2 Magic Words At McDonald's Get You Superior Hash Browns

Have you ever ordered a fast food meal and thought, "Well, I guess that's good enough?" Of course you have. The "good enough" is usually part of the whole experience. But what if we told you that sometimes, it could be better? With this McDonald's ordering hack, you can upgrade your breakfast. Next time you buy fast food hash browns, order them well done. Instead of the standard, slightly soggy fried potatoes, you'll get a satisfying crunch.

"Most fast food restaurants want to serve as many people as possible as quickly as possible," former McDonald's corporate chef Mike Haracz shared on TikTok in 2023. "If any of you out there have worked the hash brown station at McDonald's, you know that sometimes it gets backed up quite a bit." The answer? The chain slightly undercooks the hash browns. He explained, "People are still going to order it. People are still going to buy it. Some folks might complain a little bit, but they can serve a whole lot more people."

Luckily, McDonald's won't begrudge customers that extra crunch — as long as they ask. Next time you buy McDonald's hash browns in person, order them "well done" or "extra crispy." Those magic words should get them an additional trip through the fryer. 

Will McDonald's workers actually make your hash browns well done when you use those two magic words? According to Reddit, yes. One former McDonald's worker said, "Yes it's easy, just drop the basket a second time." They added that drive-thru customers might be asked to pull over and park if the restaurant is busy but acknowledged that customers were usually patient. "Most people who order special like that are fine waiting a couple extra minutes to get it the way they want," they explained. 

An influencer tested the hack and confirmed that the well-done hash brown tasted better. "Go well done, guys," she said in a video (via Instagram). Viewers don't really need the confirmation, though: You can hear the extra crunch for yourself. 

Of course, be nice about it. Workers will be more likely to oblige if you're polite, and remember that the extra cooking time does slow down the system. Be mindful of drive-thru etiquette rules — if the line is winding around the building, it's probably not the best time to test the hack.