Why You Should Always Ask for a Receipt at McDonald’s

A former McDonald's employee spills the beans.

Why-You-Should-Always-Ask-for-a-Receipt-at-McDonald’s_133078556_Radu-BercanRadu Bercan/Shutterstock

If you catch a craving for burger and fries, McDonald’s is always a short drive away. But to ensure you get a fresh meal every time, you might need to take one extra step.

Kamran Adnan, who says he worked for the fast food chain for one year, claims the staff gives extra perks to customers who ask for a receipt. Doing so will practically guarantee you’re served the freshest food, he wrote in a Quora post.

According to Adnan, McDonald’s employees are trained to watch out for “mystery shoppers” or “Gapbusters”—people who are paid to visit McDonald’s restaurants and rate their experience—at certain points in the day. These shoppers tend to dine between 12 to 2 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m., he says. (Psst…did you know about these McDonald’s secret menu items?)

Because their reviews factor into the store’s rating, “every store manager will do everything to ensure this rating is as positive as possible,” Adnan said.

These undercover diners are typically reimbursed for their purchase, so they will ask for a receipt. This signals to employees that they might have a “Gapbuster” on their hands. Not only will they make sure to serve that customer first, but they will also give them the freshest food possible.

While McDonald’s has not confirmed Adnan’s claims yet, it can’t hurt to ask for a receipt next time. Nothing beats a tray full of steaming hot French fries, after all. Next, find out the 17 things McDonald’s workers won’t tell you and why the McFlurry spoons have square handles.

[Source: NY Post]

Brooke Nelson
Brooke Nelson is a tech and consumer products writer covering the latest in digital trends, product reviews, security and privacy, and other news and features for RD.com.