13 March 2016

#NationalBreakfastDay + McDonald's Breakfast Kitchen Tour



Most of us are particular when it comes to food that goes into our mouths. As much as possible, we want to see how these dishes are prepared and to know what ingredients were used. This is more so for moms when it comes to the food that their kids eat.

I frequent McDonald's every single week and never have I seen how they actually prepare their dishes. Well, except for the French fries fryer that we get to see from the counter. I've always wondered how they prepare their food, especially when several myths about McDo's food later on invaded social media (remember the chicken nuggets story?).


Touring McDonald's kitchen is definitely something that doesn't happen everyday (that is, if you do not work at McDo). So when I was invited to a special breakfast kitchen tour to witness how their popular breakfast items such as Egg McMuffin, Sausage McMuffin and Cheesy Eggdesal were made, I said yes right away!
We had the tour at McDonalds BGC Forum last week. To begin our tour, we were oriented by Mr. Ziggy Felongco, McDonald's Quality Assurance Officer, on what to expect and for some safety reminders. Cleanliness is a main priority at McDonald's so we were asked to wear hairnets and to wash our hands. Ms. Apple, branch manager of McDo BGC Forum, also joined us in our tour.


We first headed to their storage areas where their products are neatly organized. Everything that you'll need for a McDonald's breakfast can be found there - eggs, muffins, and pandesals for the Egg McMuffin and Cheesy Eggdesal and Southern style sausages for the Sausage McMuffins. These ingredients are sourced from trusted suppliers and are stored properly. They don't let their ingredients lose their freshness as they adhere to strict food safety and quality standards at all times. These standards are followed by all McDonald's markets globally.

The tour of the kitchen proper was more exciting as we were finally able to see how these breakfast products are made! First on our list was how the local favorite, Cheesy Eggdesal, was made. Scrambled eggs were cooked into rectangular molds, then slices of American cheese are cooked with it. Lastly, the fluffy egg is folded to fit the pandesal. The pandesal, on the other hand, is placed inside automatic toasters to evenly warm them and thereafter it is buttered. Freshly-cooked folded eggs are then placed on top of the pandesal just right before serving them to maintain their warmth and freshness.


Another breakfast favorite is the Sausage McMuffin. This one is my favorite among all of their breakfast offerings. If you have noticed, the sausage they are using isn't exactly what we are accustomed to here in the Philippines. It is because these are juicy and savory all-beef Southern Style Sausages which are supposed to be round instead of elongated. Anyway, these are cooked in highly automated cookware to maintain their uniformity. Meanwhile, the English muffins are toasted and buttered thereafter to give it a buttery flavor. The sausages, together with a slice of American cheese, are placed in between the muffins right before serving.


Lastly, we were able to witness how the iconic Egg McMuffin is made. Grade A eggs are cooked in buttered circular molds to give them a uniform shape. The yolks are cracked to achieve an evenly cooked texture. Another thing I learned during the tour was that what is added in an Egg McMuffin is actually Canadian bacon and not ham. These are already cooked so they just warm it up by placing it on top of heat for a few seconds per side. Before serving, the Egg McMuffin is assembled by placing the Canadian Bacon on top of the egg, together with a slice of American cheese, in between the English Muffins.


From what I have noticed, they mostly use highly automated machines in cooking their food. They also place their freshly cooked ingredients in a warmer, and if these have been sitting for too long, they dispose them already. I believe this is to ensure uniformity in all of their products, as well as for safety and other quality standards. They wanted to ensure that any item that would come out of their kitchen is hot and fresh. Anyway, this experience was definitely one for the books! It made me feel more assured that every McDonald's meal that I enjoy is made from high-quality ingredients and are freshly cooked and prepared.

If you want to try out these McDonald's breakfast favorites (for FREE!), be sure to take part in McDonald's 4th National Breakfast Day! On March 14, more than 400 participating McDonald's breakfast restaurants nationwide will be giving away free McMuffins to customers from 6:00AM to 7:00AM. Each customer will be able to get his or her free McMuffin on a first-come-first-serve basis via dine-in, take-out, or drive-thru. These Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffins are convenient breakfast options and are great handheld morning meals. Be sure to drop by at McDonald's before going to school or work!


Pumped up for your best Monday ever? Share your excitement on McDonald’s official Facebook page, facebook.com/McDo.ph, or tag @McDo_PH on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #NationalBreakfastDay. For more information on the 4th National Breakfast Day, visit www.mcdonalds.com.ph.

XO, Mish


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1 comment:

  1. There are three McDonald's branches along C5 Mindanao and I'm thinking to drop by any of those Branches tom am. My mother, who will serve as my driver for that day, is not enthusiastic re my idea. ��

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