The One Thing You Should Never Order From McDonald’s Is Bumming Us Out

Fast food might be far from the ideal healthy meal, but sometimes you just get a craving for McDonald’s fries or a Big Mac… and who can really blame you?! It’s fine to eat junk food in moderation, right? Except there are probably some menu items you’ll want to avoid completely. Employees recently revealed the one thing you should never order from McDonald’s, and if you’re a fan of the fast food chain, you’re definitely going to want to know what it is.

Don’t worry — the menu item you should avoid isn’t a huge fan favorite, like an order of chicken McNuggets or (heaven forbid!) the famous French fries. It’s something a little different, but it does have a cult following. If you love this menu item, then you must really, really love it. In a recent Reddit thread where McDonald’s staff spilled some behind-the-scenes secrets, a few employees agreed that the one thing customers should always stay away from is the Filet-O-Fish. Well, usually.

The Filet-O-Fish sandwich consists of fried pollock with tartar sauce and cheese on a McDonald’s burger bun. While it’s not the most popular item on the menu, it’s a classic that has been around forever, so it has to do pretty well. Still, employees advise against it unless you order it a very specific way. According to The Independent, one worker suggested, “At McDonald’s just say you want a fish filet cooked to order.” They said although it takes a few extra minutes to make, it’s “worth it compared to the filet that has been in the heated cabinet for hours.”

Who is eating enough Filet-O-Fish to keep them on the menu? @McDonalds

— Doug (@sneakerson94) December 13, 2018

if you regularly eat the filet-o-fish from mcdonalds block me right now

— kylie (@kyliemariieee) December 18, 2018

Basically, the Filet-O-Fish sandwich is prepared in advance, then set under heat lamps until someone orders one… and sometimes, it can be there for quite a while. Obviously, this isn’t the ideal situation for fish. One employee said, “I can promise you that filet of fish is not fresh by any stretch of the imagination.”

If you’re itching for a fast food sandwich, try our meat-free, fresh, and healthy burger patty! Video below:

If you’re worried that staff members will ignore your request and give you an old sandwich anyway, another staff member said that they are obligated to do what you ask — you just need to be willing to wait for it.

Just tried filet-o-fish at McDonald’s for the first time pic.twitter.com/xjV4gJLjor

— tay | TAEMIN in LA (@ultaemin) December 20, 2018

Filet o fish 🐟 are lyfe

— MotherOfKush (@Pigeonz13) December 14, 2018

Aside from the fact that the Filet-O-Fish is probably old (if you don’t ask for it made it order), it’s also wildly unhealthy. For a small sandwich, it contains a ton of fat, calories, and artificial ingredients (410 calories, 20 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, and 660 milligrams of salt). Plus, it contains 70 ingredients, and no we did not mean to type “7.”

So, the next time you get the craving for fried fish at McDonald’s, keep this tip in mind.