Fast food is undeniably both convenient and delicious, but it obviously has its downsides too.
As well as being less-than-healthy due to the high salt and sugar content, among other things, some fast food menu items are infamous for their questionable, shall we say, preparation, hygiene, or ingredient quality—especially when ordered from certain locations.
By trawling social media platforms such as Reddit and TikTok, to name just two, we’ve compiled insights from former fast food employees at popular chains like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Arby’s, and more to help you make better (or at the very least, more informed) choices the next time you visit your favorite fast food establishment. From less-than-stellar cleaning practices to serving ingredients well past their prime (yes, really!) these insider tips reveal what menu items you might want to think twice about. What did we ever do before social media, eh?!
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1. McDonald's Ice Cream
We've all been told the ice cream machine is "out of service" at least once in our lives – but that might not necessarily be true.
A McDonald's employee shared on TikTok: "The ice cream machines are most probably not broken; we just don't wanna add the mix if it's busy." Unbelievable!
A Reddit user raised further concern when they explained about the mold in the machine: "Sometimes it's [down] for legit maintenance, other times… it's to clean the mold that likes to grow in the liquid mix." For germaphobes, this revelation could be unsettling. While McDonald's ice cream is beloved by many, it might not meet everyone's hygiene standards, so we would recommend steering clear of it just to be on the safe side.
2. Wendy's Chili
Wendy's chili may seem comforting, but some workers warn it's not as fresh as it appears. One employee revealed: "The meat used in the chili comes from the grill top that expires and dries up." This meat is frozen, reheated, and sometimes mixed with hot water to extend its life, which is something that instantly puts us off!
Another former worker shared a similar story, explaining that the chili meat consists of "burnt patties collected in a drawer, frozen, boiled, and chopped up up to a week later." Hard pass!
3. McDonald's Coffee
McDonald's coffee fans might reconsider their choices after hearing about the state of the McCafé machines. Do not continue reading if you still want to order it…
"The machines are routinely neglected," a Reddit user, who claims to be a former employee, dished. "We're talking 5+ inches of uncleaned liquid buildup inside," they added.
Improper training and oversight reportedly contribute to these issues. While caffeine lovers may choose to ignore this for their daily fix, it's not an appealing mental image for the more hygiene-conscious among us.
4. McDonald's Big Mac
Interestingly, a former McDonald's chef doesn't warn customers against the Big Mac due to hygiene, and has instead, said it has something to do with the cost. How intriguing…
Chef Mike Haracz recommends a cheaper alternative: ordering a McDouble "like a Mac." He explained: "You save like $2… and it's better—no middle bun, just ask for Mac Sauce and shredded lettuce." Thanks for the tip!
5. McDonald's Ketchup From Dispensers
A former employee warned that dispenser cleanliness might not be up to par, so it might be something to think about on your next McDonalds visit.
"The old ketchup is put back in after cleaning," one source revealed, raising concerns about freshness. Stick to packets if you want to avoid the mystery of how long the ketchup has been sitting out.
6. Subway Tuna
Subway's tuna does not have a good reputation among employees, put it that way. One worker described the packaging process as off-putting, while another simply advised never to eat it without explaining why.
One person wrote on Reddit: "My brother worked at Subway in the early 00s. He told me to never eat the tuna and to not ask him why. I'd never had one to that point, and still have not." That's all we need to hear to steer clear!
7. Subway Meatballs
Meatball subs also received criticism, we're sad to reveal. Employees reported that late-night meatballs are often rubbery or burnt, as staff may avoid opening fresh bags near to closing time; and you may find fewer in your sub than you were expecting!
"They are usually running low [on meatballs at Subway] and don't want to open a new bag so late at night, so you won't get as many meatballs as you are supposed to," one user wrote on Reddit. They elaborated further, adding: "The ones you do get are probably rubbery and burnt from sitting there way too long."
8. Papa John's Mushrooms
Another alleged former Papa John's worker revealed on Reddit that they would "never get mushrooms on a pizza" as the mushrooms get "slimy and smell bad after a day or two." Ew!
They went on to say that "the managers just keep serving them cause they're gonna get nuked in the oven anyway." Someone replied: "They'll be fine but it's still gross." Got it – no mushrooms!
9. Starbucks Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is a favorite topping for iced coffees, hot chocolates, and so much more; but maybe it won't be if people knew what goes on behind the scenes. Proceed with caution…
According to former employees, the whipped cream can be left out for hours instead of being refrigerated immediately after use. This creates a potential risk for spoilage, especially during warmer months, so we would recommend skipping it just to be safe.
10. Starbucks Sandwiches
As for the food menu, former Starbucks employees claimed sandwiches and pastries are not made fresh in-store, but are instead shipped to the venues frozen, and are then reheated just before serving.
This might be convenient for the staff, and although it isn't as potentially dangerous as leaving whipped cream out, it does mean that customers are paying a premium for items that lack freshness. Perhaps only for emergencies…
11. Dairy Queen Hot Dogs
A former Dairy Queen employee shared that hot dogs and BBQ beef sandwiches are often reheated multiple times. They revealed that leftover food from the previous day is saved and then reheated the following day, which is a pattern that is repeated until everything has finally been sold. Omg!
"The BBQ beef and hot dogs were used over, and over, and over," Reddit user rent1 said in an AMA thread. "If they weren't all used up at close, we had to save them for the opening shift to heat up in the morning."
12. Carl's Jr. Chicken Tenders
Employees of Carl's Jr. have admitted that their chicken tenders don't always meet the chain's freshness standards. According to a former employee via Reddit, the chicken tenders are supposed to be thrown out after 20 minutes to guarantee freshness; however, his boss allegedly advised him not to throw away a batch that had been sitting out for hours. Yikes!
For this reason, the Carl's Jr. employee says you should always order a fresh batch of chicken tenders from the restaurant if you want to be sure you're getting the highest quality food possible—or at least as high quality as fast food can be. While we can't say for sure what goes on at every Carl's Jr. location, it's certainly better to be safe than sorry.
13. Chuck E. Cheese Salad Bar
Referred to as the "Bacteria Bar" by some former employees (we're already getting queasy thinking about it!) the Chuck E. Cheese salad bar has gained a not-so-great reputation for its questionable hygiene practices. A former worker said: "I worked at Chuck E Cheese years ago and while the pizza was good & safe (it's pretty tough to screw up pizza) the salad bar would be a pass."
The former employee went on: "Adults and kids would just toss the tongs and spoons all over the salad bar, letting the handles fall into the food, getting all the different vegetables and dressings mixed together. All this at one of the grossest places on earth where they are putting their hands all over video games, the ball pit, pizza, and around again."
"At the end of the night then we would flip all of the salad bar vegetables over into fresh containers and top them off for the next day," the employee continued, adding: "They did get thrown out every few days. If employees ever made ourselves a salad we would make it from the ingredients in the fridge that were not yet out on the Bacteria Bar."
14. McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
The McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich has always been a controversial menu item; but now its freshness practices have also come into question.
Some employees have shared that the sandwich is often made in advance and is left sitting in warming trays for hours, especially during non-peak hours. The fish patty, which is fried and topped with tartar sauce, can become soggy and unappetizing when it sits too long, so employees recommend ordering the Filet-O-Fish fresh if you want the best experience.
15. McDonald's Nuggets
In a since-deleted TikTok video, user @nicaraguanjesus recommended avoiding 4, 6, or 10-piece McDonald's Nuggets, and always opting for the 20-piece portion.
"Don't buy a 4, 6 or 10 piece at McDonald's. Always get a 20, it'll be fresher," he advised. Although he didn't go into details, other users speculated that it's likely because a new batch would have to be made to supply all of those nuggets. If you're not willing to commit to eating all that chicken, though, don't fret, as many other users said ordering your nuggets "fresh" will have the same effect. Interesting…
16. Arby's Roast Beef
Anything made with the "roast beef" at Arby's should be avoided because it's not a real beef roast.
According to former employees, it's a compressed block of beef scraps, which comes in a bag filled with beef broth. Whoever is preparing it then just warms the entire thing in the oven for a few hours. And once the compressed beef block is heated, it is put on the slicer and left under a heat lamp for hours to slowly desiccate.
17. McDonald's Smoothies & Frappes
Former employees have reported issues with cleanliness and maintenance of the machines used to make these beverages, so we're not so sure we want to order them again! Some former employees claim to have seen roaches in the cold drink machines, raising serious concerns about sanitation practices at certain locations.
Under a Reddit post asking, "What is one item you will never eat at McDonald's?" one user said: "Anything from the frappe/smoothie machines. Having worked at McDonald's, I know a few of them have roaches in the cold drink machines. We were never taught how to clean them out even though I asked a couple of times." Yikes! We'll stick to water.
