What Actually Happens If You Order A McDonald's 'Nothing Burger'

When it comes to fast-casual dining establishments, McDonald's remains an undeniable favorite among diners all over the world. According to Statista, the brand is currently valued at $154.9 billion, with a global revenue of $23.22 billion. It's considered by many to have created the efficient production process that so many other fast-food restaurants utilize.

As explained by the McDonald's website, the success of the chain involved a combined effort. Upon visiting a restaurant run by Mac and Dick McDonald in 1954, salesman and entrepreneur Ray Kroc knew he'd discovered something special. From the quality of the food to the efficiency of the service, Kroc realized the establishment offered a golden opportunity. As he worked on franchising the business, Kroc developed an innovative system that ensured each location would maintain the same standard of quality. 

This innovative spirit is alive and well at the chain, especially when you consider the effectiveness of its mobile order technology.

As reported by Retail Dive, McDonald's launched its mobile app in 2015. The app became a huge success rather quickly, with a whopping 7 million downloads occurring within three months of launch. Customers loved the many great features, such as the virtual menu and promotional offers that often resulted in free items. More than anything though, McDonald's customers were pleased with the app's ease of use and the ability to place their precise orders even faster than usual.

One key factor in the success of the mobile effort was the ability to make menu items your own. Customers placing online orders are free to customize their selections to their liking, and they don't have to worry about spending too much time in line. As illustrated by one McDonald's FAQ appearing on the website, the chain wholeheartedly supports customization. They highlight the endless customization possibilities, from extra pickles to sauce-less burgers and everything in between. 

One glimpse at the menu page shows a seemingly limitless array of burgers, beverages, breakfast sandwiches, nuggets, fries, coffee, sweet treats, Happy Meals, and so much more. Despite encouragement from McDonald's to modify orders, the chain probably didn't anticipate one particularly bizarre customization request that surely left one patron still hungry.

One McDonald's customer decided to put the restaurant's flair for customized orders to the test. Rob DenBleyker, a cartoonist best known for being a co-creator of the webcomic Cyanide and Happiness (per Explosm), was the brilliant mind behind the so-called 'nothing burger,' according to Twitter. 

DenBleyker placed the order via DoorDash and requested that his cheeseburger arrive sans meat, bun, cheese, onions, mustard, ketchup, and salt. Despite the dismayed delivery driver messaging DenBleyker that they were "confused as to what you want on your order," the experiment was actually a success. So, what did DenBleyker receive? A completely empty wrapper, per his instructions. DenBleyker's nothing burger (or the "McAir," as one Twitter user cleverly named it), cost a total of $15, $6 of which went to the driver as a thank you for their endless patience. 

Surprisingly, this isn't the first time a customer engaged in some shenanigans via McDonald's digital ordering system. In 2017, a customer made a similar McDonald's order via the virtual kiosk. While it initially started as a desire to hold the pickles, the customer was eventually inspired to simply remove all ingredients just to see what happened. Much like DenBleyker, the customer received an empty bag with a side of internet fame.