Fast food workers reveal what NOT to order
The Huffington Post picked up on Reddit string where fast food workers were describing things they would not order in their stores. Here’s some of what they said:
“Fast food workers of Reddit, what is the one menu option at your employment that you would recommend people never eat? (Because of cooking safety, cleanliness, unhealthy, etc),” asked user 4ScienceandReason. This thread, which generated over 6,000 comments in 24 hours, brought some amazingly gross things to light — some expected and some unexpected — as well as some good-to-know tricks for the fast-food customer….
“Chicken Nuggets: Some of the grossest stories on this thread talked about the dubious material nuggets are generally made of. As noted by 4ScienceandReason,pictures and videos like these have already scared a lot of us off of chicken nuggets forever. Just in case that wasn’t enough, this comment by Dfunkatron might seal the deal for you, “When I worked at McDonald’s, I accidentally left a whole bag of about 100 chicken nuggets out on a counter for way too long. They melted. Into a pool of liquid. I never understood why. But they were completely indiscernible as being the nuggets i once knew….”
“Grilled Chicken: If there was any common theme in this thread, it was this: just probably don’t order grilled chicken in any fast food establishment ever. OneMcDonald’s employee confessed to slathering grilled chicken breasts with liquid margarine to keep it from sticking. An ex-Subway employee described the defrosting process they used, which involved soaking the chicken in hot water for hours, then squeezing the “chicken water” out at the end of the day.”
Click the link for more descriptions of appetizing food.
What are you afraid to order in fast food joints? Does this change your opinion about anything on the menus?
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68 comments Add your comment
sheree
July 12th, 2012
12:58 am
dont go anywhere when there fixing to close–speaking from my highschool days–Taco Bell & Western Sizzlin
elizabethbland
July 12th, 2012
1:00 am
I have always used coupons, but if I thought the generic was cheaper I would just buy that instead of the smaller name brand size or even samples from Get Official Samples can help
shaggy
July 12th, 2012
6:35 am
If you think the “finer” dining establishments are any better, you have another think coming.
They engage in the same practices…not all of them do it, and some only part of the time, but then neither do all of the fast food joints.
Just stay with The Waffle House, where you can see the food being prepared, or just drink large quantities of beer. Then, you won’t care that you just ate something that slid down your throat like a loogie….pretend it’s an oyster.
Oh, I forgot to enlighten about grocery stores. They have these storerooms, and the stories they tell…
On second thought, just raise all of your own vegetables, tie up a beef steer, and a big old pig, for slaughter in the front yard, and run some chickens in the car port. The neighbors will love you for it, and you will have so much fun disposing of offal and blood makes great fertilizer.
Augusta
July 12th, 2012
7:54 am
This is why we don’t go out to eat, except on vacation.
I much prefer to cook my own healthy meals. It’s much cheaper, and in the long run, we will be healthier than most of our peers. None of us are on any medication, except my blood pressure meds. My kids are all thin, and we get PLENTY of fresh air and exercise. We don’t sit around playing video games or staring at computer monitors. We are a very active family and we eat very healthy.
And we have a HUGE garden, takes up 1/2 the back yard, which all 6 of us work in. The kids each have their own sections and they must take care of it, which means pulling weeds, watering, gathering, cleaning, and putting in the fridge in proper containers, etc.
We also share out bounty with the neighbors.
Voice of Reason
July 12th, 2012
7:57 am
There are always these types of horror stories told by former or current employees of dining establishments. This is nothing new. A friend of mine in high school used to tell me how he would spit in people’s Blizzards at Dairy Queen if they had been even the least bit rude to him.
You take a certain amount of risk in everything you do, this holds true for eating food prepared by other people.
I cannot speak for all grocery stores but I did work at Publix for 6 years all through high school and college and I can say that they take cleanliness and hygiene seriously, they don’t let men have beards, and you were severely chastised if you dared walk through any area where they were preparing food without a hairnet on.
I also remember when the freezers went out and the generator didn’t kick in so we ended up having to rent a huge garbage bin and we had to throw away all of the frozen food, two entire isles full.
Like I said, I cannot speak for other grocery stores, but I know Publix is hardcore about cleanliness.
Jessica
July 12th, 2012
7:59 am
Chick-fil-A is actually pretty good when it comes to food safety/cleanliness. Some of their locations will even let you schedule a tour of their kitchen.
Voice of Reason
July 12th, 2012
7:59 am
*aisles* – stupid spell check
Augusta
July 12th, 2012
8:15 am
I love Publix. I very rarely walk into Kroger anymore.
BlondeHoney
July 12th, 2012
8:23 am
Augusta, I am sooooo with you on that; every Kroger I walk into is dirty and nasty, employees look unkempt and I keep finding expired items on the shelves (not just one Kroger mind you but different ones). I’ll stick with Publix…experience is consistently good no matter which one you go to. People keep telling me there are nice Krogers but I have yet to step foot in one.
motherjanegoose
July 12th, 2012
8:35 am
I also prefer Publix over Kroger. I really prefer Costco…anyone have any info on that?
Perhaps I do not want to hear it.
I will say that we are very spoiled in Metro Atlanta as far as grocery stores. I have visited some stores in smaller towns and I would cry if I had to buy groceries there each week! I am curious about local experience with my ( the) last post on yesterday’s blog…no one has commented. It is about steak. Maybe we ARE spoiled here.
Off to the kiddos…have a great day!
B Lucia
July 12th, 2012
8:40 am
Looks like we’ve gotten a little off topic, but I have to say, Publix rocks! It’s my favorite place to spend money.
The Coz
July 12th, 2012
8:46 am
Do you ever come up with anything original or do you just ask people to comment on articles penned by others? I need a job that pays me for that. “Hi Peeps- Here is an article I read today. What do you think?” I mean, come on!
It'sKinderGARTEN Dammit
July 12th, 2012
9:01 am
I have gotten food poisoning twice and both times it was from a Chick Fil A grilled chicken sandwich. It’s a shame too because I love them. But I simply don’t order them anymore. I generally thinl that CFA does a good job with their cleanliness and food prep but if you have a new person who undercooks the chicken, you’re in danger. Although not as healthy I now stick to the regular fried chick fil a sandwich.
Chick-fil-A-T-L
July 12th, 2012
9:13 am
Bag of Almonds & Coke Zero from QuikTrip > ANYTHING from a Fast-Food Restaurant
Judge Smails
July 12th, 2012
9:15 am
Hey Coz, Jealous Much???
I agree that there are some nasty things going on in restaurants. I worked at Burger King as a teenager. You DID NOT want to be the guy rolling up 2 minutes before closing time!
Chick-fil-A-T-L
July 12th, 2012
9:19 am
Skipping a Meal > Ordering ANYTHING from the Menu at Burger King
Chick-fil-A-T-L
July 12th, 2012
9:26 am
Snickers Bar > Any Southwest DeKalb McDonald’s “Food” Item
People are stupid
July 12th, 2012
9:57 am
Anyone naive enough to take at face value a word that comes out of a fast food workers mouth can’t be taken seriously.
BaBaBinx
July 12th, 2012
10:04 am
I concur on the demise of Kroger. I have also found expired items on their shelves (fresh mushrooms, bagged salad, etc.) and quite frankly their produce looks like crap 95% of the time.
Denise
July 12th, 2012
10:26 am
My brother used to work/cook a Bennigan’s and he warned me away from salads. He said they didn’t care if the veggies looked a little “off” or if they were clearly marked out of expiration. He told me to stick to fried stuff as you knew it was cooked through. I stuck with burgers and fries. I didn’t go for my regular “medium” there just so I could make sure it was cooked all the way through, though. Or I’d make sure HE came out and took my order and cooked my food.
Jess
July 12th, 2012
10:30 am
Dairy queen oh yeah….I once put a piece of grilled chicken in some dude’s blizzard that was hitting on my friend (at her request). Of course the guy comes back up to the counter and said it was the best blizzard he’s ever had. Go figure.
biscuit
July 12th, 2012
10:32 am
The demise of Kroger is overrated. The one where I shop is definitely better than Publix and cheaper, too.
Little Joe
July 12th, 2012
10:38 am
First job was at Bonanza (showing my age, I know) It was safe, but there was one incident where the giant salad bin in the back was mistaken for a trash can………………………..
A
July 12th, 2012
10:43 am
Besides the cleanliness factor, I find employees at Publix are so much nicer than at Kroger. After getting attitude from a deli worker at a Kroger a few years ago, who argued with me about how much turkey I had requested when he sliced too much, I haven’t been back to a Kroger. Publix managers are out on the floor, talking to customer, checkout is fast and friendly and it’s just a pleasant experience to shop at Publix.
Augusta
July 12th, 2012
10:47 am
I’ve been going to the same Publix for close to 9 years now, and I can tell you, their employee turn-around is non existent. I have seen the same employees at this Publix for 9 years.
I buy Iams cat food. At Kroger the bag is $15.99. At Publix, it’s $12.99. $3.00 cheaper. Plus I love to shop on Thursdays, when their sales begin. There’s a great website, http://www.iheartpublix.com. Weekly ads, coupons, etc.
gross!
July 12th, 2012
10:56 am
The Chick-fil-a chargrilled has as many calories as the fried. They slather it in butter and grease! I also can’t stand that the sandwich you buy at noon is the sandwich that was made at 9:30 that morning. They are just baking under a heat lamp! At least I received some scholarship money from them but they are really no better thhan McDonalds.
BlondeHoney
July 12th, 2012
11:30 am
Augusta, the kitty food I buy is almost $1 cheaper a case at Publix than the nasty Kroger and ditto, I see the same employees at my Publix for the 7 years I’ve lived here and it was the same in the Publix in Miami where I came from. Great experience always.
mom2alex&max
July 12th, 2012
11:40 am
I too am a Publix snob. People make fun of me for wasting my money, when Kroger is “sooooo much cheaper”, but I can’t stand to walk into Kroger. It always looks icky and unkept, the shelves are all jumbled up, it’s impossible to find a brand that’s not the Kroger brand, and the employees are rude (up to the walmart standards)
Publix is always clean, shiny, the employees are extremely helpful, I can find any brand I want, but usually buy the Publix one. They will refund your money if you don’t like a product with their brand.
Denise
July 12th, 2012
11:46 am
I, too, prefer Publix. It would be nice, though, if they learned how to pack cloth bags. They put stuff together in cloth bags that they wouldn’t put together in plastic bags and they pack them too full and heavy. If I give you 7 bags, use all 7! Don’t pack 4 of them so heavy it hurts to lift and give me 3 empty ones!!! /rant over
justme
July 12th, 2012
11:47 am
@ Augusta…. a bag Lams cat food? You mean you don’t raise cattle for your cat like you explained you do for the rest of your family?
I call BS on Augusta.
Fran
July 12th, 2012
11:51 am
Many decades ago I worked at a somewhat upscale restaurant in Florida.
A waitress lost balance of her tray – sending four steak dinners to the carpet outside the kitchen door.
The cooks wiped the steaks off, put them back on the grill, replated the very same steaks and sent them out again.
Augusta
July 12th, 2012
12:42 pm
@justme – I’ve never raised cattle. Where on earth did you get that idea? I have a garden, but no livestock……
And it’s Iams, not Lams…..
Another government FAIL
July 12th, 2012
12:44 pm
Remember, it is not a market-accountable, choice among many competitors, private health safety agency that oversees each restaurant and defines what are “acceptable” food handling processes. It is the USDA, whose leaders and top officials have all come from the food processing industry, and whose rules and regulations are written by the very industry they are supposed to regulate. As well you have the local/country health departments who are generally overworked an understaffed as well as politicized. While a local inspection may be better than federal regulators, the health departments are funded based on politics, not revenue generation and so unlike a business, they have no incentive to actually serve their customer’s needs.
Fundamentally it comes back to the consumer. Most consumers are more than happy to patronize fast food restaurants for their meals. They give little concern to the appalling things that go on and every fast food operator knows it. You never hear anyone going out of their way to advertise how clean, safe, etc. their restaurants are because they know that customers really don’t care and because they know they can hide behind the government/health department inspections to convince the consumers that everything is ok at their restaurants. Add to that the horrible work ethic of the majority of folks who work in the fast food industry these days and the results are inevitable.
Until consumers vote with their dollars (the true and only functional form of democracy that works) they will get exactly what they are getting.
July 12th, 2012
12:54 pm
“This is why we don’t go out to eat, except on vacation.”
If you are too afraid to even go out to eat, you have issues and dining out is not one of them!
Augusta
July 12th, 2012
1:06 pm
@ – (who appareantly is not man/woman enough to use a name) Geez, I’m not afraid to go out.. We just don’t do it for health reasons…and financial reasons.
Why am I being attacked?
not telling
July 12th, 2012
1:40 pm
Kroger is unionized. Publix is not. That may well account for the differences in the personnel’s attitudes at each. I do shop Publix.
Miss Priss!
July 12th, 2012
1:45 pm
Krogers ain’t got the feng shui going or whatever. It seems like a predominant interior store color is … black. Very unappetizing.
Of course, in every organization the good and bad drips from the top. Ever seen how the Kroger president dresses? He looks like a mobster.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 12th, 2012
1:53 pm
I miss Publix greatly — there is no Publix out here. They have Safeway, which is nice, but I think more expensive than Fry’s (Krogers) — I do like getting money off my gas from the Krogers. They have a farmer’s market chain called Sprouts which i like but it’s far away. They are building one closer to us and I think I will be going there more once it’s closer.
I have always loved Chick Fil A but they are not on every corner out here. I have to really drive to get to one so it is a treat when we go. The other new place that I am loving is In and Out — Everything is fresh – they are back there cutting the potatoes. I get it protein style where the meat is wrapped in giant crisp lettuce leaves. it is very yummy. Walsh really loves this place and it’s much, much cheaper than 5 Guys.
Delta
July 12th, 2012
1:54 pm
What is the point of this? Reddit had a thread that HuffPo turned into a lame article, then you repost bits of it and ask for comments? Did that take you all morning to make this?
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 12th, 2012
1:56 pm
PS the Krogers (called Frys here) looks exactly like the one by my house in Lilburn. It gives me a little comfort to walk in. All the products are labeled krogers inside so I don’t know why they keep the name Frys out front. I use my same Kroger ID number from my Lilburn store.
m
July 12th, 2012
2:02 pm
Publix is an employee owned business. The employees reap the benefits of good service. Makes a difference!
Mike Tyson
July 12th, 2012
2:04 pm
Kroger employees have this don’t give a s–t attitude, well they can sell someone else
SamE
July 12th, 2012
2:05 pm
I know I may be scrutinized for daring to challenge the “untouchable” Chick Fil A, but there chicken is waaayyyyy to salty. I think they should be more creative with herbs instead of packing it in salt before cooking it. One reason why I only stop there every three months to avoid hypertension for goodness sake.
SamE
July 12th, 2012
2:05 pm
spell check = their*
Janice
July 12th, 2012
2:12 pm
i’ve had the same issue with grilled chicken at c-a-f. so when i go i get reg sandwich and take the breading off. restaurants hate me cause i always ask for well done, and if i get fries i always ask for unseasoned, that way they’re fresh and relatively hot.
i have caught people in the one kroger deli on hospital drive in d/ville cross contaminating with raw chicken more than once. i tell mgr and they don’t care. one time the cheese in the cheese display had so much mold on it was green, and it wasn’t blue cheese. i’ve called health dept numerous times on this store.
my entire complaint about fast food is the kid taking the order, handles money and your food and sometimes wipes the counter with that bar rag.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 12th, 2012
2:38 pm
I just posted a bunch of good reads to the FAcebook page — check em out —
https://www.facebook.com/pages/AJC-Momania/210922088338
mom2alex&max
July 12th, 2012
2:38 pm
SamE: I’m with you on this. I hate CFA. I think their chicken is gross and sometimes the filet’s are not cooked properly and the chicken is pink. I think their fries are nasty and I don’t even wanna think what’s in the nuggets.
The only thing I respect them for is the fact that the owner stayed firm on his belief of not opening on Sundays even though you know it’s costing them money. I like a company that is no 100% driven by profit. I guess CFA is 90%. ;)
jarvis
July 12th, 2012
2:58 pm
Re: Chik-fil-a, if you think it’s gross….you’re wrong and possibly slow.
Figment
July 12th, 2012
3:04 pm
I can’t stand Publix, I’d rather shop at Kroger anyday. And I don’t know what Kroger you guys are shopping in by the one I go to is clean.
missnadine
July 12th, 2012
3:10 pm
All you do is post other peoples’a articles. Are you just lazy, or have you lost interest?