# Do McDonald's in England sell Egg McMuffins? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [August 18, 2022, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892 "2022-08-18T13:38:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/41 "2022-12-09T13:19:33Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > However, it seems a bad extrapolation for you to maintain that this is true of all English I don’t say that it is true of all English people, I’m sure it isn’t an absolute, nothing ever is. My experience is that it is very very rare and likely to be more common where there is a communication being made to other nationalities or markets. Any two random english people? very unlikely to need or use the “english” qualifier. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/42 "2022-12-09T13:33:38Z")
It seems we’re in a place now where no cite is valid. Any video, including just of random Brits talking? Oh, that’s for an international audience. One of England’s most famous chefs, on a webpage that doesn’t have Imperial measures, and **only** calls cilantro _coriander_? Well, he has an international audience too. The UK’s biggest store? That’s…because they are trying to be trendy. Are [Hovis](https://www.ocado.com/products/hovis-4-english-muffins-with-sourdough-529271011?ds_rl=1291426&ds_rl=1291555&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1sucBhDgARIsAFoytUuaF6B0orFYp8qSdp2ZwnwXfrWao0zTrzgKMcd2LJ5Ozho5Rp_NCM0aAi2lEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) also trying to be trendy? What would confirm that a significant proportion of Brits are familiar with, or use the term, ‘English muffin’? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/43 "2022-12-09T13:50:16Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > What would confirm that a significant proportion of Brits are familiar with, or use the term, ‘English muffin’? familiar with? pretty much everyone. “use” very, very few unless they have a external need or wish to communicate with people who may use that term, like supermarkets, or people posting recipes online, or people on youtube. If I were doing any of those things _I’d_ use the term “english muffin”. And I said nothing about “trendy” that is not a word that passed my fingers. You seem to think that I am in some way bothered about using the term “english muffin” I’m not. I’m just giving you an honest assessment of its general use from my own experience. ETA - I note that the “trendy” claim was not in reply to me, feel free to ignore the above paragraph. All of those examples are likely to be communicating with as wide an audience as possible. Using the extra word “english” doesn’t necessarily cause widespread confusion amongst the English audience and so using it may help communication with other for no great cost. Meanwhile, the vast, vast majority of UK people get by using merely the word “muffin”. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/44 "2022-12-09T14:02:21Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > And you won’t believe what Buffalo wings are called in Buffalo! Breakfast? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/45 "2022-12-09T14:32:16Z")
According to this, it’s because an English ex-pat devised them in the US, and named them “English Muffins” to distinguish them from the American style of muffins, which is more like a cupcake. Why he didn’t call it a crumpet, I don’t know. [The History of English Muffins | Origin of English Muffins (goldmedalbakery.com)](https://www.goldmedalbakery.com/blog/the-history-of-english-muffins/#:~:text=Who%20Invented%20English%20Muffins%3F,he%20worked%20in%20a%20bakery.) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/46 "2022-12-09T14:38:36Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Why he didn’t call it a crumpet, I don’t know. Because crumpets are not the same thing at all. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/47 "2022-12-09T14:38:39Z")
What Americans call Canadian bacon is cured and usually smoked pork loin. I do believe, as mentioned above, that “back bacon” would be the UK term. Bacon in the US, otherwise, is generally made from pork bellies. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/48 "2022-12-09T14:42:52Z")
Interesting! Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/49 "2022-12-09T14:54:07Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I’m just giving you an honest assessment of its general use from my own experience. So am I, and I am an English person, living in England. But anyway, it seems your position now is virtually the same as I said in my initial post; most people are familiar with the term “english muffin”, and wouldn’t think anything odd of hearing it, even if they will just use “muffin” most commonly in everyday conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/50 "2022-12-09T15:08:41Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > But anyway, it seems your position now is virtually the same as I said in my initial post; most people are familiar with the term “english muffin”, and wouldn’t think anything odd of hearing it, even if they will just use “muffin” most commonly in everyday conversation. sure, I don’t think we were ever really in disagreement ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/51 "2022-12-09T17:39:05Z")
Canadian bacon and UK bacon are both back bacon, but they’re different. I can’t really explain how, but they’re not exactly the same thing. Maybe one is smoked and one isn’t? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/52 "2022-12-09T17:46:25Z")
Well, the American stuff typically is. The Wikipedia article says UK back bacon comes both in smoked and unsmoked forms. Just looking at pictures, it appears typical UK back bacon is not cooked, like American “Canadian bacon” is, so it has a very different look (and taste) to it. We Americans can eat Canadian bacon like it’s lunch meat (which I usually do.) So, you are correct – there is that important difference. Best to say that “Canadian bacon” is a form of back bacon that is cured, smoked, and cooked. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/53 "2022-12-09T17:47:17Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > but of course we also have streaky bacon in equal measure. I think I first heard the term “streaky bacon” on the English cooking show _[Two Fat Ladies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Fat_Ladies)_, which Food Network used to show here in the U.S. As a result, whenever I see the term, I always hear it, in my head, being said by a woman with an English accent (probably Jennifer Patterson’s voice). ---
**Author:** ![knavette57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knavette57/32/3871_2.png) [@knavette57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knavette57)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/54 "2022-12-09T17:50:59Z")
I have purchased ready made crumpets at my local global market, and yes, they are not the same as English muffins. Quite delish, though, with good butter on them and a cup of British tea (I like Twinings English Breakfast). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/55 "2022-12-09T22:05:42Z")
Rashers of British bacon are sliced more thinly than Canadian back bacon and generally have more fat. So far as I can tell, they also always come in the shape of a pork chop, whereas slices of Canadian back bacon are round. To me at least, the “Canadian bacon” used in Egg McMuffins is more like rounds of thinly sliced ham. There is also something called “pea meal bacon,” which is actually pork loin rolled in pea or corn meal. This is commonly found in Canadian supermarkets, but I don’t recall ever seeing it in the US. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/56 "2022-12-09T22:09:18Z")
Crumpets have a completely different texture than English muffins, but to me they taste virtually the same. I like to smother them in butter and orange marmalade. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/57 "2022-12-09T23:09:55Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > that’ll probably be because they are on t’internet and know they need to make the distinction for an international audience. In normal interactions in the UK pretty much no-one feels the need to use the “English” prefix It seemed to me that they used the term in natural speech. It doesn’t sound like they are making an attempt to deliberately use a term that isn’t natural to them. Indeed, I’ve watched a lot of their videos. When they use a term that is deliberate, they tend to make note of it, and call attention to the fact, something like (“we say X; you might call it Y”). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2022, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/58 "2022-12-09T23:21:18Z")
I’d bet a few lira that Turkish taffy isn’t a thing in Turkey.\* It does vaguely have Turkish roots though. “The bars were packaged in wrappers that showed smiling men in fezzes pouring batter into a huge vat. Of course, in Turkey, the fez had been outlawed by Kemal Ataturk in the 1920’s, but back in the 50’s the design drew no complaints.” > **[Bomono's Turkish Taffy - OldTimeCandy.com](https://www.oldtimecandy.com/collections/walk-the-candy-aisle-bonomo-s-turkish-taffy)** > > Bonomo's Turkish Taffy. Do you remember how we used to smack-em on the sidewalk. Smack it, crack it. Oh yeah! \*they stopped making it in the U.S. years ago. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/59 "2022-12-10T00:00:05Z")
This reminds me of something. My wife is of Chinese descent, born in Chicago. Every once in a while, she’ll point out: “When I was growing up, we didn’t call it ‘Chinese food’. We just called it ‘food’.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892/60 "2022-12-10T00:23:30Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, Swiss isn’t going to get you anywhere for cheese, as Switzerland has plenty of cheeses. Emmenthaler or some variation there would be known, though, for the holey cheese. For many decades, the Swiss dairy cartel restricted the vast majority of cheese makers in the country to producing something like seven cheeses, and the vast majority of that was Emmental and Gruyère. It’s only after the association’s power was broken about 20 years ago that other traditional Swiss cheeses started making a comeback. So it wasn’t too much of a stretch to consider Emmental to be _the_ iconic Swiss cheese for about 80 years. > **[Swiss Cheese Union](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Cheese_Union)** > > The Swiss Cheese Union (German: Schweizer Käseunion AG, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}pronounced \[ˈʃvaɪtsər ˈkɛːzə.uˌni̯oːn aːˈɡeː\]) was a marketing and trading organization in Switzerland, which served as a cartel to control cheese production from 1914 to 1999. To this end, the Swiss Cheese Union mandated production be limited to ... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-mcdonalds-in-england-sell-egg-mcmuffins/969892.md?page=4)