McDonald’s Employee Spills Company Secrets And Others Confirmed It All
Some things are so ubiquitous that it's easy to take them for granted, and McDonald's falls neatly in that category. The global restaurant chain is such a reliably present part of American life that even small changes in the franchises can be a big topic of discussion for customers.
However, the fact that the golden arches are such a regular sight makes it easy for McDonald's secrets to fly under the radar. And when one employee spilled a treasure trove of secrets, othrers were ready to back her up.
Meeting the McDonald's sourcwe
At the time of her video, Ashton was a 20-year-old college student who had been working at McDonald's for a year-and-a-half. And not only was she unafraid to spill the organization's secrets but didn't mind doing it at work, judging by her background.
Nonetheless, she didn't waste any time and immediately started getting into what she knew with no introduction. To begin her TikTok video, she wanted to bust a common myth that workers like her encounter all of the time.
The fresh French fry trick
At some point in our lives, many of us have heard someone share their favorite life hack for getting fresh fries at McDonald's. After all, it's well-known that the restaurant's fries have a surprisingly short window of acceptability. It takes less than an hour for them to go from delicious to kinda gross.
So, some people have found that if they ask for unsalted fries, they're guaranteed to get fresh fries because most people don't want that. As such, it requires making a whole new batch and the customer can simply add salt provided at the window themselves.
That "freshness" is an illusion
Yet, as logical as this lifehack may sound, Ashton brought down the cold, hard reality that it doesn't work that way. As it turns out, the whole rigamarole is completely unnecessary. Apparently, getting fresh fries is as easy as requesting them.
That aside, there's a reason the fries seem fresher than they are when people try this trick. If customers want unsalted fries, McDonald's employees will just but the same fries in the fryer for an extra five seconds to burn the salt off.
The existence of the secret menu
Another piece of McDonald's lore that customers often speak excitedly to each other about is the "secret menu." The idea is that employees will secretly mix ingredients into wacky menu items amongst themselves and only customers in the know can ask for them.
One classic example of a secret menu item is nicknamed "the Mc10:35." For instance, this a double cheeseburger has a hashbrown on it. There are other variants, but the name refers to a combination of McDonald's breakfast and lunch menu items that are most likely to be accessed after 10:30 am.
There is no secret menu, just accommodating employees.
As Ashton explained, there isn't technically any such thing as a secret menu. McDonald's employees aren't bartenders, and thus, don't often have specific, commonly used names for items that aren't written on the menu.
However, the reason that so many customers think they do is that employees often don't mind putting whatever a customer wants on a given sandwich. In Ashton's words, "The only secret is that you can literally customize any item on the menu, basically, however you want and we'll do it."
The infamous ice cream machine
Whether customers have seen all the memes or not, it's likely been hard for them not to notice that the ice cream machines at McDonald's locations always seem to be broken. Granted, there are cases like this where the customer doesn't need to be told that.
However, most of the time, they simply have to take the employee's word for it that the ice cream machine doesn't work. That can make McDonald's ice cream seem like an incredibly rare treat, as finding a functional machine seems to be a Herculean task.
It's often not usable when it isn't broken
In perhaps the most stunning revelation yet, Ashton explained that it's only on extremely rare occasions that the ice cream machines at McDonald's are actually broken. Indeed, she went as far as to say that 99.9% of the time, there's at least some degree of lying involved when McDonald's employees say otherwise.
However, it's often the case that it's better for customer relations to say that the ice cream machine is broken than to say that it looks as disgusting as this one does inside. Alternatively, it could also not be usable for a reason that's harder to explain.
An inconvenient procedure for the workers
As Ashton explained, the most likely reason a McDonald's employee will describe the ice cream machine as "broken" is that it's either in the process of being cleaned or needs cleaning soon. That's because cleaning ice cream machines isn't something that happens after hours.
As she put it, "The ice cream machine is cleaned on the clock. No one comes in when we're closing and cleans it." Naturally, since an employee is probably arm-deep in the machine by the time the order comes in, it's in no condition to make anything.
The machine has a process the employees can't override
In the other most common scenario, the machine is incapable of making ice cream to the point that it might as well be broken. However, it's working as intended and has simply entered "heat mode."
As Ashton explained it, "The ice cream in there is hot for whatever reason, so we can't use it." Indeed, other employees like Reddit user GoldenOPx have asked how to take the ice cream machine off heat mode, only to be told that it isn't possible and they just have to wait.
The biggest lie of them all
In the interest of full transparency and of revealing as many McDonald's secrets as she knew, Ashton admitted there are times when the ice cream machine works perfectly. Nonetheless, she and her fellow employees might still be inclined to say it's broken.
However, this isn't out of malice but desperation. As Ashton explained, it's a move employees make when they're understaffed during a rush. In her words, "understaffed" is defined as, "There's on person back here, a manager, one or two people on grill, and one person out front."
It's amazing how much ice cream slows things down
When they're dealing with a lot of customers in those conditions, Ashton's coworkers will often feel that the drive-thru line is so backed up with cars that the only way to get them through is not to serve ice cream.
Naturally, this means that they're perfectly willing to serve ice cream again when the rush is over. However, since customers often don't want to hear that, the machine becomes "broken." Those who have been unlucky with McDonald's ice cream machines are usually victims of poor timing.
One was presented without elaboration
Considering how often unpleasant photos like this can hit the internet, it's understandable that some customers would be worried bout the hygienic circumstances that their food is fried in. Indeed, it appears that this has come up enough at Ashton's location that she saw fit to address it.
In her words, "The oil in the fryers gets changed once a week." Her deadpan thumbs up after saying that suggested this wouldn't come as pleasant news to most people, but it is what it is.
Ashton had a lifehack of her own
Provided the store isn't too busy and the machine is both clean and cooperative, Ashton also shared a little tip for ordering ice cream. Essentially, there's no reason to ever order a plain sundae. That's because ice cream in a cone costs less at McDonald's.
Instead, she recommended ordering a cone but asking them to put it in a cup instead instead. As she put it, "It's less money for the same amount of ice cream, and you get an ice cream cone."
Quarter Pounders are the best bet when ordering burgers
Although Bic Macs are definitely the signature sandwich at McDonald's, Ashton mentioned that those concerned with the freshness of their meat are better off switching to quarter pounders. Although she said the meat involved is refrigerated, it's fresh and not frozen.
In her words, "We drop it fresh, it's cooked to order every time. So, if you want something fresh, Quarter Pounder." Although there is another way to ensure your meat is fresh without ordering something that heavy, it's a little trickier.
That switch from breakfast to lunch can work for you
Ashton was well-aware that not everybody likes Quarter Pounders, so she mentioned an alternative way to get the freshest food from McDonald's. All it takes is to show up to the location after 10:30-11:00.
While it's true that Quarter Pounders are fresh at any time of day, everything is fresh in the hour or so before the lunch rush begins. At that point, everything is cooked to order, so the chances of getting any product fresh increase a great deal.
If you've had bad cookies at McDonald's, there's a reason
From the sounds of things, it doesn't take long for McDonald's cookies to go from being moist and delicious to hard and unappetizing. That's why Ashton recommended asking for fresh cookies if you're planning to order them.
For those who are sweet and considerate enough to worry that it would be an imposition on the employees, she assured viewers that nobody at her location minds. In her words, "It literally takes two minutes and they're delicious when they're fresh."
Tipping is discouraged but only by the management
Although Ashton mentioned that McDonald's employees technically aren't allowed to take tips, she also said that any tip a customer gives a worker is likely to be received and deeply appreciated. Unless they're a real stickler for the rules, of course.
From Ashton's perspective, her and everyone she knows gets their day made whenever a customer tips them. She also said that even a dollar can make that much of a difference to a McDonald's employee, so it's a very different kind of tipping culture from other restaurants.
People who order extra McFlurry toppings play themselves
Considering how aggressively Ashton advised customers not to ask for extra Oreos or M&Ms in their McFlurries, one might get the impression that it's annoying for the employees to do. However, most of her spilled secrets are for the consumer's benefit, and this is no different.
As she said, ordering extra toppings is a waste of money because any discrepancies of toppings in a McFlurry are typically a mixing problem rather than a supply problem. So when ordering McFlurries, it's better to ask them to mix them thoroughly.
Refunds aren't all they're cracked up to be
Every now and then, a customer will find that the staff at McDonald's messed up their order. Ashton was emphatic that when this happens, customers should never ask for a refund. Again, it's of no consequence to the employees either way, so Ashton is just looking out for people.
After all, the best the customer can hope for if they ask for a refund is whatever they paid for their meal. As Ashton shared, there's a way to turn a ill-prepared order into a slightly greater opportunity.
Free meal cards are the way to go when things go wrong
Ashton stressed that any situation where a customer might normally be compelled to ask for a refund should instead have them request a free meal card like these. They are a much better deal by far.
As Ashton explained, "You can get literally any meal on the menu, add whatever you want to that meal." She said that if the card is for something large, it means that the most expensive option on the menu (large bacon double Quarter Pounder meal with a large shake) can now be available for free.
There is no reason whatsoever to buy bottled water there
Although this photo shows that McDonald's adds little logos to their water bottles, Ashton said that there isn't a more blatant waste of money than buying one of them. Instead, she recommends ordering a large cup of water instead.
Depending on your location, it might be free to do so. Even if it isn't, it's still a better price for the amount of water received than the bottled water available there could ever be. Water snobs tend to hate Dasani anyway.
Don't let the points fool you
When ordering online through the McDonald's app, customers will likely notice that some of the rewards they can get for being a regular customer include points that work for future purposes. But while these points may be worthwhile at department stores, they're a different story at McDonald's.
Despite how high the numbers seem in this photo, Ashton warned that getting 800 points or even over 1,000 points on an order is essentially meaningless. In her words, "Points on the mobile app are stupid. They're dumb. They're a waste of time."
A more expensive Big Mac than it seems
Instead of using the points, Ashton recommended favoring any other rewards the app offers customers, as they're guaranteed to be a better deal than the points. She also noted that the seemingly high values of the points obfuscate how many points one needs to rack up to buy anything.
More specifically, she said that getting enough points to buy a Big Mac costs the equivalent of $60. While some could argue that regular purchases would still make this worth it, Ashton would argue that the other rewards would still be a better deal.
She was not saying a word of a lie
One notable and common response to Ashton's video was for other McDonald's employees to vouch for what she said. These are legitimate behind-the-scenes facts about McDonald's rather than something a bored employee made up on a slow day.
TikTok user Trini said, "As an ex McDonald's employee, I vouch for this," while another user named Lili Nuggie said, "I worked at McDonald's for 2 years and this is 99% true. Just ask for it and we’ll most likely do it."
Your mileage may vary
Indeed, there was even at least one manager who could confirm what Ashton was saying. However, they also noted that while McDonald's is heavily standardized, little differences in the working and dining experience can show up between franchises.
Those differences can be important. As TikTok user TheCottagecoreGoblin said, "Vouch for this as a manager, however not all McDonalds carry free meal cards, so you can ask but PLEASE don't get mad if they say they don’t carry it."
Some employees had the same frustrations
One common response from other former employees was their shared disdain for any customer who tried the unsalted fries trick Ashton debunked earlier. However, it seems some of them weren't as nice about it as she was.
When the customers tried to complete the trick of asking for salt packets, some were in for a disappointing surprise. TikTok user Liyah said, "Anytime a customer did this then asked for salt packets I always told [them] we ran out," while another user named Bambus said, "I give them pepper packets and close the window."
It wasn't quite nostalgic for some but it was close
Although many McDonald's employees confirmed what Ashton was saying and others highlighted differences between their locations and hers, there was another sentiment that seemed to prevail among former workers.
Perhaps it can best be described as the beginnings of nostalgia interrupted by unpleasant flashbacks, as TikTok user Marceline said, "This makes me miss working at McDonalds but then again I don't miss it." In the words of another former employee named S, "Yesss I worked at McDonald's for 3 months when I was 17 until I got lice from the headseat."
It wasn't just McDonald's workers either
Although it's true that much of what Ashton had to say was specific to McDonald's, she touched on enough behind-the-scenes dirt that people felt they didn't have to work there to relate. Indeed, fast food jobs are similar enough from chain to chain that others could relate.
As a TikTok user named Sarah said, "God I work at Wendy's and I’ve literally never felt anything more relatable." Although Wendy's doesn't have the same reputation for broken Frosty machines, perhaps she also knows what it's like to say certain machines are broken when they're just inconvenient to use during a rush.
Everyone was entranced by the truth behind the ice cream
Although Ashton shared a treasure trove of useful tips to get the best experience at McDonald's, most viewers were too stunned by the truth about the ice cream machines to comment on them. Clearly, they had always wondered if the machines were broken as often as employees claimed.
One TikTok user named Phoebe said, "Imagine ordering a cone and they say, 'nah, the machine's in heat,'" while another user named Ally Keznie said, "So [you're] saying that if I ask for an ice cream and they say it's broken I can say 'Is it broken or is it getting cleaned' and y’all faces will tell the [truth]."
Some commenters took the tipping suggestion to heart
Although it's not uncommon or unreasonable to bristle about the way that tipping culture has gotten out of hand, commenters to Ashton's video were nonetheless compelled to start tipping themselves. Part of that has to do with the parade of belligerent customers that seem to pass through fast food restaurants lately, but there's another factor.
As TikTok user Dez said, "I haven't seen a McD’s worker over 18 here in months. They are all teens working so hard. We tip always and they’re so happy, you can tell no one tips."