The McDonald's Menu Items That Probably Aren't Fresh When You Order

There are a lot of myths out there about McDonald's, especially when it comes to the fast food chain's ingredients and their freshness. However, despite what you may have heard, quite a few of the items on the menu are tossed on the grill and cooked fresh each time. This includes all the Quarter Pounder burgers which are made from "100% fresh beef that's "cooked when you order," via McDonald's. However, like most fast food restaurants, there are some things on the menu that may end up sitting for a while before they are served. Although these items are entirely safe to eat even when left to sit for a few hours, if you are looking for that fresh, right-out-of-the-oven flavor then they are best avoided.

According to Reader's Digest, the two items on the McDonald's menu that probably aren't fresh are the breakfast burritos and apple pies. Even though McDonald's apple pies include a unique ingredient that makes them especially delicious, they are one of the items on the menu that customers don't order very often. This means that apple pies are more likely to sit in the restaurant for longer than most other food items. While apple pies sit out for a long time because they aren't as popular, breakfast burritos have the opposite problem.

According to a former McDonald's employee on Quora, the breakfast burritos are so popular that the restaurant needs to prepare them in advance –- sometimes even the night before –- to make sure they can keep up with the day's demand. The employee also claims that the burrito mix arrives at McDonald's premade and the tortillas are frozen. Once the ingredients are thawed and the burritos are assembled, they are rolled up and sent to the food warmer where they sit until ordered. Therefore, despite being a tasty way to start the day if you are looking for freshly made food, McDonald's breakfast burritos are likely not a good choice.

The same employee also recommends that you avoid McDonald's breakfast entirely, as even though the restaurant doesn't usually use the microwave, "the microwaves are put through quite a workout at breakfast." However, despite these claims, it seems that some items –- especially the breakfast sandwiches –- are made-to-order. The Egg McMuffin is even made with real butter and a freshly cracked egg each time.

There are a few hacks you can use to try and get the freshest food at McDonald's. To start, according to another Quora thread, it might just be that the busier a McDonald's is, the better. This is because when the restaurant is busy and the employees are unable to keep up with the line, it means that they are waiting on important items (like french fries, hash browns, or beef patties) to be cooked — and that your food is more likely to be fresh off the grill.

However, there is one important trick that will help you get fresh food whenever you go to McDonald's, and that is to simply ask for it. According to one Redditor, when a customer asks for fresh meat or french fries, the employees are required to put a new patty on the grill or drop a fresh batch of fries into the oil. Of course, this will mean waiting longer for your food but may be worth it for those hot glistening french fries or a bite of a deliciously juicy and fresh burger.