Upgrade Your Cheeseburger With A Request McDonald's Workers Love

McDonald's is probably the most iconic fast food burger in the U.S., and it's been around a long time. And, sure, White Castle may actually deserve the title of the first fast food chain, but the classic McDonald's burger actually began its journey when Dick and Mac McDonald introduced the Speedee Service System back in 1948. Although the burgers at the Golden Arches aren't cooked to order these days, if you're a fan they're not only tasty but full of nostalgia. That said, you can go beyond the basic McDonald's cheeseburger with a simple request that comes recommended by McDonald's employees: Order your next McDonald's cheeseburger with grilled onions.

When asked how to upgrade this classic menu item, Wayne Kuhl, Director of Culinary in the U.S. for McDonald's said, simply, "You're grilling the onions." And former McDonald's chef and "Top Chef" Season 22 winner, Tristen Epps-Long responded, "I love to caramelize onions on the flat top while the Quarter Pounder cooks." Putting grilled onions on your cheeseburger will add an extra kick of sweet and umami flavor and bring it to the next level as they melt into the sliced American cheese. You can use it as a simple add-on or take it in some other interesting directions.

Grilled onions come standard on the Steak, Egg & Cheese breakfast sandwiches, so it shouldn't be too hard to get your onions grilled. According to McDonald's employees on Reddit, it appears that if you ask nicely, they'll be willing to make it happen for you, but it's not a guarantee. That said, if someone with the title "Director of Culinary" for the entire U.S.-based menu operation recommends it as a top choice, it should be possible to do just about anywhere, especially if there isn't a huge line of people waiting to order. If you're not a fan of a cheeseburger, some grilled onions can add a big boost to every burger on the menu. They can be great even on a simple plain hamburger to up the flavor profile to something that's downright gastronomic with more texture and more savory, charred, smokiness.

If you want to go completely out of the box, you can order an In–N-Out Animal Style burger at McDonald's by adding grilled onions and some extra accoutrements. And, according to a YouTube poster, you can even make your McDonald's fries Animal Style with a side of grilled onions, a couple slices of cheese, and Mac sauce. While it may not be a guarantee that you can get your onions grilled, it appears that friendliness goes a long way when you make your request.