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A former McDonald’s staff trainer has revealed some of the fast-food giant’s best-kept secrets.
The Sydney man, who asked to remain anonymous, worked at McDonald’s for nearly a decade while in school and college.
Six years later, the 26-year-old has shared the ordering tips every customer should know, including how to make sure your burger is fresh and your fries are hot.
FRESH BURGERS
While McDonald’s boasts about making “fresh to order” burgers, what it doesn’t tell customers is that the meat is pre-cooked and kept in a heated cabinet.
The workers are supposed to throw away the meat after the timer goes off.
Customers who request that their meat be made without salt and pepper are guaranteed a fresh burger, as the kitchen staff will have to place a new serving of meat on the grill.
If you’re looking for a fresh burger, ask that your meat come without salt and pepper.
FRESH POTATOES
Like burgers, fries can often be left to cool if workers don’t keep track of how long each batch has been sitting there.
If you order your fries without saltyou’re guaranteed hot, crispy chips.
Just ask for some salt on the side, a free condiment at McDonald’s, and add it to your fries fresh (but be careful, you’ll anger the staff).
To ensure fresh fries, ask for them without salt. You will have to wait three and a half minutes while the staff puts a new batch in the fryer.
ALLERGIES = FRESH FOOD
While staff need to change gloves regularly, keep the burger assembly bench clean, and waste old meat, things can get out of hand during rush hour.
If you want an immaculate burger done right, I’d suggest saying you’re allergic to an ingredient or gluten-free.
The kitchen staff take allergy requests very seriously – there’s a lot of responsibility if a customer gets sick, so they’ll wear clean gloves, wipe down the bench, and take extra precautions with your order.
Meat, fish, chicken, and bacon are placed on trays that are kept in warming cabinets (pictured above) on timers. Once those timers run out, staff are told to waste the product.
If you feel weird making requests to an employee, the process of removing the seasoning from your burger and fries is very simple at the self-service machine. Just click ‘customize item’ on the screen and follow the instructions
NO ICE = FREE SODA
An old trick but a classic, if you are very thirsty but do not have enough money to increase the size of your coke, ask for a soda without ice.
The staff are trained to fill about a third of the cup with ice in an attempt to save money on soft drinks.
But be warned, a ‘no ice’ soda isn’t for everyone: it won’t be as cold as you’re used to and it will lack that refreshing icy kick.
NEVER ORDER A FISH FILLET LATE AT NIGHT
The Filet-o-Fish is an acquired taste, and as such, the demand is significantly lower than other burgers like the Big Mac or Quarter Pounder.
As a result, the fish portion can often be left sitting on a hot rack for hours, even though the policy clearly states that it must be removed after the time is up.
If your heart is set on a late-night Filet-o-Fish, I suggest you politely ask the manager if you can order a fresh burger.
How to get free Coca-Cola: Ask for a soda without ice: Staff are trained to fill glasses almost a third full with ice.
PICKLES, TOMATO SAUCE, WATER, SALT AND PEPPER ARE FREE
Customers are technically entitled to order free pickles, ketchup, and salt and pepper, among other things.
Try your luck ordering a large quantity of any of the above – I’ve seen one customer walk away with a whole bag of pickles for free.
Treating McDonald’s employees (stock image) with respect and kindness goes a long way
BE POLITE
If you want quality customer service and fresh food, you’ll be surprised what a difference treating staff decently makes.
Employees working the counter will almost always go out of their way to ensure customers get fresh burgers if they ask nicely.
Conversely, customers who treat staff like slaves will likely end up with that old cheeseburger or flat soda.
By Dan Peters for Daily Mail Australia