In the realm of fast food, McDonald’s stands as a titan, offering familiar favorites to millions daily. However, behind the golden arches, former employees reveal insights that might make customers hesitate. From insider perspectives on ingredients to preparation methods, these revelations shed light on items that may not always live up to the golden standard. Keep reading for a glimpse into what ex-workers advise avoiding on your next trip to the iconic fast-food chain.
1. Crispy Chicken Sandwich
First on the list is the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which McDonald's describes as "a southern-style fried chicken sandwich that's crispy, juicy, and tender perfection." According to those that actually make them, though, it's not as delicious as it sounds.
"I'm sorry, but they get hard, dry, and tough," one former employee shared on Reddit. "They are not good." Perhaps you'd be better off at Chick-fil-A?
2. Biscuits & Gravy
A classic southern-style dish, it's hard to mess this one up, but according to a former employee, McDonald's found a way. "First of all, the gravy comes in a can and they have to add hella water and then they let it sit there all morning and sometimes afternoon on the warmer til it's empty or someone realizes it's still there," one person shared.
"Also," they continued, "8/10 times the biscuits are hard af." Better left to the professionals!
3. Sausage Burrito
This one, described as a soft tortilla featuring "fluffy scrambled egg, pork sausage, melty cheese, green chiles, and onion," it sounds like a great on-the-go breakfast option. But McDonald's employees have different thoughts.
"Consists of some questionable, pre-packaged scrambled 'egg' and pepper mix, half a slice of American cheese and the world's worst tortilla," one person said. "They are all made start of day and sit around until one gets ordered and thrown in the microwave." Yuck!
4. Coffee
Another item that's hard to make taste bad per se, but McDonald's coffee is way past that line. "You can get better coffee at any local gas station for the price you pay," one former employee shared. "It's watered down with tap water and loaded with milk and sugar. Doesn't even taste like coffee." Starbucks it is!
5. Grimace Shake
A purple milkshake is already a questionable beverage to order, so when we heard former employees' reviews, we weren't surprised at all. One person said that they brought one home for their friends and family to enjoy, only to have their boyfriend "puke 10 minutes after drinking 1/3 of it."
"That thing is nasty," agreed another former employee. Stick with chocolate!
6. Pickles
If any of your favorite sandwiches come with pickles on them, you might want to think twice about ordering them. "I love pickles," one former employee shared. "But the pickle slices where I worked get left out for days, they don't get put in the fridge or covered at any point. It's so nasty when it gets low and there's lettuce, soggy crumbs, and random food debris in it. The pickles get all dried up too." We love pickles too, but not that much!
7. McRib
This one we're not necessarily surprised about, as there's always mixed reviews for the legendary McRib at McDonald's. But from the perspective of someone who's worked there, they don't recommend it. "The sauce gets everywhere and turned into concrete after 10 minutes," one person said.
"I just don't know why you would come to a McDonald's and expect ribs to taste good," another said. "Just go get some barbecue it won't be that much more expensive."
8. Filet-O-Fish
And finally, no surprises here, the Filet-O-Fish. Probably the most universally hated item at McDonald's the Filet-O-Fish is not a fan favorite or an employee favorite. "I can't explain how bad these smell," one person wrote on Reddit. "No matter what stage of life they're in—cooked, frozen, warm and sitting on the counter—so disgusting." Yep, not surprised.
