People only just learning McDonald's workers don't actually flip burgers

22 January 2024 , 15:21

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The meat used in a Big Mac takes 42 seconds to cook (Image: Getty Images)

It's a common phrase used to scold those not paying attention in class, but people are shocked to discover that McDonald's staff don't flip burgers at all. Many children have heard a teacher shout, 'Pay attention, or you'll end up working at McDonald's flipping burgers', implying it's an undesirable job for those lacking in qualifications.

But this couldn't be further from the truth, as not only is working at McDonald's a perfectly respectable job, the fast-food chain actually uses double-sided grills, so there's no need for burger flipping. A regular beef patty takes 42 seconds to cook on these grills, while a quarter pounder takes 112 seconds.

When asked about the cooking time for a burger, a McDonald's worker explained: "This varies from one sandwich to another and depends on how many orders have been placed at one time. As an example, if there are no other orders, the average time from when an order is placed to cook and prepare a Hamburger is a total of 112 seconds (the beef patty is cooked on the grill in 42 seconds) and a total of 180 seconds for a Quarter Pounder with Cheese (the beef patty is cooked on the grill in 112 seconds)."

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So, it turns out the 'burger flipping' phrase is as outdated as the negative association with working in the fast-food industry. A Reddit user shared: "Today I learned it only takes 42 seconds to grill a McDonald's hamburger patty on a double-sided grill. So technically no one has a job flipping burgers at McDonald's."

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Another person said they used to work at McDonald's and said: "Can confirm, I worked the grill at McDonald's for a time right after high school decades ago and even back then there was no flipping. Just lay the frozen patties on the grill, and press a button to close the lid, and start the timer. It takes almost as long to clean the grill and prep for the next batch as it does to cook a batch."

Someone else mentioned: "Back in the day, I interned with the design team that invented the clamshell grill for McDonald's. They got bought out by Canadians about 20 years ago though, and someone else now makes them. Part of the design process was to cook a whole lot of patties, time them, try them on different locations, etc. and get the process as automatic as possible." And another user pointed out: "Ever notice how the only people who talk about "burger flippers" are the ones that have never had to work a day in fast food?"

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Paige Freshwater