Pairing Wines with Fast Food

It is kind of a funny question, isn’t it? Does wine even go with fast food? The short answer is yes if you enjoy it!

But what wine goes with your takeout favorites? Or what fast food and wine go together? You’re in the right place for unconventional yet delightful pairings. Ditch the soda briefly—imagine dipping your crispy fries into a bubbly Champagne or sipping a light Pinot Noir with your juicy burger. Pairing wines with fast foods is about balance and surprise, enhancing even the most casual meals into something special without the fuss. Curious? Read on for pair-by-pair revelations that turn a quick bite into a gourmet experience.

Key Takeaways

• You can make fast food fancy with the right wine, like champagne with McDonald’s fries or Pinot Noir with a Big Mac.

• The heat of spicy takeout, like fried chicken, can be balanced with a sweet wine like an off-dry Riesling.

• Even your favorite fast food burgers and pizzas can be made fancy with rich, bold wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo.

The Art of Matching Fast Food with Fine Wine

Have you ever considered having McDonald’s fries with a glass of bubbly? Or a burger with a Pinot Noir? It sounds crazy, but these pairings can turn your takeout into a fancy food experience. It takes thought and a good palate.

The goal of pairing wine with takeout is to balance the flavors. For example, a salty bite of McDonald’s fries can be balanced by the sweetness of Brut Champagne, Spanish Cava, or other sparkling wine, whose high acidity cuts through the salt and grease and enhances the flavors and textures of the fries. A McDonald’s burger with its beef patties, cheese, and pickles is paired perfectly with a Pinot Noir, which complements the burger with its earthy and fruity notes. And for Taco Bell lovers, a glass of Verdejo can be a refreshing contrast to the bold flavors of your favorite Crunchwrap.

McDonald’s Fries & Bubbly Bliss

You’re enjoying your favorite McDonald’s fries, each salty bite perfectly crispy. Now imagine taking a sip of a chilled glass of Champagne or Cava. The acidity of these sparkling wines makes you enjoy the fries more, a nice contrast between the salty snack and the sweet wine.

The sweetness of these sparkling wines balances the saltiness of the fries, and it’s a nice surprise.

Big Mac & Pinot Noir Perfection

Think of your next Big Mac bite, with its beef patties, cheese, and special sauce, and imagine it followed by a sip of Pinot Noir. It’s perfection. Pinot Noir’s earthy flavors and ripe red fruit notes of strawberry, raspberry, and cranberry enhance the Big Mac flavor.

Taco Bell Favorites & Vibrant Verdejo

Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap, with its savory flavors, finds an unexpected but perfect match with a glass of Verdejo. Verdejo’s citrus, green apple, and tropical fruit flavors provide a crisp and refreshing contrast to the Crunchwrap’s bold flavors.

Fast Food Chicken & Wine Pairings

Now, we’ll talk about chicken, a takeout staple. Whether it’s fried spicy chicken or grilled goodness, the right wine can turn a bland meal into a delicious one. Some wine pairings for chicken:

• An off-dry Riesling to balance the heat in a fried spicy chicken dish.

• A Pinot Noir to pair with grilled chicken and bring out the smokiness.

• Add citrus to a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to complement the freshness of grilled chicken.

For grilled chicken fans, a Sauvignon Blanc, with its light body, high acidity, and fruity notes, is a refreshing match for grilled chicken sandwiches. The wine’s citrus and green pear notes add a fun twist to the savory grilled chicken.

Spicy Fried Chicken & Riesling’s Sweet Relief

With its fiery heat and savory flavors, fried spicy chicken can be a challenge to pair with wine. But not when you have a bottle of slightly sweet Riesling at your disposal. The wine’s sweetness relieves the spicy heat, cooling down your palate while accentuating the robust flavors of the chicken.

The outcome is a flawless blend of sweet and spicy that enhances your fried chicken experience.

Grilled Delights & Sauvignon Blanc

For grilled chicken fans, Sauvignon Blanc is the way to go. Its green herbaceous flavors, zippy acidity, and orchard fruit notes match grilled poultry dishes like a Qdoba Chicken Burrito. Sauvignon Blanc’s crispness pairs well with popular grilled chicken dishes, adding a refreshing note to the savory flavors.

Burger Joint Wine

Now, let’s talk about burgers. There are many options for wine pairings. A big Cabernet Sauvignon can cut through the cheeseburger and create a great pairing that amplifies the burger flavors.

For burgers with bold flavors or heavy sauces, Zinfandel, with its spicy and fruit notes, complements and amplifies the savory elements of the meal. Whether a Big Mac or In-N-Out specialty item, the right wine can take your burger to the next level and make takeout a gourmet experience.

In-N-Out Animal Style & Gamay’s Charm

In-N-Out’s Animal Style burger with all its flavors pairs great with a glass of Gamay. This wine’s fresh and fruity flavors amplify the burger flavors and create a flavor profile that leaves you wanting more.

Cheeseburgers & Cabernet Sauvignon

A cheeseburger with all its cheesy goodness finds a match in a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine’s acidity and tanninsTannins in Wine Tannins in wine are phen... More clean your palate for the next bite.

The burger’s savory and the wine’s bold flavors are a match made in heaven.

Pizza & Italian Wine

Pizza and wine are a classic combination that never goes out of style. Whether you’re making a plain cheese pizza or a spicy pepperoni pizza, the right Italian wine can amplify the flavors of your favorite pizza toppings.

For example, a Sangiovese with its bright acidity and cherry, red berry, and plum flavors pairs great with a spicy pepperoni pizza with its spicy flavors. The acidity cuts the heat from the pepperoni and highlights the bold flavors of the pizza.

Also a Chianti Classico with its bright acidity and wild berry flavors is a good choice for a cheese pizza, it won’t overpower the cheesy goodness.

Classic Cheesy & Light Red Wine

A cheesy pizza with gooey, melty cheese and tangy tomato sauce pairs great with a glass of Chianti. This light red wine, with its fruity flavors and acidity, balances the richness of the cheese and amplifies the savory flavors.

The cheesy goodness of the pizza and the fruity flavors of Chianti are hard to resist.

Spicy Pepperoni & The Boldness of Barolo

For those who like a little heat in their pizza, a spicy pepperoni pizza with a bold Barolo is a perfect match. Barolo’s intensity and bold flavors, with its tannic structure, balance the fattiness and amplify the pepperoni flavors, a wine and pizza pairing that will please your palate.

Crispy Skin & White Wine

We can’t forget the crispy skin of fast-food chicken. Whether it’s traditional southern fried chicken or spicy versions, pairing these with elegant white wines takes the dining experience to a new level.

Crisp, dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, and Albariño are perfect for the flavors and texture of traditional fried chicken. The wines’ freshness and lightness balance the chicken’s richness and add a twist to your fried chicken experience. For spicy versions, an off-dry Riesling can be a sweet relief, cooling down your palate and amplifying the chicken’s bold flavors.

Sweet Treats & Dessert Wines

Sweet treats and dessert wines are a match made in heaven. Imagine a DQ Blizzard, with all its richness and sweetness, paired with a Moscato d’Asti or a high-acidity sweet wine like a Riesling or Sauternes. The wines enhance and complement the Blizzard’s flavors—it’s a sweet tooth’s dream come true.

Or a jammy Zinfandel can give you a strawberry sundae flavor profile when paired with Culver’s Concrete Mixer. The wine’s fruitiness matches the dessert’s pure indulgence and sweetness.

Pairings for Your Fries

French fries, a fast-food classic, can be taken to the next level with the right pairing. A fresh, light, and acidic wine cuts through the fries’ fatty flavors and enhances their simplicity. An easy choice is an acidic white wine, and takeout and wine are surprisingly good combos.

For example, a glass of crisp, high-acid champagne is a great palate cleanser and enhances the basic saltiness of the fries. A dry rosé from Provence, with its fresh and fruity profile, is a nice balance to the saltiness of French fries without overpowering the flavor.

For those who want a fuller flavor profile, a Zinfandel, which is a good match with savory and rich dishes, pairs well with rustic or rich fast foods like French fries.

Vegetarian Fast Food & Refreshing Whites

For vegetarian takeout fans, a wine pairing can elevate the experience. Salty vegetarian dishes pair well with light and crisp whites like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

More specifically, tofu dishes, with their creamy yet firm texture, can be enhanced by a light Riesling or Pinot Grigio. The wines’ light and refreshing profiles match the flavors of the tofu, creating a flavor balance that will please your palate.

Guilty Pleasures & Guilt-Free Wines

A good wine can turn a simple indulgence into a guilt-free pleasure for guilty pleasure fast food. McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets, for example, are perfect with rosé, a fun and matching pairing that’s satisfying and delightful.

Wendy’s Baconator is rich and heavy, so a Tempranillo with cherry and cedar notes is a good match. The wine can stand up to the burger’s savory elements guilt-free.

The Last Bite

From fast food classics like McDonald’s French fries and Big Mac to spicy chicken and vegetarian favorites, we’ve tried out some unusual but delicious pairings of takeout with fine wines. Whether Champagne’s acidity with salty snacks or the earthy and fruity notes of Pinot Noir with a Big Mac, the right wine can turn your fast food into a culinary adventure.

So, next time you order takeout, try pairing it with a good wine. It’s worth a shot, and you might find your new favorite pairing.

FAQs

What wine goes with McDonald’s fries?

Champagne or Cava would be a good match for McDonald’s fries. Their acidity and sweetness would complement the saltiness. Try it next time you get fries!

What wine goes with a Big Mac?

With its earthy and fruity notes, Pinot Noir is a good match for a Big Mac. It pairs well.

Can I pair vegetarian fast food with wine?

You can pair vegetarian fast food with light and crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Cheers!

What wine can I pair with fried spicy chicken?

Fried spicy chicken can be paired with a slightly sweet Riesling to balance the heat with sweetness. Enjoy!

Can I pair pizza with wine?

Yes, you can pair pizza with Italian wines, whether you have a light or heavy topping. Cheers!