Fast food dupes in Singapore
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as grabbing cheap fast food for your junk food fix, but nowadays, “cheap” isn’t guaranteed. Thankfully, we’ve found budget-friendly fast food dupes in Singapore that taste just as good as the real thing, at a fraction of the price.
From McSpicy patties to KFC cheese fries, if you tried any of these dupes in a blind taste test, you’d be thoroughly fooled. The dupes are almost impossible to tell apart, and can even be up to 6 times cheaper than the original.
Note: Prices are accurate at the time of writing, and are subject to change.
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1. McDonald’s McSpicy
Under $1.50 a piece
Ah, the signature McSpicy. It’s iconic not only for its spiciness but also for its infamous side effect that sends many running to the nearest toilet. Yet, Singaporeans love it so much that we keep going back for more.
If you want a more wallet-friendly option to satisfy those cravings, netizen Nadiah Omar has found a frozen alternative: New Multi’s Fried Boneless Chicken Thigh (Spicy).
Image credit: Nadiah Omar via Facebook
In a Facebook post, she claims that it tastes similar to the original McSpicy in terms of juiciness and spiciness. With over 4,000 shares, it’s clear many Singaporeans stand by her rave review.
You can find this in select stores or online via Amazon for $9.99/800g. With each patty weighing around 100g, it works out to be only $1.25 a piece! For the most authentic results, you’ll want to deep fry them, but you can stick them in an air fryer for around 3-5 minutes for a healthier take.
New Multi Fried Boneless Chicken Thigh (Spicy) review: “It’s my 2nd purchase, and it was delivered quickly again. My family and friends all like the spice of the chicken, and it tastes as good as the McSpicy.”
– Susan L via New Multi Food
Original: $6.20
Dupe: $1.25
Money saved: $4.95
Buy the McSpicy dupe on Amazon.
2. Pizza Hut drumlets
$1.60 per serving
Image credit: @pizzahut_sg via Instagram
Apart from pizza, another must-order from Pizza Hut is the iconic sweet ‘n’ spicy drumlets. They’re tasty, juicy, and fall off the bone. Our only gripe is that a portion of 10 drumlets is way too small to satiate appetites.
Turns out, we can get our fix at home. On Facebook, netizen Leslie Koh shared his search to find a worthy dupe to the drumlets, and the Farmpride Buffalo Wings came out on top. Out of 3 different brands of frozen drumettes, he rated these at 96% similarity to the original Pizza Hut ones.
You can find these at supermarkets or on Amazon at $8.02/450g. With about 5 servings in each packet, that comes up to around $1.60 per serving – definitely affordable enough for you to have your fill.
For kids and those who can’t take spice, a close runner-up is the CP Roasted Mexican Wing Stick at $6.03/350g. Apart from the different spice levels, it’s still similar in terms of texture and taste.
Farmpride Buffalo Wings review: “This is the clear winner when I taste it side-by-side with Pizza Hut’s. The taste is very similar except for the spice level. I give this a 96% similarity because it’s spicier and it feels a bit more oily.”
– Leslie Koh via Facebook
Original: $15.35 for 10 pieces
Dupe: $8.02 per 10 pieces
Money saved: $7.33
Buy the Pizza Hut drumlet dupe on Amazon.
3. McDonald’s chilli sauce
$2.57 per bottle
Image credit: Eatbook
McDonald’s curry sauce gets all the attention, but its signature garlic chilli sauce is not to be overlooked. It goes well with just about everything on the menu. If you find yourself running out of chilli sauce too often when you have Macca’s, we’ve got good news.
Sinsin Garlic Chilli Sauce, which retails at $2.57/bottle on Amazon, tastes exactly like the original.
Image credit: Janus D. via Foursquare
Legend has it that this is the original McDonald’s chilli sauce recipe, and older folks might even remember the Sinsin logo printed on the chilli sauce packets in the early 2000s. But don’t take our word for it; get a bottle from any supermarket to test it for yourself. Now, you won’t have to go back to the cashier and ask for more sauce packets.
Sinsin Garlic Chilli Sauce review: “It tastes exactly like McDonald’s garlic chilli and goes perfectly with air-fried snacks.”
– BT via FairPrice
Original: $0
Dupe: $2.57
Face saved: Priceless
Buy the McDonald’s chilli sauce dupe on Amazon.
4. KFC cheese sauce
Under $1 per serving
Image credit: Eatbook
Almost anyone who’s ordered from KFC knows the temptation to upgrade from regular fries to cheese fries, where crispy fries are doused in a rich cheese sauce, sour cream, and fresh spring onions.
The DIY version is simpler than you think. All you need is 2 tablespoons of milk, a tablespoon of butter, and 3 slices of cheese. Put all the ingredients in a heat-proof bowl and microwave until all the ingredients have melted together.
Give it a good stir, add some cornflour to the desired thickness, and voila, your very own KFC cheese sauce is ready.
Add a dollop of sour cream and garnish with freshly cut spring onion to recreate KFC’s cheese fries.
Image credit: Eatbook
The recipe makes about 100g of cheese, or 2 servings’ worth. Adding up the cost of the milk, butter, and sliced cheese, it comes up to just under $1 per serving – half the price of a KFC cheese tub but with the same cheesy goodness.
Original: $2 to add cheese to your fries
Dupe: ~$1
Money saved: $1
DIY recipe for KFC cheese sauce.
5. McDonald’s twister fries
Under $2.20 per serving
Image credit: Eatbook
Twister fries are a popular seasonal item on the McDonald’s menu, especially during the Chinese New Year period. The crispy batter and tasty seasoning are a combo we wish we could enjoy all year round and by the bucketful.
With Arby’s Seasoned Curly Fries, you now can. In fact, coming in at $10.90/650g, a frozen pack will easily give you about 5 servings at only $2.18 each.
This brand of curly fries has a 4.9 out of 5 stars rating on Lazada, so don’t be surprised to see it regularly sold out.
Arby’s Seasoned Curly Fries review: “Nice! It tastes like McDonald’s curly fries and I will definitely repurchase it.”
– A via Lazada
Original: $5.30
Dupe: $2.18
Money saved: $3.12
Buy the McDonald’s twister fries dupe on Lazada.
6. McDonald’s McNuggets
$10.80 for 50 nuggets
Image credit: Eatbook
We love our McNuggets. We love them so much that we’ll gladly order a 20-piece box or even make a McNugget bouquet for our loved ones. They’re a great comfort food, and now you can have them even more affordably.
You might remember netizen Leslie Koh from the Pizza Hut drumlets dupe, and it turns out he made another brilliant find that he claims is 98% similar to the actual McNuggets.
It’s the Freezepak Frozen Chicken Nuggets, a dupe with a similar taste, texture, shape, and even smell to the original. It’s currently sold in Singapore by most retailers and online through Amazon at just $10.80/1kg – that’s less than $11 for about 50 nuggets.
Preparation is as simple as tossing the frozen nuggets into the oven, air fryer, or deep fryer. No matter how you choose to cook it, they’ll be ready to be devoured within 15 minutes or less.
Freezepak Frozen Chicken Nuggets review: “I’ve tasted so many brands and I’ve concluded that this brand, Freezepak, has a 98% similarity to McNuggets. The smell, the taste, even the shape resemble McNuggets. As a self-proclaimed McNugget connoisseur, I approve of these Freezepak nuggets.”
– Leslie Koh via Facebook
Original: $13.70 for 20 pieces
Dupe: $4.32 for 20 pieces
Money saved: $9.38
Buy the McDonald’s McNuggets dupe on Amazon.
7. McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish
$0.89 per piece
Image credit: @noosiekins via Instagram
At 332 calories, the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish is the perfect burger for a lighter meal at McD’s. With a pillowy soft bun and crunchy fish fillet, it’s no wonder it remains a big hit among patrons.
No need for delivery anymore – you can now have a Filet-O-Fish at home with the C S Tay Breaded Fish Fillet dupe. On Shopee, they sell for $9.80/11 pieces, amounting to $0.89 a piece. It’s a steal, considering reviewers have noticed a similar flakiness and taste that will satisfy you just like the McDonald’s original.
C S Tay Breaded Fish Fillet review: “It’s peppery when eaten by itself, but with cheese, bread, and chilli sauce, the taste is no different from McDonald’s Double Filet-O-Fish burger. I should have realised this earlier! The size is actually the same as McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish. I will eat this for now. Oven bake it for 20 minutes.”
– A via Shopee
Original: $5.90
Dupe: $0.89
Money saved: $5.01
Buy the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish dupe on Shopee.
8. KFC popcorn chicken
Under $2 per serving
Image credit: @manlikefrankie09 via Instagram
Many of us have grown up enjoying KFC popcorn chicken, sometimes painstakingly saving our meagre pocket money for a box of crunchy, flavour-packed treats. Little did we know that we could have had the same goodness for much cheaper.
It’s not too late to make the switch – you can get the dupe Farmpride Chicken Popcorn from most supermarkets or on Amazon. It’s priced at $7.10/400g, which is 4 servings at $1.78 each. Preparation time is 6 minutes at most with an air fryer, deep fryer, or oven.
Farmpride Chicken Popcorn review: “Satisfying and flavourful popcorn chicken and perfect for a quick and tasty snack.”
– Ronalyn via Lazada
Original: $5.60
Dupe: $1.78
Money saved: $3.82
Buy the KFC popcorn chicken on Amazon.
9. McDonald’s Hotcakes
Under $5 for 8 pancakes
Image credit: @mcdsg via Instagram
Hotcakes are indisputably a fast food breakfast staple in Singapore. Combined with maple syrup and butter, they’re a match made in heaven. Whip up your own version for almost half of the cost with Betty Crocker Pancake Mix Original that retails at $3.96/box. Each box has enough mix to make 8-10 pancakes, more than enough for a scrumptious family breakfast.
To recreate the standard McDonald’s toppings, opt for butter and pancake syrup. If you’re working with a limited budget, Little Bee Pancake Syrup goes for just $3.65/bottle.
Betty Crocker Pancake Mix Original review: “This has become my favourite breakfast. However, it is not easy to find it at the neighbourhood supermarket branch.”
– Michele via FairPrice
Original: $5.65 for 3 pieces
Dupe: $1.49 for 3 pieces
Money saved: $4.16
Buy the McDonald’s Hotcakes dupe on Amazon.
10. McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin
Under $0.70 per patty
Image credit: @mcdsg via Instagram
McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin is a staple for anyone partial to the breakfast sandwich. The savoury patties are the perfect pairing with a cuppa and will satisfy hunger pangs in the early morning.
At a price point of $13.60/20 pieces, the New Multi Original Healthy Chicken Patties (Chicken Sausage Patties) are an affordable and tasty substitute, practically indistinguishable from the original. Complete your sandwich with a toasted muffin roll at $6.05/4 pieces. You won’t ever miss the McMuffin again if you sleep in and miss the breakfast menu – you’ll have it right at home.
New Multi Original Healthy Chicken Patties (Chicken Sausage Patties) review: “The patties taste exactly like McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin. No need to buy from McDonald’s liao.”
– K via Shopee
Original: $4.20
Dupe: $0.68
Money saved: $3.52
Buy the McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin dupe on Shopee.
Cheap fast food alternatives in Singapore
Fast food is certainly delicious, but oftentimes, we pay more for convenience than for the food itself. If you don’t mind doing some of the work, you could actually save a lot on these meals with more affordable options.
On top of that, the sky’s the limit with these DIY dupes. Whether it’s Pizza Hut drumlets with McDonald’s chilli sauce or McNuggets with KFC cheese, you can combine your favourite bits from each fast food chain in Singapore to create your very own ultimate fast food feast.
Check out other articles about dupes:
Cover image adapted from: Eatbook, @pizzahut_sg via Instagram
A portion of this content may contain referral links where The Smart Local may collect a commission. Our opinions remain our own.
Last updated by Adriel Ang on 11th April 2025.