A former McDonald's corporate chef has suggested that the fast food chain is 'purposefully' making its burgers 'bad' to keep customers coming back for the more costly items on the menu.
Illinois-based Mike Haracz, who worked at the company until 2019, took to TikTok to spill the secrets about the fast-food chain's prices, burgers and a recent conspiracy theory that McDonald's has found itself embroiled in - with foodies claiming that the restaurant is 'sabotaging' its own food.
He explained that he believed that the fast food giant had been intentionally making its cheeseburger, which costs $2.89, less tasty so that customers would upgrade to the more costly option, a $6.69 Quarter Pounder.
In a viral video, which has so far amassed more than 150,000 views, chef Mike claimed he had a flood of information to 'back up' the conspiracy theory.
![A former McDonald's corporate chef has suggested that the fast food chain is 'purposefully' making its burgers 'bad' to keep customers coming back for the more costly items on the menu](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/85214105-13448253-A_former_McDonald_s_corporate_chef_has_suggested_that_the_fast_f-a-1_1716414014709.jpg)
A former McDonald's corporate chef has suggested that the fast food chain is 'purposefully' making its burgers 'bad' to keep customers coming back for the more costly items on the menu
![Illinois-based Mike Haracz , who worked at the company until 2019, took to TikTok to spill the secrets about the fast-food chain's prices](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/85213991-13448253-Illinois_based_Mike_Haracz_who_worked_at_the_company_until_2019_-a-3_1716414015005.jpg)
Illinois-based Mike Haracz , who worked at the company until 2019, took to TikTok to spill the secrets about the fast-food chain's prices
The former corporate chef suggested that McDonald's wanted the cheaper burgers on the menu to 'be bad' because the chain didn't want to make 'the cheaper food better.'
He captioned the viral clip: 'Former McDonald's chef has theory about its regular burgers being bad.'
'McDonald's is making the regular cheeseburgers bad on purpose. I'm a former McDonald's chef and I believe in this conspiracy theory,' he said at the beginning of the clip.
Chef Mike noted that he 'realized' why the chain had made a slew of changes to the 'bun and burger process.'
He claimed that McDonald's intentionally made its cheaper burger options worse in hopes customers would spend more money.
'So they have been making a lot of money by selling the more profitable items. Why would they wanna make the cheaper things better?' Mike asked.
'So that more people would eat them? Because then they would be making less money.
![Chef Mike suggested that McDonald's wanted the cheaper burgers on the menu to 'be bad' because the chain didn't want to make 'the cheaper food better'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/74894541-13448253-Chef_Mike_suggested_that_McDonald_s_wanted_the_cheaper_burgers_o-a-2_1716414015005.jpg)
Chef Mike suggested that McDonald's wanted the cheaper burgers on the menu to 'be bad' because the chain didn't want to make 'the cheaper food better'
![The former chef argued that this was all a ploy to get more people to order the more expensive burgers (regular burger seen)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/85214065-13448253-The_former_chef_argued_that_this_was_all_a_ploy_to_get_more_peop-a-6_1716414015539.jpg)
![The former chef argued that this was all a ploy to get more people to order the more expensive burgers (Quarter Pounder seen)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/85214101-13448253-The_former_chef_argued_that_this_was_all_a_ploy_to_get_more_peop-a-4_1716414015021.jpg)
The former chef argued that this was all a ploy to get more people to order the more expensive burgers (regular burger seen left and Quarter Pounder seen right)
The former chef argued that this was all a ploy to get more people to order the more expensive burgers.
'I think they've made a bunch of changes to their core, cheap, affordable, items so that way when you go there—which you probably are gonna go there anyway—you're like, man that cheeseburger just doesn't hit like it used to, I'm gonna get the Quarter Pounder,' he added.
'Arguably the Quarter Pounder is the best thing on the menu, it is better than some fast-food burgers when they actually cook it to order.
'But this is why I think they are just changing things around and making the regular cheeseburger too expensive for you to buy, not a value, and not as good, cause you're gonna trade up to the more expensive thing, making McDonald's more money.'
At the end of the clip, the McDonald's chef revealed that he believed the fast-food giant was 'sabotaging its own food for its benefit.'
People flooded the comments section and echoed his thoughts.
One person said: 'McDonald's has seriously over estimated its importance.'
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/85214213-13448253-image-a-5_1716414015021.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/85214225-13448253-image-a-8_1716414015793.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/85214217-13448253-image-a-7_1716414015793.jpg)
![People flooded the comments section and echoed his thoughts](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/22/22/85214215-13448253-People_flooded_the_comments_section_and_echoed_his_thoughts-a-9_1716414015812.jpg)
People flooded the comments section and echoed his thoughts
Someone else added: 'Nothing at McDonald's hits like it used to.'
Another user commented: 'I haven't been there in ages. No plans on going back.'
'It's all bad,' a fourth person wrote.
DailyMail.com has contacted McDonald's for comment.
Mike's conspiracy comes after fast food wars between Wendy's and McDonald's were launched into full force when Wendy's began offering $3 breakfast to foodies.
Mike often posts about his days at McDonald's, previously revealing why you should avoid visiting the fast-food restaurant before 10.30am as well as how menu items are decided in your region.