Does McDonald’s Microwave Its Burgers? (+ Other Common FAQs)

McDonald’s is a great place to eat if you’re in need of a quick, tasty meal for a low price. But if you’ve had McDonald’s burgers, you might have some questions. Like, does McDonald’s microwave its burgers?

If that thought has crossed your mind, you’re not alone! I wondered about the same thing! So check out all my research on the topic below!

Does McDonald’s Microwave Its Burgers?

McDonald’s doesn’t microwave its burgers, but it admits to microwaving eggs used in the sausage burrito. McDonald’s burgers take a minute to cook on the flat top, and multiple can go on the stove at once. McDonald’s will pre-cook burgers during busy times, using a warming cabinet to keep them warm for up to 20 minutes. 

Do you have other questions about McDonald’s burgers and what other products McDonald’s might microwave? I’m going to tell you all you need to know, so keep reading!

Do Any McDonald’s Microwave the Burgers?

No, McDonald’s doesn’t use the microwave to preheat or reheat its burgers at any location, and employees aren’t supposed to use the microwave for the burger cooking process.

Does McDonald’s Microwave Its Eggs?

Yes, McDonald’s does microwave eggs used for the sausage burrito since the supplier has already cooked them before shipping them to McDonald’s locations.

However, McDonald’s doesn’t microwave its scrambled eggs or the folded eggs used in sandwiches. Instead, McDonald’s uses the flat top grill with melted butter to cook those eggs.

Does McDonald’s Use Microwaves?

Yes, McDonald’s uses microwaves for specific items, although the number of exact items put into the microwave is unknown.

Does McDonald’s Microwave Its Bacon?

There is no public information on whether the microwave is used at McDonald’s to cook bacon. But, McDonald’s traditionally uses a tunnel oven for cooking bacon.

Furthermore, the tunnel oven cooks the bacon for both breakfast sandwiches and burgers.

Are McDonald’s Burger Patties Pre-Cooked?

No, McDonald’s does not pre-cook its hamburger patties. Instead, the burger patties are made to order a majority of the time.

However, McDonald’s does pre-cook some hamburger patties during the busiest times of the day to keep up with demand at some locations.

That said, these pre-cooked burgers are kept in a warming cabinet for a maximum of 20 minutes to ensure quality and freshness.

Also, most people wouldn’t notice the difference between the two since the burgers in the warming cabinet are ordered so quickly that they don’t get soggy or taste any different.

Does McDonald’s Flash-Freeze Its Burgers?

Does McDonald's Flash-Freeze Its Burgers?

Yes, McDonald’s hamburger patties go through a flash-freezing process at the supplier facility before being shipped out to the McDonald’s locations nationwide.

With that, flash-freezing is where a company quickly freezes the fresh ground beef patties after being formed to lock in the flavor.

Additionally, once those burgers are put on the flat-top grill, McDonald’s employees add salt and pepper for additional flavor and bring out the ground beef taste.

How Long Does a McDonald’s Burger Take To Cook?

McDonald’s cooks its fresh ground beef burgers on the flat top grill for 60 to 80 seconds, which is about half the time it used to take when McDonald’s used frozen beef patties.

On top of that, the flat top can cook multiple burgers at once, which is how McDonald’s can get the burgers out so quickly!

What Kind Of Meat Does McDonald’s Use in Its Burgers?

McDonald’s uses trimmings from various cuts of beef, including chuck, sirloin, and round, which are then ground up and formed into hamburger patties.

Additionally, McDonald’s only adds salt and pepper to the meat during the cooking process and doesn’t use any preservatives, additives, or fillers during the preparation phase.

Do Most Restaurants Microwave Their Food?

While it’s not publicly discussed very often, former employees of various restaurants have shared that food is often microwaved for different reasons.

Furthermore, according to former and current employees, Perkins and Applebee’s have been known to use the microwave to heat or reheat items before taking them out to customers.

Applebee’s even goes so far as to microwave steak, shrimp, and burgers, which are the no-no items most restaurants will not microwave since it makes those items nearly inedible and tough!

Also, if you go to a restaurant that serves all-day breakfast, you’re more likely to encounter reheated or microwaved food than if you ordered breakfast during regular breakfast hours.

However, Cheesecake Factory doesn’t have microwaves in its kitchen, and most items from the restaurant are made-to-order and made-from-scratch.

If you want to know more, you can also see our posts on where McDonald’s gets their meat, what is Big Mac sauce, and Big Mac vs. Whopper.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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