There's no denying that, at times, fast food can be pretty gross. But some of it is definitely more gross than the norm. And now, thanks to some fast food workers posting on Reddit, the not-so-nice insider secrets have been revealed. We sifted through several threads to see which menu items are the worst culprits. And it's not just a case of funny food fails or horror stories like employees using utensils to style their hair in the kitchen — some of these tips are really practical. Like, if you're in a big rush, chicken might not be your best bet.
Keep in mind that many of these restaurants are franchises. And not every franchise has the same rules or standards, although some would argue "don't order tuna" at a fast food restaurant is a hard-and-fast rule regardless of where you go.
Domino's
"At Dominos, don't order the Philly steak or American cheese, it's only used on the sandwiches and one specialty pizza so it usually goes bad and we have to throw it out often." - whyamiupattwoam
Burger King
"If you're really short on time, don't count on chicken tenders or grilled chicken sandwiches or salads being made quickly at Burger King. I remember that the tenders took forever to cook and we didn't really make them that often, so most times they were made to order. Same for the grilled chicken." — shmandameyes
"The fish sandwich. It's a rectangular piece of fried fish and breading.Absolutely disgusting. They also keep some surplus so they don't have to make it new each time someone orders it, so you may be getting old fish." - thesituation531
Taco Bell
If you're trying to get in and out quickly next time you're at Taco Bell, forget about ordering a quesadilla. "It has to be steamed and grilled. It's the only item that I can think of that needs both besides the AM Crunchwrap." — Shamm-Wow
And if you're vegetarian, vegan or have an allergy, it might be best to skip breakfast. "The meat products are kept on one side of the hot line, and the veggies on the other side of the cold line. No contact. Exception is bacon, in the mornings, is placed on the veggie side." — donkeypunch9000
Subway
"At our Subway, the 'oven roasted' chicken was actually boiled in a microwave." — Hotpotabo
"Tuna sandwiches. 80% mayonnaise." — karma_virus
"Subway, tuna is literal poison in a container. It is always several days older than expiration. I used to walk on shift and throw it out by look alone." - Reaverx218
McDonald's
"I used to work at McDonald's. There have been some 'McDonald's Life Hacks' going around the Internet for a few years now. Please don't do any of them because then one or both of the following will happen: 1) Your order will take forever. Yes, I get that you want fresh fries. Are you really willing to wait the four minutes for that? And if you are, do you promise not to complain about the wait? 2) You will be up-charged for certain ingredients. Like the "Poor Man's Big Mac" (A McDouble with Mac Sauce and shredded lettuce). We will up-charge you $0.30 for the Mac Sauce, and $0.20-$0.30 for the shredded lettuce." — ajd011394
"When I worked there in Canada, McDonald's grilled chicken could sit there for a long time. So can the filet o fish. Usually they're on top of it, but s--- happens. ... I've done a 4 hour shift and just forgot to throw out the old grilled chicken and make new ones because nobody ordered it, and it had already went past the timer when I got on so there was no beeping to remind me. It sounds stupid and it was. We're all human and humans are dumb, though." — CaseyTwist
Starbucks
"Don't order something from the 'secret menu.' We sure as s--- don't know what a Snickerdoodle frappuccino is, as it is not a menu item. Employees would be more than happy to make you a drink if you just explain the recipe rather than the name of it." — justine7179
"All Starbucks food is reheated frozen food. Ridiculous how little people realise that. Doesn't mean it doesn't taste good, it's just not fresh at all and incredibly overpriced." — likeabaker
Chipotle
"I used to work at Chipotle, and never ever ever order the tacos. You get less than half the regular portions. Instead, order a bowl with whatever you want in it, then ask for the taco shells, hard or soft, on the side." — KourageWolf
7-Eleven
One for our European readers: "I'm gonna say any of the taquitos or hotdogs from around midnight up through about 4 or 5am. Around midnight you can be assured that these are now high-mileage. That hotdog might have more miles than your car." — novelty_bone
Dunkin' Donuts
If you're looking to get the most bang for your buck, don't order off the hot drinks menu—the cold beverages usually get more liquid in them. "The iced drinks do have more from what I can tell. Hot drinks have 4 sizes (small, medium, large, XL) and cold is just 3 (small medium and large). Large for iced I think is around the same size as an XL hot." — mCahill389
"Here's what I can tell you about the hot/cold sizes: Hot: small - 10oz, medium - 16oz, large - 20oz, xlarge - 24oz. Iced: small - 16oz, medium - 24oz, large - 32oz." — CoolcatMcGee666
