Ever wonder what the people making your McDonald’s food actually think about what they’re serving? Turns out, working behind the counter gives employees a unique perspective on what’s worth ordering and what’s better left alone. From drinks that sit too long to sandwiches that don’t sell well, employees have seen it all. Here are the menu items that McDonald’s workers typically refuse to order for themselves.
McCafé coffee machines rarely get cleaned properly
If you’re thinking about grabbing a morning coffee from McDonald’s, you might want to reconsider. Multiple employees have spoken up about the condition of the McCafé machines that brew those lattes and cappuccinos. The main issue comes down to cleaning, or rather, the lack of it. These machines apparently get neglected in most stores because nobody really knows how to service them correctly. One worker described pulling out handfuls of black buildup from inside the machine, which is absolutely disgusting when you think about your coffee passing through that mess.
The problem gets worse because properly cleaning these machines requires taking them completely apart. Most stores don’t have the right tools or training to do this, so the machines just keep getting used day after day with all that grime building up inside. Every time someone orders a coffee, the liquid flows past all that accumulated dirt and bacteria. Coffee machines naturally harbor bacterial colonies, especially when they’re not maintained properly. So while you might save a few bucks compared to Starbucks, you’re potentially drinking coffee that’s been contaminated by weeks or months of buildup.
Sliced tomatoes come from questionable sources
Most McDonald’s burgers in America stick to ketchup instead of fresh tomatoes, but certain limited items and international menus do feature tomato slices. Workers strongly suggest avoiding anything with fresh tomato slices based on what they’ve witnessed in the kitchen. According to former employees, tomatoes often come from produce that’s past its expiration date. Even worse, some stores have been known to cut off moldy parts of tomatoes and serve the remaining sections that look okay. This practice is surprisingly common, with managers instructing workers to salvage what they can from aging produce.
The issue with soft vegetables like tomatoes is that mold can spread beneath the surface where you can’t see it. While eating a tiny bit of mold won’t necessarily hurt most people, tomatoes should be thrown out when they start showing signs of spoilage. When you’re paying for fast food, you should at least expect fresh ingredients, not salvaged bits from produce that was supposed to be discarded. The fact that this happens regularly in some locations makes it clear why employees who’ve worked there skip any burger or sandwich with tomato slices.
Filet-O-Fish sandwiches sit around for hours
The Filet-O-Fish holds a special place as McDonald’s main seafood option, but it’s also one of the least popular items on the menu. That unpopularity creates a major problem. Because so few people order it compared to burgers and chicken sandwiches, these fish sandwiches can sit in warming cabinets for extended periods before anyone buys them. Workers who’ve been behind the counter for years confirm that Filet-O-Fish sandwiches often sit there for hours, which is nowhere near the fresh experience advertised.
During all that waiting time, steam builds up inside the packaging, turning what should be a crispy breaded fish fillet into a soggy, mushy mess. The bun gets soft and falls apart, and the fish loses any texture it once had. Some locations do better than others depending on customer demand, but at most stores, you’re probably getting a sandwich that’s been sitting there way too long. The good news is that employees suggest you can simply ask them to make a fresh one. You’ll have to wait a few extra minutes, but at least you’ll get something that actually tastes like it’s supposed to.
The McRib looks nothing like actual meat
The McRib has a massive following, with fans eagerly waiting for its limited-time returns to the menu. People genuinely love this sandwich and its sticky barbecue sauce. But employees who actually handle and prepare the McRib have a completely different opinion. Multiple workers describe the frozen McRib patty as looking absolutely disgusting before it’s cooked. The molded shape and texture apparently don’t resemble real meat at all, with one employee comparing it to something you definitely wouldn’t want to eat.
Beyond the appearance issue, McRib sandwiches reportedly sit in their sauce for extended periods, sometimes hours, before being sold. This means the meat soaks in that barbecue sauce while waiting in a warming drawer, which doesn’t do anything good for the quality or texture. Several employees have mentioned that, despite all the hype and dedicated fan pages online, the McRib actually doesn’t sell that well in their stores. It seems like the marketing and cult status create more excitement than the actual sandwich deserves, at least according to the people who make it every day.
Sweet tea contains alarming amounts of sugar
Ordering a drink seems like the safest bet at any fast food restaurant, but McDonald’s sweet tea might make you reconsider. Employees have been vocal about the shocking amount of sugar that goes into making this Southern favorite. According to workers, each container gets roughly three pounds of sugar dumped into it. That’s not a typo. They literally fill a pitcher with sugar and pour it in. Even then, some customers still ask for more sweetener to be added, which seems impossible to imagine.
The nutritional information backs up what employees are saying. A large sweet tea contains 40 grams of added sugar, which represents about 81% of the maximum daily amount recommended for an entire day. Even the smallest size has 17 grams. What’s really crazy is that sweet tea isn’t even the worst offender. A large Coke has 77 grams of added sugar, which is more than 150% of what you should have in a full day. So while sweet tea might seem like a regional treat, you’re basically drinking liquid sugar with a hint of tea.
Milkshake machines get cleaned every two weeks
McDonald’s milkshakes are popular treats that blur the line between drink and dessert. But the cleaning schedule for the machines that make them is pretty concerning once you know the details. Unlike what you might hope or expect, these machines don’t get cleaned daily or even every few days. According to employees, the standard cleaning schedule is once every two weeks. Between cleanings, the machine just heats up the milk contents each night to kill bacteria, but it doesn’t remove any of the residue building up inside.
This process leads to a flaky, crusty buildup coating the inside of the machine components. One worker described it as looking like icing sugar stuck to the walls, except it’s actually dried milk residue. While this cleaning frequency might technically meet legal requirements, that doesn’t make it any less gross to think about. Just because food is prepared in a large chain restaurant doesn’t automatically mean it’s being made with the best practices or the most sanitary conditions. Workers suggest remembering that your milkshake is passing through two weeks’ worth of accumulated gunk before it reaches your cup.
Chicken nuggets sit in warmers way too long
McDonald’s chicken nuggets have a devoted fan base who swear they’re better than any other fast food chain’s version. But employees know something customers don’t about how long those nuggets have been sitting around. Each store is supposed to follow a timer system that tells workers when to throw out nuggets and make fresh ones. The reality is that most workers just reset the timer instead of tossing out the old batch. This means your nuggets could have been sitting in that heated container for much longer than intended.
The timer system apparently only gets followed properly when corporate inspectors are scheduled to visit. Otherwise, workers keep rolling over the same chicken nuggets to the next time period to avoid waste. Food safety guidelines say that cooked food sitting between 90 and 140 degrees can start growing harmful bacteria after about an hour. While the nuggets hopefully aren’t sitting quite that long, it’s impossible to know for sure unless you’re working there. The best approach, according to employees, is to specifically ask for fresh nuggets. You’ll wait a few extra minutes, but you’ll actually get food that was just cooked instead of reheated leftovers.
Ice machines never get properly sanitized
Adding ice to your soda seems harmless enough, but McDonald’s employees warn against it for reasons you probably haven’t considered. The main problem is that ice machines in restaurants almost never get cleaned out properly. Workers point out that these machines can go months or even longer without being thoroughly sanitized. On top of that, multiple employees grab the same ice scoop throughout their shifts, often without washing their hands between tasks. This creates countless opportunities for contamination.
Many people assume that freezing temperatures kill bacteria, but that’s not actually true. Bacteria stay alive when frozen, but just stop multiplying temporarily. Once they warm back up to room temperature, they become active again and can spread just like before. Studies have found that ice machines in food establishments often harbor concerning levels of bacteria. When you order a drink with ice, you’re potentially getting bacteria that have been living in that machine for who knows how long. Employees who’ve seen the inside of these machines suggest ordering drinks without ice, which also means you get more soda anyway.
Grilled chicken takes forever during slow periods
Grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps seem like they’d be a safer choice than fried options, but they come with their own set of problems, according to workers. The main issue is timing. During slower periods, stores don’t keep grilled chicken ready because it takes up grill space and might go to waste. This means when you order something with grilled chicken during off-peak hours, the workers have to start cooking it from scratch, which takes significantly longer than other menu items.
The wait time can stretch to ten minutes or more, which defeats the whole purpose of going to a fast food restaurant. Employees themselves avoid ordering grilled chicken items because they know how long the process takes and how it backs up other orders. During busy lunch or dinner rushes, stores usually have grilled chicken ready to go, but outside those times, you’re basically guaranteeing yourself a long wait. Workers suggest sticking to items that are constantly being made, like regular burgers or fried chicken sandwiches, if you’re in any kind of hurry. The grilled options just aren’t designed for quick service during slow periods.
Knowing what McDonald’s employees avoid ordering gives you insider information on how to make better choices next time you visit. While the chain serves millions of people daily, not everything behind the counter meets the standards you might expect. Asking for items to be made fresh, skipping the ice, and avoiding less popular sandwiches can help you get better quality food. Sometimes the workers really do know best.
