The Easy Request To Upgrade Your McDonald's Burger Bun

Pause a minute the next time you roll up to a McDonald's drive-thru, ordering counter, or self-serve kiosk, because you may be missing out on a free upgrade that can completely transform your dining experience. Whether your go-to order is Mickey D's hands-down best burger, the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, or simply a basic, no-frills sandwich, it can taste worlds better if you request a steamed bun. 

Hamburger buns taken straight out of the package tend to be dry and stiff, which are less-than-appetizing textures. When a dry hamburger bun meets up with steam, though, some magical things happen. It's a simple change that completely alters the mouthfeel and flavor of your bread and, consequently, levels up the whole meal. 

This McD's sammie enhancement comes courtesy of the Filet-O-Fish. The Golden Arches' restaurants are equipped with special steamers installed specifically for the preparation of the chain's famous fish sandwiches. Workers slide out a tray, pop in the bun halves, and in just 8 to 11 seconds, the bread gets warmed up without crisping and softens without becoming soggy. Steaming adds moisture to the buns, which also plumps up the bread, making it pillowy and fluffy. Overall, what you end up with is a heavenly mouthful of bread that has all the earmarks of a freshly baked bun.

Luckily, while the machine is designated for the FoF, any bread can be steamed inside. So, the next time you order a McDonald's burger of any kind, from Big Macs to chicken sandwiches, ask your server to steam the buns — it'll have a huge impact on the feasting quality of your sando.

If steamed buns sound odd to you, you've likely never visited central Connecticut, where folks steam the whole darned burger. Yessir, there's something truly different about the local style. Burgers in that neck of the woods are placed in steamer cabinets, where the steam cooks the beef patties (no grill in sight) and melts the cheese, too. 

This regional movement has a huge following for good reason. The steaming process facilitates moisture retention, creating an uber-juicy patty, and, of course, doing similar tasty things for the buns. The result is just an overall sumptuous burger from top to bottom, with meat patties that are tender, cheese that has melted beautifully and seeped into literally every cranny it possibly can, and those fluffy steamed buns to crown it all. Bonus: You don't have to deal with grease splatters or cleaning a grill.

At McDonald's, if you want to take the steamed bun concept to the limit, it's actually possible to have your entire burger steamed the way they do in Connecticut. A McDonald's worker confirmed to us at Food Republic that as long as your burger will fit in the steam tray, they're happy to steam the whole thing for you. In addition to enhancing your buns, it will exquisitely melt your cheese, liquify your condiments in a beautiful melding with the cheese and bread, and juice up your patty a bit. Bigger sandwiches, like the Big Mac with its extra inner bun, may not fit the machine, but you can always ask. The precise steam machinery used varies by McDonald's restaurant.