IAMA McDonalds manager AMA. I'm not affiliated with corporate McD's nor will I present a false image to boost our image. I'm just here to share my general knowledge with you.

First, I'd like like to thank you for making fat people happy.

Second, do you invent your own sandwiches? Like a Big Mac using Quarter Pounder patties or a double McChicken.

Protip, a majority of our fat customers are the most short tempered and hostile.

Also, there are lots of things you can make, I've made quesedillas, grilled cheese, tomato soup, taco salad and the like when I was crew. After being promoted I realized I was costing us money.

Good for you. Not the noblest of jobs, but if you are a good manager, you probably have made a significant positive contribution to countless peoples' work history.

Worked at a McDs all through high school (back in the McDLT day), and it really taught me a lot about having a job, responsibility, and a lot of other stuff.

I'm sure I've met a lot of people like you in my years of working. I know my high school crew members are either the hardest working or the laziest workers I know. Sounds like you'd fall in the former.

Be honest, what's the one thing off the menu we REALLY shouldn't buy?

Grilled chicken. Its shelf life is one hour after it is cooked, and in the store's I've been in, it can sit for 3 and still look juicy, so the crew keeps serving it. It you don't mind a 7 minute wait, ask for fresh. Its delicious, just be aware of old product.

Do you have any tricks to make the food taste better? I eat there almost daily for certain times in the year and have learned that plain mcchickens with barbecue sauce are the best thing in the world. Any other tricks?

You should try that sandwich you just mentioned with cheese. Its a personal favorite of mine too. You're cool.

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1) I would honestly suggest the expensive stuff. I do it to the drunks at night.

2) I made 27k in 2012

3) 40~ a week

4) Its very high. We've had maybe 100 different people in and out of our store last year. I've never fired someone directly for things other than being late or not showing up. Most problems with crew I am able to avoid by getting to know people.

5) Its good for people to see, but it also highlights the dangers of an unhealthy lifestyle. People should know that. Its isn't us, it was him.

Thoughts on the McGangBang?

Never had one, but I laugh when you order it. I just won't acknowledge what a "McGangBang" is when you order it because fuck you, we're a family restaurant.

What item do you get the most profit out of?

Drinks. Sodas mostly. That Coke you paid $1.50 for, yeah, that cost us 3~cents to make.

That is with any restaurant. Even chicken has a less % markup than drinks.

Yes, sodas are the most profitable anywhere. Want a tip if you go somewhere? Order one with no ice and get a cup of ice. More soda, and it will stay cold when you pour it into the ice.

I tried the Mcbites the other week and actually got food poisoning from them. Should I contact the store/company etc?

Always report an issue. It could come from bad procedures, bad equipment, bad shipments.

I would hate if my store did that to someone, but PLEASE let us know before it happens to someone else.

Why the fuck is the McKroket only in The Netherlands? That shit with 4 fucking McNuggets on top is unreal.

I don't know what the hell you're talking about!

knowing what you know, seeing what you've seen, would/do you eat the food?

I eat it 5 days a week. Basically anything on the menu. I weigh in at 134 with 19% body fat, so just watch what you eat and it can be incorporated into your diet.

What is your opinion of the McRib?

I think its fairly good. I prefer it with only cheese and sauce. Most of its success certainly comes from its limited availability. The price for the pork is barely covered by the sales, it couldn't survive as a lone product. Also, rumor has it, during its initial launch, the CEO sent letters to store managers warning not to eat many as they could be bad for your health. As I said, rumor has it.

Why were the majority of my managers dickfaces?

Don't worry, half of my co-managers are dickfaces too. Its the curse of McDonalds. Been that way my entire career.

Do you guys strictly enforce what surfaces can be cleaned with what rag? The same rag that was used to wipe off the counters was also used to clean the McFlurry machine countless times, managers did not seem to even notice, it was pretty nasty.

Its hard to keep track if they stay out. We try to enforce a rag comes out cleans something and goes back into the dirty bucket.

But I'm sure behind my back much could go wrong.

Why don't you do onion rings?

The same reason you aren't making them yourself, because fuck that.

Have your employees ever given out freebies to their friends/family? What have you done about it?

They have. If I don't write them up, I provide them with unreasonably high standards to meet on their shift or else I'd write them up if they fail. Basically I can get good service to my customers and sweat on my crew's brows.

Character building.

What's your pay an hour? How long have you been working at McD's? And, did you start as a burger flipper?

$12.50. I've been working there for 4.5 years, and yes I did start on the grills.

Starting next month a new salary position opens and my eyes are on it.

Its all about that corporate ladder.

When are you guys going to bring back McPizza? That was the best.

I've never been there for that or seen that, but I could only imagine it'd be a bad idea to bring it back. Prep space is limited enough as it is, bringing in something so unique and different would only clutter the kitchen more.

Do you think McDonalds will ever take Burger King's lead and offer a veggie burger on their menu? I believe there actually would be a market for it, and maybe it would help get PETA off your back just a little.

I would welcome it, but I don't expect to see anything like that show up. However, stranger things have happened.

Will you make me a McGangbang?

Yeah, we've done it a few times.

Is it true that Mcdonalds has a secret menu, as posted here? http://thefw.com/secret-menu-items-revealed/

We don't have those on any menu, but you could ask for those things if you describe how to make it, we would just hate you for some of it.

What quality control is in place for the food served to customers? Not asking for detailed list, just interested at a high level in the things a store manager does to ensure a minimum level of quality gets to the masses.

The food that is cooked has a shelf life on it, basically when its cooked, a timer goes off. A manager simply has to check if product is expiring. Unfortunately, crew can reset these timers, but it all goes back to basic training an coaching.

We ensure that the crew doesn't fuck around and everything stays fresh. We also have to check expiration dates on produce daily.

A lot of people think I am crazy because I actually LOVED managing fast food when I was in my 20's. I am thinking about going back, actually.

Do you actually enjoy your job?

I really love it too. I hate it and love it. But I have no thoughts of quitting anytime soon.

Is employee theft a big issue? (employees pocketing the cash, giving the customer what he ordered?, drawer shortages?, etc)

to what extent in dollar amounts does it become a issue when the drawer is off? For example, if the drawer is off .20 no biggie, but if it's off .90 it becomes a issue?

How do you deal with the drawer being over? What does that usually mean?

lastly, sorry for so many questions, do the employees balance their own drawer or do you?

Our store has had many management theft issues, not crew.

$2 over or under is the cut off for trouble or multiple shortages over a short period of time.

All managers handle the balancing of drawers.

Have you ever saw something in the food that shouldn't be there and pulled it out in time?

A customer once brought back a fry box that contained a quarter sized ball of black goo with several hairs sticking out of it.

Safe to say, I DID NOT get it out in time.

Been working at a corporate McD's for 8 months now. What do you do to get over that slump of absolutely hating your job? How do you put up with irate customers? I just shove them off on my own manager, what do you guys do that calms em down?

I just give them what they want (within reason) and wait for them to go away.

To be honest, I just hit the gym after each shift to fight the stress. Either beating the hell out of a punching bag or running until I can barely feel my legs makes me feel wonderful about my job.

How often do you witness drug deals/ stoned customers?

When I worked graveyard, every night.

Otherwise I see some 6-8 times a week.

I mostly work mornings though.

Do you ever feel like you're a merchant of death given the large growth of fast food consumption and obesity?

No, I blame the customers who order in large amounts and lead lazy life styles. I've eaten the food 5-6 times a week for 7 years and I wouldn't consider myself unhealthy.

What are your thoughts about only hiring teenagers? Do you think its fair to hire them over people who legitimately need work? Also why is it that statistically girls are kept at the front and guys at the back?

My favorite crew members are teenagers. I get a long with them well and they look up to me in a sense. And to be honest, the teens work harder and are more reliable than the 30-40 year olds we hire. The teens can keep up with the work and most of the older folk just moan and complain. At least with the teens, I can tell them to man up.

I'm not sure of the statistical thing, it just seems to happen.

What are some of the menu items you knew were a bad idea from the day they release? (Like McLean Deluxe) Or ones that could be good, but being processed ahead of time don't hold up (like Asian Salad).

Do you ever wish they'd stop trying to make something healthier (ie wheat bun for chicken sandwiches) instead of just making the way people would like it?

What item sits the longest in the warmers and probably best not to order?

I think the worst item that will ever exist will be the fish McBites that our region is launching in February.

I mean the Bites were ok, but fish Bites? Really?

How much business does your restaurant do each day and how much of that is in cash? What is the security like? Time-lock safes? Cameras?

My store has $2200 that is always in the safe ( this includes the drawers in the registers, they get balanced to 100 and go in the safe at night )

We often have 5-6k go out of the store in deposits daily.

We only have 7 cameras. We could get robbed fairly easily.

Since everyone on this thread is talking about it I must be out of the loop so I must ask what's a mcgangbang?

A McChicken within a McDouble. Yes, bun and all.

I have heard around that you cook the burgers like this:

Frozen and then 15 seconds in the microwave

I am wondering if this is true or not, i have had McD's once in 8 months because of this one fact.

Negative, my friend. It goes

Frozen and then 32 seconds on the grill. But thats for our smallest piece of meat, and we check to make sure it cooks to a safe temperature.

Our Angus takes close to 3 minutes to cook.

What is the pay of the 1st assistant manager? Is there 1 1st assistant manager working at any one time? Is the 1st assistant the person who runs the store on a shift by shift basis?

I';m not sure exactly, it depends on how much the store makes in sales a year, so it can vary by A LOT, it could also get you a company car.

Any manager can be in charge of the store at any time, but the general manager or assistant must work on every day, there cannot be a day where the two have off.

is the manager the highest ranking person working at a store at any one time? What is the title of the person at the store that you report to?

There are a few different managers.

Swing: lowest Department 2nd Assistant 1st Assistant General Manager: highest

There is always a manager of some sort in the store. I usually report to the GM or the 1st assistant.

Do you have any proof?

For someone who's not a meth addict, you seem very paranoid.

I figured my sea of knowledge and answers would be enough, its not like I'm claiming Bill Clinton is my father or anything.