Ordering off the menu, take two...
In light of the recent discussion on the appropriateness of requesting off-menu items at fine restaurants, I offer "Ordering off the menu at fast food restaurants," where you'll learn the secret to scoring your own special creations at McDonald's, Wendy's, Subway, and more!
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15 Comments:
I went to Wendy's and asked for a half chocolate/half vanilla frosty and the confused cashier said "we can't do that". I think he thought I wanted them swirled but I would have been happy for the bottom being chocolate and topped with vanilla.
ag3208 at 10:42PM on 09/01/08
The farthest off the menu I'd ever go at a chain restaurant is "no mayo, no tomato." There are 2 reasons for this. 1. It ensures that if they use heat lamps, mine will not have sat under it. 2. I hate mayo. I do not want it anywhere near my food, on my plate, or even considering getting on my plate.
beth1 at 11:47PM on 09/01/08
I often order fries with no salt-- then I ask for salt packets. I have to wait an extra couple of minutes, but the fries are ALWAYS fresh!
smile at 11:59PM on 09/01/08
i always ask for the cheese sauce they put on the potatoes to be put on the fries at wendys
idk if thats on the regular menu but some places dont offer that..
crumbles at 12:21AM on 09/02/08
I used to work at McDonald's when I was a teenager, and when people would ask for saltless fries, we'd all just say, "I can make you fresh fries if you want..." Not a single person ever actually wanted salt-free fries, and we knew that.
What always bugged me were the people who would make special orders, and then get angry they didn't get it right away. Sounds absurd, I know - but you'd probably be surprised at how many people thought they should get "a big mac without mac sauce, with the onions you use on the quarter-pounder, and extra pickles and cheese" pretty much instantaneously.
BangieB at 2:18AM on 09/02/08
@Bangie- that was nice of you to offer fresh fries. I feel like I'd be annoying if I actually said "I'd like fresh fries please".
smile at 2:38AM on 09/02/08
Yeah, we figured most people didn't want to look like they were being all Commando Demando on us. Some workers hated doing anything extra, but I always felt like, "hey, what do I care? If people are happy with their order, isn't that better? I'm a 16 year-old making minimum wage - I'm supposed to worry about the McDonald's corporation's bottom line?" ;)
BangieB at 2:58AM on 09/02/08
Bangie--completely right point of view.
annien at 11:11AM on 09/02/08
When I used to go to McD (mid-1980s), I ordered my fries "no-salt" (it was always too too salty) and my Big Mac w/o onions. It was always dropped off in the dining room too, even in Japan. Freshly made burger and fries that weren't salted - it was great.
Wendy's was pretty good then too - they followed directions pretty well.
Burger King was hit or miss. I still get a Whopper Jr when I pay and order a Whopper w/o onions or the Whopper will have onions in it. I hate Burger King, but it's the only fast food burger place I'll go. Rally's is meh. White Castle sucks. We don't have Sonic, and there are many times I don't want to sit in a restaurant for a burger (Red Robin, Ruby Tuesday, etc.). I want to walk in, order, and walk out with the right sandwiches.
Oh, I used to ask for a Suicide when my friends worked behind the counter at McD. I would never ask that of someone if I didn't know them though.
Cassaendra at 11:51AM on 09/02/08
Being vegetarian, Subway is pretty much the only fast-food I go to nowadays. I always ask the people at Subway to change their gloves when they make my Veggie Delight sandwich... I do not like for the dirty glove with juices from the ham and turkey sandwich they just made rubbed all over my bread and lettuce... some look at me like I am weird, but most do not care and just do it. I just have learned to go after the lunch rush hour...
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 8:13PM on 09/02/08
i am a huge fan of the in-n-out secret menu. animal style is delicious!
megannesta at 8:19PM on 09/02/08
Burger King infuriates me with their "Your way right away" slogan. I'll wait to have mine "special made" (extra tomato, no onion). But they always get it wrong.
I stopped going to fast food places unless absolutely necessary. Problem solved.
feistyfoodie at 11:20AM on 09/03/08
@Bangie that was very thoughful, when you are on a steady pace and all of a sudden someone wants something different (like McDs). Wendy's, B.K. ect. who says "have it your way", I will not take attitude (and I have). As beth1 w/ mayo, I am with raw tomatos. What is is hard to pop into their register Whopper w/cheese, ketchup, mayo, onions only? Stopped going yrs ago because of this.
pjracz10 at 8:46AM on 09/04/08
I love double cheeseburgers with big mac sauce from McD's I used to get those from time to time
That list you supplied is really cool, there's so much stuff on there I'd never even thought about! Like a deep fried greilled chicken patty from McD's lol
msalixandrea at 6:43PM on 09/12/08
That list is awesome. I MUST try an animal style hamburger next time I'm at an In-n-Out!
@Madelyn: I never have understood why they wear gloves at Subway when they seem to leave the same pair on all day. If you're a nurse, you change gloves before & after every dressing change, before & after touching different parts of a patient's body, etc, etc... and you wash your hands before & after every glove change! Is it too much to ask Subway employees to use a new pair of gloves for each sandwich?
buffy at 6:59PM on 09/12/08