Restaurants Have Access to Better Mayo—Here’s How It Differs and Where to Find It

When it comes to mayonnaise, there are many options to choose from. You have your real mayo, light mayo, organic, a version made with olive oil, and even some that are tangy and spicy. 

You may have heard of heavy-duty mayo or, if not, most likely have tasted it as so many restaurants and fast-food joints use it in their dishes. But what is it really? We took to the internet to learn from a former McDonald’s corporate chef.

What Is Heavy-Duty Mayonnaise?

Former McDonald’s corporate chef Mike Haracz posted a video on his TikTok account to discuss what exactly this popular condiment is all about. In response to a question from a viewer asking what makes a heavy-duty mayo “heavy-duty,” Haracz had lots to add. He is, after all, pretty well aquatinted with the condiment. 

“I’ve made deli salads for the likes of Walmart, Kroger, Sam’s Club, and Costco,” says Haracz. “So I have had to use heavy-duty mayonnaise quite a bit.”

Haracz goes on to explain how heavy-duty mayonnaise compares to the regular type we tend to buy at the store and use at home for our sandwiches and salads.

“Heavy duty has more egg,” he says. “It is a thicker, creamier, more kind of emulsified mayo so it holds up better,” meaning it can help hold ingredients together so your egg salad is thick rather than watery. 

“It also has a little more browning properties if you’re putting mayonnaise in something that’s going to be heated,” Haracz says. You can thank the added egg to ensure that the mayo does “not break down or split—that’s when you have an oily pool of mess."

Now, you might think that if a mayo is thicker and can bind egg or tuna salad together more efficiently, it may weigh more and be a little more dense. However, Haracz says that’s not the case: “Heavy-duty mayonnaise weighs less by volume than regular mayonnaise because there is more fat.”

Where to Find Heavy-Duty Mayonnaise

If you’re a big grilled cheese fan like us and have used mayo on the outside of the sandwich instead of butter, Haracz says "You’re gonna wanna find heavy-duty mayonnaise for the best version of that.” And if you’re wondering where you can find such a mayo, check your local Walmart, Sam’s Club, or Amazon for Hellmann's Extra Heavy Mayonnaise (or a version of it).