All It Takes Is A Simple Request For Crunchier Hash Browns At McDonald's

Among the many breakfast favorites at McDonald's, the chain's hash browns are often considered to be simply beyond reproach. However, some fast food lovers prefer their spuds to be as crispy as possible, and hash browns are no exception. Fortunately, you can try asking for your hash browns to be cooked well done the next time you visit the restaurant, and the staff is more than likely to honor your request.

According to McDonald's fans on Reddit, this news is music to their ears. As stated by one commenter, "When will fast food chains realize that fried until crispy is actually just 'done' and the current cook time is 'underdone'?" It's true that many people crave crispy, crunchy potatoes in all their forms, but fast food restaurants must also balance their customers' wants and needs with maintaining an efficient operation. The good news is that it appears this hack is relatively easy to pull off, at least according to one former employee who performed it regularly.

For Foodbeast, writer and former McDonald's employee Peter Pham explained just how staff at the restaurant can make hash browns extra crispy and crunchy. According to Pham, he was employed by the fast food chain in college and would enjoy well-done hash browns when taking a break from his usual morning shift.

Pham explains that the trick to extra crispy potatoes is to leave the hash browns in the fryer for "a few minutes past" the alarm that sounds to signal staff members that the item is ready to be served. He also claims that McDonald's French fries can be prepared in the same manner if a customer has a hankering for a browned and crispy fry. Apparently, the practice has since become so popular that customers aren't shy about requesting that their spuds get the extended fryer treatment. Customers can also take advantage of another customization when enjoying a quick breakfast at the chain.

Some innovative McDonald's customers tout a hash brown-based breakfast sandwich hack that takes the morning meal to a new level. The secret menu item entails taking a standard sausage McMuffin, complete with egg, but replacing the bread with two hash browns. According to those who've tried this neat trick, staff are often quite hesitant to perform the substitution, although there's nothing stopping a customer from making the breakfast sandwich on their own.

@chefmikeharacz

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♬ original sound – Chef Mike Haracz

In fact, a TikTok video from Mike Haracz, a former corporate chef at McDonald's, claims that he floated the idea to the chain's big wigs while working there. According to Haracz, he was told that the sandwich was a no-go because it had "too many calories, it's too operationally complex, and too many people would order it," thereby decreasing the speed of the kitchen. While it's a shame that McDonald's isn't giving the people what they want, there are plenty of other hacks to employ when having breakfast at the chain.