Most companies give their customers what they want. Taco Bell, for example, brought back its popular Mexican Pizza because its audience asked for it.
That's just good business common sense. If your customer base wants something enough to ask for it on social media in huge numbers, then giving that item not only scores big points but also adds goodwill.
Related: Wendy's menu brings back fan favorite, and takes away another
McDonald's (MCD) -), however, does not just serve its customers. The company also has to keep its franchise owners happy and they like to keep kitchen operations as simple as possible. That's why the chain dropped All-Day Breakfast even though customers liked it.
Serving breakfast all day slowed down overall production in the kitchen because there's only so much space and if sausage patties are cooking on the grill or hash browns are in the fryer, that's equipment not being used to cook burgers, fries, and Chicken McNuggets.
McDonald's has also famously not brought back its popular Snack Wraps line despite huge public demand because franchisees do not want to complicate operations by offering them. Now, chef Mike Haracz, a former corporate chef for the fast-food giant has shared on TikTok another menu improvement the chain won't make.
Image source: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
McDonald's could improve this menu item (it won't)
Haracz has often shared his insights into McDonald's corporate thinking as he understands it from his time with the chain. He has made it clear that the company is not always thinking about delivering the best items possible.
Instead, it's trying to balance the speed of service along with concerns about how its items taste. That, Haracz has said, is why it won't put "well-done hashbrowns" on its menu despite many people thinking they taste better that way.
"Well-done McDonald's hashbrowns? I'm a former McDonald's corporate chef and I have answers as to why McDonald's would not just serve the far superior hash browns all the time."
Haracz noted that the idea of well-done hashbrowns being better has gone viral and he stated that he agreed with that "1,000%." He shared why the chain would choose to not offer well-done hashbrowns as an option.
"I have the answer for you and it has to do with fast-food business models," he said. "So, most fast-food restaurants want to serve as many people as possible as quickly as possible.
The McDonald's hash brown station, he added, can get backed up during the morning rush.
"So, what's a great way to serve more people quicker?" he asked. "Just reduce the cook time of the hash brown even if there's a slight negative effect on the appearance, flavor, and texture of the hash brown."
Cutting the cooking time, he added, allows the company to serve a whole lot more people during the chain's limited breakfast hours.
"'It could be better, but I'm still going to order it,'" he added, "that's perfectly fine for McDonald's.
McDonald's has a secret morning menu hack
Just because McDonald's chooses the fastest way possible to cook its hashbrowns does not mean the chain won't serve them well done.
"Go in there and ask for well-done has browns, 'cause they are far superior" Haracz told his TikTok followers. "Maybe that McDonald's will make it a regular thing, but probably not."
Commenters on Haracz's page noted that most McDonald's choices revolved around cost and time. One poster noted that he orders the chain's fries in a similar well-done fashion.
"Order fries….. SUPER SUPER well done. Like 7-9 minutes cook time lol," Mike shared.
Whether a McDonald's location will comply with these requests depends upon local management and, sometimes, who is working at any given time period.
Others complained that they were literally not being fully cooked.
"I stopped going to the McDonald's down the street because they were making their hashbrowns medium rare. I assume they pull them early being so busy," Kaladas wrote.
