McDonald’s is a firm favourite for countless people all over the world, with its famous golden arches instantly recognisable. Still, despite its popularity, there’s plenty of tricks of the trade we’re still unaware of when it comes to the fast-food giant.
With that being said, former Maccies worker Emily Johnson has spilled the secrets she learned during her time working in two separate outlets in Salford and Grimsby.
She previously told Hull Live: “I think there are many common misconceptions about what goes on behind the scenes at the world-famous burger chain and people have come to me with questions about working there.
“McDonald’s in the UK is usually split into franchises, all with different rules and goals. I have worked at two different franchises so this information is likely common to most but may not apply to all.”
Emily went on to share her McDonald’s tips and tricks – from snapping up discounted burgers to bagging free food. So here are her top insider secrets…
View 2 ImagesMcDonald’s is popular all over the world (stock image)(Image: martinrlee via Getty Images)
Emily branded drive-thru service as similar to an “extreme sport”, which is why it can be speedier than placing an order inside and waiting for it to be ready.
In the former employee’s experience, this was due to the outlets she worked at having a timer system in place. Apparently, these tracked the duration from when a vehicle arrives at the speaker to driving off with their order.
She recalled: “We had a leaderboard inside with the fastest times compared to the rest of the UK’s McDonald’s restaurants.
“We would make this an extreme sport to try and get the number one spot. In-store don’t have a leader board, so people tend to care more about the drive-thru targets.”
Emily shared a money-saving trick involving double cheeseburgers and how to ‘hack’ them to achieve the Big Mac taste for less cash.
She revealed: “Customers ask for a double cheeseburger dressed as a Big Mac. All the additions of lettuce and Big Mac sauce are free, you get the same amount of meat, and it is also half the price.”
Another handy trick to save money is to compare meals vs individual items. An Extra Value Meal is often cheaper than a burger, fries and a drink separately, but it varies, so it’s always worth a quick check.
You should also keep an eye out for limited-time deals. Seasonal promos can undercut regular menu pricing if they match what you actually want, which can claw you back some cash.
Beyond budget-friendly burgers, Emily also suggested that some McDonald’s branches might give out free breakfast items like hash browns at 11am to prevent waste.
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After all, the excess products would only end up in the bin. So it’s worth asking if you pop into Maccies mid-morning. Always be polite when making the request – and you could just end up being successful!
The Mirror contacted McDonald’s for comment.