Why McDonald's Won't Ever Let You Order A Burger Medium Rare

McDonald's has become a chain of mythological proportions. Even within its menu, there are items that have achieved icon status in the years since their debut, like the McFlurry and the gloriously greasy fries. Then there are the burgers. Along with the infamous Big Mac, you have your regular cheeseburgers and your McDoubles, to name a few. There is also a line of Quarter Pounders, which Food Republic considers hands-down the best burger on the menu. Yet what all of these beefy bites have in common is the fact that you simply cannot order them medium rare, or at any level below well done, for that matter. And it's first and foremost a health and safety issue.

The FDA requires raw beef to be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit for safe consumption, but McDonald's shoots even higher. As the chain's Food Safety Fact Sheet states: "We go above and beyond the FDA's Model Food Code by cooking all of our quarter pound patties to [175 degrees Fahrenheit] instantaneously." This effectively ensures that any foodborne pathogens that might be lurking in the meat are killed off in every patty.

However, there is also practicality to consider. McDonald's runs a high-volume business, and it would slow things down immeasurably if the chain took burger doneness into consideration. Instead, all of the burger patties are cooked on a flat-top grill with clamshell lids that simultaneously sear the top and bottom, and the process runs on a timer that ensures the meat is thoroughly heated through to very well done.

If you do happen to bite into a McDonald's burger patty and find a pink middle, don't panic just yet. It could be a case of simple human error, such as someone mistakenly cooking a Quarter Pounder on the regular patty setting.

It could also be a phenomenon in which the beef, no matter how much it's cooked, will always stay pink in the middle. This is due to the myoglobin in the meat, which can present as pink, being rendered immutable and refusing to change color even if the patty is cooked to a crisp.

If you prefer your burgers on the medium-rare side, this visual quirk might be a pleasant surprise. However, if the thought of eating undercooked beef from a fast food chain skeeves you out (no shame in that), you can always take it back as evidence and ask for a remake.