Why You Should Never Order a Big Mac, According To A Former McDonald’s Chef

A former McDonald’s corporate chef has revealed his reason why customers should never order a Big Mac—but it’s not for the reasons you might think!

Mike Haracz, a former employee of the fast food chain and current TikToker under the username @chefmikeharacz, shared a tip for ordering a Big Mac-like meal at McDonald’s that’s “so much better and cheaper”: a McDouble “like a Mac.” We share Chef Mike’s explanation and reasoning below!

In a video titled “Don’t order a Big Mac”, Chef Mike Haracz shared his savvy advice for McDonald’s customers looking to squeeze the most flavor out of every dollar at the fast food chain. In his TikTok clip, Haracz said, “Don’t order a Big Mac, you should be ordering this every time: ‘A McDouble like a Mac.’ You save like $2, and if a restaurant is not willing to do that for you, maybe don’t go to that one; go to a different one. Because this is a superior way.”

Haracz went on to explain how the order works out to be similar to a Big Mac, but in his opinion, much better. “The McDouble only has one slice of cheese, like a Big Mac. There’s no middle bun. It’s so much better and cheaper.” Indeed, in comparing the two items on the McDonald’s menu, the ingredients are quite similar: the classic Big Mac has a Big Mac bun (with extra slice of bread in the middle), 2 100% beef patties, shredded lettuce, a slice of American cheese, onions, sliced pickles, and of course, Mac Sauce.

The McDouble, meanwhile, has a regular bun with only 2 slices of bread (the Big Mac bun has sesame seeds), 2 100% beef patties, sliced pickles, a slice of American cheese, onions, ketchup, and mustard. It seems the major swaps Haracz is suggesting by ordering a “McDouble like a Big Mac” is getting Mac Sauce on your McDouble instead of the ketchup/mustard combo, subtracting a slice of bread, and adding in some shredded lettuce. Not bad for a $2 savings!