McDonald’s Goes Czech: Smažák with Chips – but Only with a Secret Code and App

Two pieces of golden-brown fried cheese, served with chips and tartare sauce: McDonald’s is adding a Czech pub classic to its menu. Before eating, however, there is a small digital treasure hunt to complete.

McDonald’s goes český: The Czech branch of the fast-food chain is introducing a dish usually found on the menus of local pubs. As part of this year’s “Sýrová sezóna” (Cheese Season), the company is offering smažák with chips and tartare sauce for the first time – fried cheese served in the traditional way as a meal in its own right.

McDonald’s calls its new offering “Smažák Originál”. It was really only a matter of time. The box contains two large pieces of golden-brown fried cheese, accompanied by a portion of chips and tartare sauce. The fast-food giant describes the dish as an “absolute legend of Czech cuisine”, now available at McDonald’s for the first time.

Photo: McDonald’s App

Find the Code First, Then Order the Cheese

Simply walking up to the till and ordering smažák with chips will not work, according to the company. Customers need a secret code for the dish, which McDonald’s has hidden on its social media channels, such as Facebook. It can only be redeemed through the McDonald’s app.

The search is part of the marketing concept: Anyone who discovers the code can be among the first to try the Czech classic at the fast-food chain. For once, the route to McDonald’s smažák is via your mobile phone.

The so-called “Sýrová sezóna” has become a regular part of the chain’s autumn offering in the Czech Republic. This year, alongside the smažák options, it also includes breaded pieces of Hermelín cheese, battered Oštiepok (traditional smoked cheese from Slovakia), and chips with cheddar sauce and bacon.