regularly in my younger days—until I found out what it was made from.

The McDonald’s lobster roll regularly shows up on the summertime menu and is usually derided by New England habitués (including myself), who turn up their noses at such a notion. Is this just plain snobbery on our part? Or do we inherently know that the largest fast food company in the world is simply cashing in on the lobster roll craze? I decided to visit my local McDonald’s, with an open mind, open heart, and curious palate to find out more.

Mike Urban

Armed with more than 100 authentic New England lobster roll experiences, I entered the glass-and-tile McDonald’s in my adoptive New England town of 25 years and queued up at the counter. I ordered a lobster roll, paid my bill, and received my claim check. (Can you say “dine in the rough”?)

Mike Urban

While waiting for my McDonald’s lobster roll, I struck up a conversation with the shift manager. He informed me with a hint of pride that the lobster roll promotion would last two weeks, and they had already sold over 200 rolls in just a couple of days. He also divulged that the lobster meat comes in frozen form from their distributor, they thaw it out, then mix it with a bit of mayo. My order was soon ready, and I stole away to a quiet corner of the dining area to have a tête-à-tête with my “McRoll.”

Mike Urban

Upon opening the box, I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of chunks of claw meat on top of some shredded lobster meat and a rather massive bed of similarly shredded iceberg lettuce. My first McDonald’s lobster roll bite would speak volumes, and I must say it was better than I expected. Keep in mind that frozen / thawed lobster meat can’t hold a candle to the fresh-picked stuff you get at quality seafood shacks, as the frozen stuff feels and tastes more limp and watery. The bun was oval-shaped and lightly toasted, the kind of roll you get with McDonald’s grilled chicken sandwiches.

Mike Urban

Sadly, the roll struggled to hold its flavor through the meal, and my initial enthusiasm waned with each succeeding bite. By the time I finished (I did consume the entire thing), the McRoll simply ran out of steam and made me yearn for the real deal, hot or cold, from a true New England seafood shack.

I salute McDonald’s for having the bravery and the cunning to get in on the highly competitive New England lobster roll game. If nothing else, their low price tag helps introduce many diners (particularly families on modest budgets) to the joys of a true New England treat, one that we’re extremely fortunate to have in its finest (if more expensive) form pretty much whenever we want it between mid-May and Columbus Day.

Mike Urban

Viva la Shack!

For a true New England seafood experience, I recommend checking out any of my picks for the 10 Best Lobster Rolls in New England or having lunch at one of these 12 Best Lobster Shacks in New England. They won’t let you down! Want to make your own warm lobster roll at home instead? This Brown-Butter Lobster Roll recipe from Eventide in Portland, Maine, is a Yankee favorite.

Have you tried the McDonald’s Lobster Roll? We haven’t seen it on menus yet in 2019, but there’s still plenty of time.

This post was first published in 2015 and has been updated.