Where Does McDonald's Leftover Food Actually Go?

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Ever lie awake at night and wonder what happens to all the leftover food at McDonald's? Same. As we've discovered through investigating the best fast food items to keep as leftovers, chicken nuggets do well in the microwave the next day, as do hamburgers (as long as the lettuce and tomatoes are removed before reheating). We think the real anomaly, though, is the McCrispy Chicken sandwich — the popular McDonald's item that lasts the longest in the fridge (more than four weeks — we know, mind blown). 

If McDonald's food seems made for microwave glory, wouldn't it make sense that leftovers be sent home at the end of each night with either an employee or a lucky customer? You'd think — but no. According to the corporation, official McDonald's policy requires all leftover food to be discarded — though it isn't thrown in the trash. "Unfortunately we can't send cooked food to be eaten elsewhere as this would breach our food safety policies," the company explains, "but we do send all leftover food for composting, rendering, or anaerobic digestion."

So, let's unpack that statement. First, the food safety policies preventing McDonald's from re-distributing food that's already been cooked are likely referencing the fact that bacteria can grow to dangerous levels on food that's heated to between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit and left sitting for an extended period. Second, what exactly is anaerobic digestion? According to the Center for Ecotechnology, it's a process that uses bacteria to break down food waste to produce fertilizer.

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According to McDonald's official statement on leftovers, less than 1% of edible food stock goes to waste. But conversations across Reddit suggest the level of waste might vary by location — and so might the policies on taking home unused food.

One of the secrets of McDonald's we wish we knew sooner: the changeover from breakfast to lunch (10:30 – 11 a.m.) is one of the most chaotic periods of the day for employees, and thus, the possibility of mistakes and food waste is increased. When a user at r/McDonaldsEmployees asked what employees do with the leftover breakfast food after switching to lunch, responses varied. Some said unused breakfast food gets trashed. One employee said the fate of the leftovers depended on the manager. "If there's a strict manager than waste. If it's a cool manager then whoever wants it can take it," they said. Another employee said the staff at their location holds on to breakfast items past 12 p.m. and allows customers to order them past the official cutoff time.

In another thread, employees discussed McDonald's closing procedures, revealing that leftovers are counted at the end of the night, with food waste tracked. After waste is recorded, some said the food gets trashed. Others said employees are permitted to take some home. Others said food is donated to outreach centers, with one person explaining that their location donates ingredients (not complete sandwiches) in order to remain compliant with the company's policies.