This Viral Trick From an Ex-McDonald's Chef Will Instantly Upgrade Your Burger Order

If there’s one thing we love more than eating fast food, it’s hacking it. Whether it’s customizing an order to cut down the cost or arriving at the perfect minute of the day to score a secret menu item. Heck, we’ll even go to such lengths as to drive to two different restaurants for the ultimate fast food treat.

So, when a TikTok user tells us there’s an easy way to instantly upgrade any burger order at McDonald’s, we pay attention. P.S. This isn’t just any old creator on TikTok—this is a former McDonald’s chef. So, yeah, he knows what he’s doing.

Former McDonald’s corporate chef Mike Haracz is actually the same source who shared why customers should never order a Big Mac, and call us naive, but we trust his judgment. This week, he’s back revealing more restaurant tips, and this time it’s the burger hack he swears by. It’s a simple, but essential step that makes your burger taste fresh and fluffy every time.

Apparently, if you haven’t tried this trick, you don’t know how good a McDonald’s burger can really be.

How to Get a Steamed Bun at McDonald’s

Here’s the hack: Order your sandwich with a steamed bun. Burger, cheeseburger, McChicken—it doesn’t matter. This hack can elevate any sandwich on the menu.

"You need to go to your McDonald's. You need to order a double cheeseburger or a McDouble and then you need to request a steamed bun,” said Haracz. “I need you to try it. I need you to report back. I know you're going to love it and you're going to say to yourself, 'why have I never tried this steamed bun hack before?'”

I’m sorry, a steamed bun? What does that even mean?

Well, if you’ve ever ordered a Filet-O-Fish and enjoyed the extra-soft, extra-fluffy bun that comes with it, you know exactly what we’re talking about.

As it turns out, there’s a steamed bun machine that is used specifically for the Filet O’Fish sandwich (likely one of the factors that makes the fast-food fish sandwich a top choice).

Last year, in a TikTok video by @essentialmcdonalds (which now has over 28 million views), an employee let us in behind the scenes to show what “steaming the bun” really looks like.

The bun goes cut side down into a sort of steamer drawer where it’s blasted with steam for 11 seconds. In the video, the appearance doesn’t seem to change too much from the before and after, but customers have reported the steamed bun to be “massive” and taste like a “fluffy cloud.” 

"It's basically like the difference between a towel and a steamed towel - but for the tastebuds," one Reddit user poetically described.

Although this hack might be new to you, it is far from new in existence. For tons of customers, it’s just another part of their drive-thru routine.

“Steamed buns should be the norm. They make a difference,” said one fan on TikTok.

Why A Steamed Bun Is Better 

There are several theories as to why this makes for the better burger, like this Reddit comment: “Steam bun means they have to make whatever you order fresh as they need to cook the steam bun not just use what's in the warmer.”

When the bun is infused with steam, it becomes softer, airier, and more moist (not to mention, warmer), giving you a squishier bun and a more satisfying eating experience.

One TikTok user, who was convinced this hack was a myth, did a side-by-side cheeseburger tasting to put the steamed bun theory to the test. The size comparison alone was shocking—the steamed bun was almost double the size of the original, puffed up with hot air. 

“It’s so squishy!,” she said, “I will now be ordering a steamed bun for the rest of my life.”

One Reddit user writes, “The filet-o-fish buns are different (and better!) and I've never understood why those are only for the fish.” We, and plenty of other fans, agree. But, now that the secret’s out, our options are no longer limited. 

To score the better bun, just ask for the “steamed bun instead of the toasted bun” or the “bun used on the Filet-O-Fish sandwich.” Some commenters warn the order does take a little longer to complete, but confirm it's worth the wait.

However, a word of advice from another former McD’s worker: “Hot tip, if you’re going out to try a steam bun now, do your [McDonald’s] worker a favour and say that at the start of the order.” Otherwise, they say, the kitchen will make it the default way once you start ordering and will have to remake it if you don’t clarify first thing, which will send the first sandwich straight to the garbage. 

So, if you haven’t already headed out to McDonald’s before finishing this article, you know what to do now. As for us, it seems we’ve found our new favorite source for fast-food secrets.