Macca’s and KFC just dropped new desserts – and fans are divided

The Australian fast food fight in Australia is stepping up with desserts the new battleground as Macca’s and KFC trial never-before-seen menu items across the country.

Macca’s is going all in with McCafé Loaded Cookies, a milk chocolate chip cookie with rich choc ganache filling and hundreds of thousands. For those wanting to level up their dessert experience they can load it up with soft serve and choc fudge topping.

The Loaded Cookies menu item is being trialled across 10 locations in NSW from July 29 until August 11 or until sold out.

A spokesperson for McDonald’s has told nine.com.au they “welcome customer feedback throughout the trial and look forward to hearing what customers would love to see on our menu in the future”.

KFC has countered with a Chocolate Lava Brownie, part of their new Wicked Burger range which is available for a limited time from August 4 until August 31 or until stocks last.

This new indulgent dessert comes complete with a gooey molten chocolate centre.

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Early reviews of McDonald’s Loaded Cookies with Aussie food bloggers Kat and Alex from The Food Inbox giving it a thumbs up.

The cookie comes in its own convenient dessert box with a spoon to try and contain the deliciously messy experience.

“The cookie is thick,” they said, adding that it is “so good”.

A single Loaded Cookie costs $7.95 and with soft serve ice cream costs $8.95, although prices can vary at different locations.

Food blogger Dub Eats tried the KFC Chocolate Lava Brownie with a Wicked Burger Meal and found it a little difficult to eat as it didn’t come with its own container and when he picked it up, some of the lava centre dripped onto his leg. And while he described it as “super gooey” and “mad” and “super fudgey” he did wish it came with some ice cream or cream.

The brownie does appear to come in a container when ordered separate to a Wicked Meal and costs $4, although this price can also differ subject to location.

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It has been a busy year for Australia’s largest fast food retailers, with McDonald’s and KFC going head to head in the battle for consumer dollars.

Already this year we have seen KFC confirm plans to roll out their Morning Meals menu across the country following a successful trial at Sydney Airport, pitting them directly against McDonald’s iconic Breakfast Menu which launched in Australia in 1987.

Brand expert Amanda Stevens told nine.com.au KFC had “obviously done their research” on fast food breakfast.

“McDonald’s is a proof of concept for it,” she said.

“I think the airport trial made sense because it signalled to the market they weren’t just launching breakfast. Consumers are eating very differently.”

Then, in July, McDonald’s added 10 new drinks to its McCafé menu, tapping into the fun drinks trend being favoured by Gen Z.

The range includes some familiar and popular drinks including Refreshers, Crafted Sodas, Energisers and an array of Iced and Cold Coffees, and marks the franchise’s biggest beverage drop since McCafé opened in Australia in 1993.

KFC was hot on its heels once again with a drinks trial featuring 10 custom drinks spanning Sparkling Lemonades, Boba Refreshers, Krunch Shakes and Frozen Spiders.

A KFC spokesperson told nine.com.au: “Following successful trials in Wollongong and Cairns, we’re excited to have recently launched Kwench to 16 new pilot stores in SA and NSW. Watch this space.”