Ever wondered what restaurant staff really avoid eating? Grab your napkins—these behind-the-scenes confessions will have you looking twice at some of your favorites!
What’s Really on the Menu? “Specials” Exposed
- Let’s start with the “dish of the day.” While it may sound homemade and unique, several servers revealed that it’s often just a clever way to repurpose leftovers from the day before. The kitchen whips up a new creation with yesterday’s ingredients and sells it cheap—not because they’re generous, but because they want it gone, fast. It might look tempting on the board, but unless you enjoy a culinary version of Russian roulette, it’s best avoided.
- Prefer something fresher? Many servers recommend sticking to à la carte options. Since these are ordered more frequently, restaurants are forced to restock ingredients often, meaning your meal is much more likely to be fresh and safe (shocking, we know).
Food Fails: What Staff Secretly Skip
- At sushi restaurants, there’s a fishy truth to the butter-like escolar (sometimes called « white tuna »). Rather than being the luxury it seems, a former sushi worker warned that some places substitute this “buttery” section with—wait for it—wax. While it’s not deadly, it can cause severe stomach cramps. So, next time you’re feeling adventurous with sushi, maybe pass on that mystery melt-in-your-mouth piece.
- Burger King’s chicken fries aren’t just light on chicken—they’re practically chicken-scented batter by the time they reach your plate. Not only are they fried twice (whittling the meat away with every dip), but the pre-cooked strips are stored in bins before getting a final fry for the illusion of freshness.
- If fish sandwiches catch your eye, here’s another secret: at Burger King, the Big Fish sandwich sits above the fryer for hours (possibly days), soaking in oil until someone orders the lone sandwich of the day. Nothing says appetizing like days-old, oil-marinated fish!
- McDonald’s breakfast beyond breakfast hours? The eggs and muffins are microwaved leftovers, especially if you order in the afternoon. That deflated look on your McMuffin wasn’t your imagination.
Hidden Traps in Fast Food and Bars
- Chicken wings at Buffalo Wild Wings are another peril, especially after lunch rush. According to a former employee, wings are simply reheated from leftovers earlier in the day. Want it safer? Go for boneless—apparently, chefs sometimes discover dubious things inside the regular ones.
- Milkshakes and ice cream from fast-food machines may look delicious, but the machines are rarely cleaned as often as they should be. This makes them a wellness retreat for bacteria and germs. The same cleanliness problem extends to the self-serve soda and ice machines at many chains. Want a cola with a splash of mystery bug? No thanks.
- Bars often cut corners on cleanliness, too. Barmen admit not all bar fridges or Martini olive brine are handled with hygiene top of mind. That unrefrigerated olive juice behind the bar in the summer heat? An open invitation for bacteria—and a flavor that definitely won’t win a prize.
- Order a beer in a bar that looks less than spotless? Opt for bottled instead of draft and you’ll dodge the swarms of germs that can accumulate in rarely cleaned beer taps, even if it means paying more for less.
The Dirty (and Sometimes Dangerous) Details
- “Vegan” options in fast food chains aren’t always strictly vegan. The famed Beyond Meat burger is cooked on the same grill as the beef patties. Cross-contamination is almost unavoidable, and a truly 100% plant-based meal remains a rare unicorn, especially in the fast-food world.
- If you love salads, you may want to rethink ordering them at fast food joints. Staff say they avoid them for hygiene reasons—salad greens are often tossed by ungloved hands, and bagged lettuce browns quickly after opening.
- Some ingredients, like pulled pork used only for a single rare sandwich, may be days or even weeks old by the time they’re finally served. “Our pulled pork might have been lurking for weeks,” confessed a server on Reddit. Imagine the flavor of ‘aged’ pork… or don’t.
- Eggs Benedict may be classic brunch fare, but beware of the hollandaise sauce. Sometimes it’s pre-made, forgotten in storage for ages, and never checked for freshness. As chef Anthony Bourdain famously warned, hollandaise is never made to order and sits at room temperature all day. “Bacteria love hollandaise,” he cautioned.
- If Starbucks’ bakery case makes your mouth water, know that all the food is frozen and reheated, not fresh—just expensive.
Conclusion: Eat Smart, Stay Fresh
Restaurant insiders have spilled some house secrets, and while it can be a little disheartening to discover your favorite dish might have had a previous (and lengthy) life in a fridge or fryer, knowledge is power—and potentially better digestion. When in doubt, look for high turnover items, trusted locations, and a little sparkle behind the counter (in both eyes and equipment). Your gut will thank you—literally.
Iveta is an aspiring journalist with a passion for storytelling and a deep love for coffee. Always curious and creative, she dreams of sharing stories that inspire, inform, and connect people around the world
