The Actual Way To Get Fresh McDonald's Food, According To A Former Chef
With McDonald's selling millions of burgers every single day, it should come as no surprise that the Golden Arches' employees are instructed to make some ahead of time and keep them in a universal holding or heat cabinet (UHC). Many items sit in the UHC for a time, but for some people, nothing tastes as good as a fresh sandwich or its greasy, glorious fries. There are some "hacks" floating around the internet for how to get your food fresh from the chain, but a former corporate chef took to TikTok with one major tip: just ask politely, and tell the employees you're willing to wait.
@chefmikeharacz Former #McDonalds corporate chef tells you how to get fresh food every time. #McdonaldsLife #McDonaldsTikTok #mcdonaldssecrets #McDonaldsSecret #mcdonaldshack #mcdonaldshacks #food #tiktokfood #foodfestontiktok #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #fastfood #FastFoodSecrets #FastFoodTikTok #fastfoodhacks
It's that simple! Typically, the restaurant will be happy to accommodate kind and patient customers. The one caveat with this method for getting fresh food is that you can't employ it using the app or in-restaurant kiosks (you can use those to get your burger patties fresh, at least, by customizing them to no salt/unseasoned), so you will have to either order face-to-face with a cashier, or voice-to-voice at the drive-thru. However, some employees discourage this, as it can hold up the drive-thru line.
Considerations when ordering food fresh from McDonald's
There are a few considerations to keep in mind when making your fresh food request from McDonald's. First, it's important that you phrase the ask as just that — an ask. Don't go up to the cashier and make demands, and remember that your item can take quite a few extra minutes to cook.
There is also timing to consider. Follow the same etiquette you would for ordering a fast food secret menu item, and save your request for when the restaurant isn't busy. McDonald's locations tend to experience a mid-afternoon lull, around 2 p.m. until as late as the dinner rush at 6 p.m., so if you have a hankering for fresh food, try to satiate it during these slow hours.
It's also worth mentioning that if your McDonald's craving hits during the lunch or dinner rush, you likely don't even need to request fresh food. This is because when it's busy, turnover is quite rapid, and food doesn't have time to sit in the UHC for very long.