All The Golden Rules McDonald's Employees And Customers Have To Follow
We got to the bottom of that "secret menu" rumor.
By 
When you think about fast food, you probably think about McDonald's. Thanks to its quick-service burgers and fries, the restaurant has been the industry leader ever since it opened its first joint in 1940. In order to keep such a well-oiled (literally!) machine running, there are some very important rules employees have to follow—and a few for customers, too. Why can't Ronald McDonald eat while on duty? Can you customize your orders? Here are all the juicy rules you need to know about.
Burgers can only sit for 15 minutes.
According to a former employee, burgers made with "regular" meat get thrown out after 15 minutes, while higher-quality meats (think: angus beef or crispy chicken) get tossed after 60 minutes, and chicken nuggets can only sit for 20 minutes. The more you know!
Burgers have to be assembled in a specific order.
The restaurant says it makes a huge difference in the taste of the food. "In some cases it has a big impact," a department manager named Sam told Mental Floss. "Like placing the cheese between the patties with a McDouble—if they don't put the cheese between the patties, the cheese won't melt."
But employees can customize meals.
Staff members are often happy to accommodate a customer who asks for a special request, whether it's a McDouble dressed as a Big Mac or a grilled cheese.
Ronald McDonald can only answer to one name.
And that's Ronald McDonald. Those people chosen to embody the mascot must undergo training and can't answer to anything other than Ronald while in costume. One employee even refused to give his real name to police after being detained for a minor car crash in 2000.
And eating while in costume is a big no-no.
Smudged makeup? No, thank you! Ronald McDonald also can't hug children (a pat on the back will do) or tell kids that beef patties come from cows.
If a customer refuses to pull forward, don't push.
There's technically nothing employees can do about a driver refusing to pull forward and park when their food isn't ready yet. Though said customer definitely won't win any friends in line behind him by behaving this way!
Sorry, no walking through the drive-thru.
No car, no problem? At McDonald’s it is a problem. According to the company's website, staff can't serve pedestrians and vehicles from the same service window for safety reasons.
Good news: You can request specific Happy Meal toys.
But you should be warned that not all employees enjoy digging through the toys to find the item you requested. Some locations will also allow you to purchase just the toy itself.
There's no official secret menu.
While the internet is flooded with rumors of a McDonald's "secret menu," according to Mental Floss, an official list of all off-menu items doesn't really exist and is not given to employees.
Employees can't act starstruck with famous customers.
Stars love their Mickey D's—hey, they're just like us! If, say, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, or the Kardashians waltz into the chain, employees must stay calm and aren't allowed to ask for a selfie. Give Kim her Big Mac and keep it moving, people!
Do not pass "GO" if you're an employee.
Love McDonald's Monopoly game? Then don't become an employee. Sadly, they're reportedly not allowed to touch, open, or redeem any Monopoly pieces.
Stay calm in the event of a robbery.
In addition to following the instructions of their manager and the offender, employees are told in a policies handout to be "observant and calm," not to resist, and to prioritize themselves over the money in the register because "money can be replaced, [YOU] CANNOT!!!!" So true!
Only early birds get the McMuffin.
A handful of locations temporarily treated customers to an all-day breakfast menu, but that had to be put on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic to "simplify operations." Now, employees at most locations accept breakfast orders between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. every day except Fridays, when breakfast is served until 11:30 a.m.
Employees have two minutes to get customers in and out.
The drive-thru has sensors, so the store can monitor how long a car has to wait. "We get measured based on something we call OEPE. Order end, present end. [That measures] from the second that your tires move from the speaker until your back tires pass over the sensor on the present window. My store is expected to be under two minutes," Bob, an assistant store manager, told Mental Floss.
Employees get free food!
The chain offers free meals during lunch or shift breaks at some of their locations. According to Glassdoor, certain franchises offer employees up to three free items per shift.
The discounts are pretty sweet, too.
After one month of being an employee, McDonald's staff is given an Employee Discount Card to use when they're not working.
Sorry, customers, no free food for you.
Employees can't dole out food to friends or family without risking immediate termination.
Always skip the tip.
McDonald's has a no tipping policy. If a customer happens to leave a tip, the money goes straight into the Ronald McDonald House donation box.
Not showing up for your shift is a bad idea.
There are lots of policies in place for employees who have to miss a shift—so just not showing up is unacceptable. According to the company's workplace policy, "a no-call no-show means you have abandoned your job"
Employees can't switch between different jobs.
To uphold safety and hygiene standards, McDonald's separates their employees between cashier duties and food preparation duties. This procedure ensures that an employee who handles money doesn't touch—and potentially contaminate—food. Honestly, we feel really good about this rule.
The Healthiest Breakfast Items At McDonald's
Our Official McDonald's McFlurry Flavor Ranking
When Time Does Starbucks Open?
11 Strict Rules Starbucks Workers Have to Follow
