The McDonald's Ordering Request Employees Can't Stand

Customizing a fast food order is nothing new, and McDonald's has promoted the idea more than once. Special orders are usually not a big deal for McDonald's employees to accommodate. Even during a lunch rush, adding more ketchup or pickles only takes an extra second or two. But there's one thing that really slows employees down and causes frustration: ordering cheese that's extra melted.

"I just locked myself in the office and screamed," said one Redditor, describing having to remake a special order twice because the customer wanted freshly melted cheese. Every sandwich at McDonald's is made in a specific way. Typically that involves a freshly toasted bun, steamed if it's a Filet-O-Fish, topped with whatever condiments and veggies are needed. A slice of cheese is added next. The meat is added last before the top bun finishes the sandwich. Even a freshly made Quarter Pounder has the cheese and toppings added first, followed by the meat. Cheese is never put on a patty while it's still cooking.

The heat of the burger patty will soften the cheese slice, but it's not like at an upscale burger place or a home barbecue, where cheese is placed on a patty while it cooks so it can melt before the rest of the toppings are added. McDonald's employees put these together like an assembly line, following the same steps each time to ensure consistency, so they don't have time to make the cheese more melted under normal circumstances.

Asking for fully melted cheese is not an impossible request, just an inconvenient one. According to one Redditor, there are two ways to ensure fully melted cheese. "You can microwave it or leave it on the heated tray." They went on to say that's how McDonald's makes grilled cheese. Both are effective, though they may not match what customers expect when they picture bubbly melted cheese. Another employee on Reddit added some context, "You can ask for your sandwich to be warmed up in the microwave if you really want melty cheese. Just keep in mind that it can only be done once the sandwich is fully made, lettuce and all."

Typically, the heat from whatever protein is on your sandwich will be enough to at least partially melt the cheese. However, some Reddit users have pointed out that if a chicken fillet has been sitting in the tray for a while, it won't be as hot when the sandwich is assembled, and the cheese won't melt.

Whether an employee uses the microwave to make the cheese melt, or they leave the burger sitting longer in a heated tray, it takes more time. If a customer wanted a Big Mac hack with a steamed bun, it's an easy customization that could be accomplished in seconds. Fully melted cheese is a more frustrating ask because employees have to wait for it to happen. They can't speed the melting process up and it will slow everything else down in turn. With that in mind, you can see how it might cause frustration.