It's not like they're cooking in there.
July 20, 2011 7:43 AM Subscribe
Why does McDonald's need sugar?
My husband was waiting in the drive thru at McDonald's while the restaurant was taking in its delivery. He noticed that they were loading bags and bags of sugar into the restaurant's stockroom.
What would it be used for?
The bags were large, so it's not the individual sugar packets for coffee or tea. There were several dozen flats, each with 12 bags. He thinks they were either 5 or 10 pound bags. Either way, that’s a lot of sugar.
My husband was waiting in the drive thru at McDonald's while the restaurant was taking in its delivery. He noticed that they were loading bags and bags of sugar into the restaurant's stockroom.
What would it be used for?
The bags were large, so it's not the individual sugar packets for coffee or tea. There were several dozen flats, each with 12 bags. He thinks they were either 5 or 10 pound bags. Either way, that’s a lot of sugar.
Best answer: If they have sweet tea then they make it sweet before you get it.
posted by theichibun at 7:46 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by theichibun at 7:46 AM on July 20, 2011
Best answer: I've heard that the sweet tea contains ridiculous amount of sugar per batch.
posted by jquinby at 7:48 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by jquinby at 7:48 AM on July 20, 2011
For the ice cream?
posted by JohnnyGunn at 7:48 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by JohnnyGunn at 7:48 AM on July 20, 2011
I don't know how they make the fountain soda, but they sell a lot of it, and it's about half sugar.
posted by box at 7:50 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by box at 7:50 AM on July 20, 2011
An ex boss who spent ten years with the company told me the fries are dipped in a sugar brine, then deep fried. The sugar caramelizes and gives that delicious crunchiness. Not sure if that happens in house though... Googling this will give you lots of hits.
posted by Brodiggitty at 7:53 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by Brodiggitty at 7:53 AM on July 20, 2011
Yeah, it's not the soda. The syrup for that comes in bags, premixed (flavor and HFCS). I think the base for the shakes and stuff comes premixed too.
The sweet tea's probably a lot of it.
posted by penduluum at 7:58 AM on July 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
The sweet tea's probably a lot of it.
posted by penduluum at 7:58 AM on July 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
In my neighborhood, McDonalds has a bulk sugar dispenser that employees use to add sugar to coffee and tea behind the counter instead of giving out sugar packets.
posted by Jahaza at 7:59 AM on July 20, 2011 [9 favorites]
posted by Jahaza at 7:59 AM on July 20, 2011 [9 favorites]
Sweet tea takes more sugar than you want to know.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 8:00 AM on July 20, 2011 [8 favorites]
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 8:00 AM on July 20, 2011 [8 favorites]
Best answer: Actually, let me expand on my answer a bit.
Tea is a common drink at all hours of the day. Sweet tea only lasts for a few hours sitting out unrefrigerated like I've seen it at most restaurants.
Since most McDonald's are open 24 hours in some form, that means you're looking at around 4-6 batches of sweet tea per day. And that's assuming you don't sell out a lot, which happens from time to time since people like tea.
Have you seen the plastic water pitchers most restaurants use? When you make the standard amount of sweet tea (based on the tea maker restaurants have), then you're using about one of those full pitchers just for the sugar.
posted by theichibun at 8:02 AM on July 20, 2011
Tea is a common drink at all hours of the day. Sweet tea only lasts for a few hours sitting out unrefrigerated like I've seen it at most restaurants.
Since most McDonald's are open 24 hours in some form, that means you're looking at around 4-6 batches of sweet tea per day. And that's assuming you don't sell out a lot, which happens from time to time since people like tea.
Have you seen the plastic water pitchers most restaurants use? When you make the standard amount of sweet tea (based on the tea maker restaurants have), then you're using about one of those full pitchers just for the sugar.
posted by theichibun at 8:02 AM on July 20, 2011
Having worked at McD's in Canada for 5 years, I can rule out that it's the fries, the soft drinks, the ice cream, or any other food product. Almost nothing is created on-site at McDonalds; all these items I've mentioned are factory made in mixes.
Only thing I can think of is that it's something to put in a drink. Even that seems unlikely because the normal McDonalds way is for everything to be pre-mixed so that there is no risk of employees putting things out of proportion.
2nding bulk sugar for the behind-the-counter dispenser.
posted by graytona at 8:02 AM on July 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
Only thing I can think of is that it's something to put in a drink. Even that seems unlikely because the normal McDonalds way is for everything to be pre-mixed so that there is no risk of employees putting things out of proportion.
2nding bulk sugar for the behind-the-counter dispenser.
posted by graytona at 8:02 AM on July 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The sweet tea does have sugar in the ingredients list, not HFCS.
posted by smackfu at 8:02 AM on July 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by smackfu at 8:02 AM on July 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
They're not bound by NDAs or anything and can tell you what the sugar is used for.
Are you sure? When I worked in fast food I had to sign an NDA that terminated only six months after my last day.
posted by griphus at 8:05 AM on July 20, 2011
Are you sure? When I worked in fast food I had to sign an NDA that terminated only six months after my last day.
posted by griphus at 8:05 AM on July 20, 2011
They put it in the coffee. They used to give you the packets to do it yourself, but now they do it with a machine that holds a ton of sugar. The push a lever and it releases the right amount into the coffee cup.
posted by amro at 8:11 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by amro at 8:11 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Sweet tea takes more sugar than you want to know.
So, I ran the numbers based on McDonald's nutrition facts and it looks like there's 69 grams of sugar in each large sweet tea, which comes to 276 grams in a gallon. The standard(to me at least) home recipe for sweet tea calls for a cup of sugar(roughly 200 grams) in half a gallon.
So, uh, apparently my home cooking is LESS healthy than McDonald's.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 8:56 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
So, I ran the numbers based on McDonald's nutrition facts and it looks like there's 69 grams of sugar in each large sweet tea, which comes to 276 grams in a gallon. The standard(to me at least) home recipe for sweet tea calls for a cup of sugar(roughly 200 grams) in half a gallon.
So, uh, apparently my home cooking is LESS healthy than McDonald's.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 8:56 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
They add sugar into many things, not just drinks. I believe they even use sugar in their salads. I have recently begun to notice that sugar is used in many non-sugary items. I would not be surprised that they put sugar into their hamburgers (seriously).
posted by Vaike at 9:05 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by Vaike at 9:05 AM on July 20, 2011
An ex boss who spent ten years with the company told me the fries are dipped in a sugar brine, then deep fried. The sugar caramelizes and gives that delicious crunchiness. Not sure if that happens in house though... Googling this will give you lots of hits.
Sadly, I saw this on the History Channel. The sugar is applied during the manufacturing process at the factory after the potatoes have been sliced, dried and pre-cooked. The sugar coating is applied in the factory, then the fries are frozen and shipped.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 9:08 AM on July 20, 2011
Sadly, I saw this on the History Channel. The sugar is applied during the manufacturing process at the factory after the potatoes have been sliced, dried and pre-cooked. The sugar coating is applied in the factory, then the fries are frozen and shipped.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 9:08 AM on July 20, 2011
Almost nothing is created on-site at McDonalds; all these items I've mentioned are factory made in mixes.
At both of the Mickey's I worked at (more years ago than I prefer to count, admittedly), the biscuits were made from scratch on site, using commodity-sized bags of sugar and flour.
posted by nomisxid at 9:25 AM on July 20, 2011
At both of the Mickey's I worked at (more years ago than I prefer to count, admittedly), the biscuits were made from scratch on site, using commodity-sized bags of sugar and flour.
posted by nomisxid at 9:25 AM on July 20, 2011
It is for the coffee and the tea. Pretty much everything at McDonald's has sugar (or HFCS) in it but is added before those items get to the local McDonald's.
posted by magnetsphere at 9:25 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by magnetsphere at 9:25 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not the fries and not the soda and not the ice cream mix. Anything time-consuming and prone to spills and messes is done off-site for efficiency and to ensure uniformity of product. Large sugar bags increase efficiency and decrease messes when they're in a dispenser (no more little packets) so the restaurants use them.
posted by PercussivePaul at 10:21 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by PercussivePaul at 10:21 AM on July 20, 2011
Best answer: Nth-ing the sweet tea as the answer.
McD's recipe that I remember is instant tea packet(s), 5 gallons of water, and a 10lb bag of sugar per batch. Dump, mix, serve. Tea and sugar were separate so you could also make unsweetened tea.
posted by anti social order at 1:21 PM on July 20, 2011
McD's recipe that I remember is instant tea packet(s), 5 gallons of water, and a 10lb bag of sugar per batch. Dump, mix, serve. Tea and sugar were separate so you could also make unsweetened tea.
posted by anti social order at 1:21 PM on July 20, 2011
Lot's of mcd's will sugar and cream the coffee for you. They have a dispenser behind the counter. This could account for a lot of sugar.
And I'm surprised they don't use HFCS for the sweet tea.
posted by jefftang at 2:39 PM on July 20, 2011
And I'm surprised they don't use HFCS for the sweet tea.
posted by jefftang at 2:39 PM on July 20, 2011
When I worked there, 1992-1998, they did not use bags of sugar for anything. Just boxes of sugar packets. My hazy memory was that we went through a case or two (1000 packets in each) a week?
Now, however, they have the automagical sugar and cream dispensors, which likely take bulk sugar.
At that time, the tea was brewed. It was a large teabag that ran through the coffee maker, making a concentrated hot tea mix. The iced tea dispensor would be filled with ice and this hot tea mix would be dumped in, and then topped with water. I wouldn't be surprised if the new sweet tea is the same thing plus a giant scoop of sugar. McDonald's is oddly strict to some recipes- if people expect Sweet Tea to be made with cane sugar, McDonald's will likely not allow anything else, unless there is some local or supply chain reason to change it.
Along with that, they have the new sweet/fruity frozen concoctions, which *might* use fresh sugar, but I've never watched them make them.
(Corrections/additions to other commenters:
- the ice cream and milk shake mix comes pre-mixed in bags which are poured into the machine. This is pretty fresh dairy; it comes from local-ish dairies and expires in 5 or so days.
- fountain beverages comes in bags of premixed syrup. (Instead of the old metal 5 gallon containers.)
- they don't (or at least didn't) put sugar on the salads. Some of the dressings were awfully sweet, however.
- there are no NDAs at McDonald's. They are proud of what they sell. (Which is, compared to other fast food enterprises and a lot of the crap you get at the grocery store, a much fresher and purer product. Mistakes happen, but that's the goal anyway.) The closest thing to an NDA was that you could be fired or reprimanded for bad-mouthing or bringing bad mojo onto the McDonald's name. (IE, don't go around committing crimes wearing your uniform.)
- the french fries don't have sugar in them. The commenter might be thinking of Burger King's fries, which do have some kind of delicious coating.) They are cut, blanched in hot water (to "gelatinize" the starch on the outside of the fry so they cook up crispier), and possibly par-cooked, all at the factory. They arrive at the store ready to be cooked, for 3:15 minutes at 330 degrees F. Roughly.)
posted by gjc at 2:55 PM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Now, however, they have the automagical sugar and cream dispensors, which likely take bulk sugar.
At that time, the tea was brewed. It was a large teabag that ran through the coffee maker, making a concentrated hot tea mix. The iced tea dispensor would be filled with ice and this hot tea mix would be dumped in, and then topped with water. I wouldn't be surprised if the new sweet tea is the same thing plus a giant scoop of sugar. McDonald's is oddly strict to some recipes- if people expect Sweet Tea to be made with cane sugar, McDonald's will likely not allow anything else, unless there is some local or supply chain reason to change it.
Along with that, they have the new sweet/fruity frozen concoctions, which *might* use fresh sugar, but I've never watched them make them.
(Corrections/additions to other commenters:
- the ice cream and milk shake mix comes pre-mixed in bags which are poured into the machine. This is pretty fresh dairy; it comes from local-ish dairies and expires in 5 or so days.
- fountain beverages comes in bags of premixed syrup. (Instead of the old metal 5 gallon containers.)
- they don't (or at least didn't) put sugar on the salads. Some of the dressings were awfully sweet, however.
- there are no NDAs at McDonald's. They are proud of what they sell. (Which is, compared to other fast food enterprises and a lot of the crap you get at the grocery store, a much fresher and purer product. Mistakes happen, but that's the goal anyway.) The closest thing to an NDA was that you could be fired or reprimanded for bad-mouthing or bringing bad mojo onto the McDonald's name. (IE, don't go around committing crimes wearing your uniform.)
- the french fries don't have sugar in them. The commenter might be thinking of Burger King's fries, which do have some kind of delicious coating.) They are cut, blanched in hot water (to "gelatinize" the starch on the outside of the fry so they cook up crispier), and possibly par-cooked, all at the factory. They arrive at the store ready to be cooked, for 3:15 minutes at 330 degrees F. Roughly.)
posted by gjc at 2:55 PM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
they have the new sweet/fruity frozen concoctions, which *might* use fresh sugar, but I've never watched them make them
Having had just such a concoction this morning and watched it being made: it's all automated, the smoothie machine dumps a dollop of fruit goop and a load of ground ice into a blender. If there's sugar in it -- and I'm sure there is -- it's already premixed in the fruit goop.
(It was good, BTW; two-for-one coupon on the McD website at the moment.)
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:13 PM on July 20, 2011
Having had just such a concoction this morning and watched it being made: it's all automated, the smoothie machine dumps a dollop of fruit goop and a load of ground ice into a blender. If there's sugar in it -- and I'm sure there is -- it's already premixed in the fruit goop.
(It was good, BTW; two-for-one coupon on the McD website at the moment.)
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:13 PM on July 20, 2011
Oh, and FWIW:
They put it in the coffee. They used to give you the packets to do it yourself, but now they do it with a machine that holds a ton of sugar.
At my local you can still get individually-packaged sugar and/or cream by ordering it "on the side".
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:15 PM on July 20, 2011
They put it in the coffee. They used to give you the packets to do it yourself, but now they do it with a machine that holds a ton of sugar.
At my local you can still get individually-packaged sugar and/or cream by ordering it "on the side".
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:15 PM on July 20, 2011
Response by poster: I did ask the drive-thru cashier, and it is for sweet tea! Thank you!
posted by hmo at 8:15 AM on December 12, 2011
posted by hmo at 8:15 AM on December 12, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sandmanwv at 7:44 AM on July 20, 2011 [3 favorites]