McDonald's taps heritage brand for menu

Months of recipe testing were needed before the launch.

McDonald's Singapore spent nine months developing its Curry Potato Chicken Burger with Old Chang Kee, refining the recipe through many rounds of testing before rolling it out across its restaurants nationwide.

“We went through multiple rounds of testing and refinement to ensure the final recipe not only delivered on taste but could also be consistently prepared and enjoyed by customers across all our restaurants nationwide,” Drina Chee, senior director of marketing and digital customer experience at McDonald's Singapore, told QSR Media.

The tie-up comes as consumers increasingly seek familiar foods with a contemporary twist. A March 2026 TrendBites report by Olam Food Ingredients found that seven in 10 Asian consumers are willing to try traditional foods presented in a different format, whilst 82% look for food that reflects their heritage.

Founded in 1956 as a small stall in a coffee shop and best known for its curry puffs, Old Chang Kee received the Singapore Prestige Brand Award – Heritage Brand Award in 2005.

Its Curry'O flavour has been a fixture of Singapore's food culture for 70 years.

The partnership forms part of McDonald's National Day campaign marking Singapore's 61st birthday. The menu includes the Curry Potato Chicken Burger, Rendang Curry Beef Burger, and Curry McShaker Fries.

Chee said the biggest challenge was combining two established products without losing what customers value about either brand.

“We were trying to answer the question, 'Who put a curry puff in my burger?' whilst ensuring the experience felt authentic to both brands,” she said in an emailed reply to questions.

She said the strongest partnerships are those where both brands bring something distinctive. “You're creating an experience neither brand could've delivered on its own.”

Chee said future menu innovations would continue to focus on combining familiar local flavours with McDonald's offerings.