Questions answered
There are 29 questions about “Gherkins” in the “What's in the food?” topic.
Click on a question to read our answer.
- 1. Why the hell would you put gherkin's in your burgers?
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The majority of customers enjoy the burgers as they are and the gherkin is one of the special ingredients that make a McDonald's burger unique. There has always been a great debate around whether McDonald's burgers taste better with or without the gherkins. Some people love them, others don't, and that's OK. However, if you would like a burger without a gherkin, please request this when you order.
(Jan 2010)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 2. Hello, Can you please tell me why you have not actually sent someone into a restaurant to count how many ghurkins are actually taken out of the burger by customers, and either thrown away or at a ceiling / wall or similar? why would you put these in when a majority of people take them out, you only have to walk around and watch people with burgers in pieces to see this! Thanks!
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Gherkins (pickles) have always been a signature ingredient in the unique taste of McDonald's hamburgers. With regard to the dill pickle's popularity - there has always been a great debate around whether the burgers taste better with or without the gherkins. Some people love them, others don't, and that's OK. For now, McDonald's is staying with the dill pickle and letting each customer make up his or her own mind as to how they want their burger served. If however you don’t like the gherkins you can choose to have your burger without them. Just let the crew member know and they will see to it that your burger is freshly made to your preferences.
(August 2009)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 3. I have to write a feature about mcdonalds for media studies at college and I'm writing about whether people like gherkins or not. Can you pplease let me know who answers the questions so I can reference it? job title etc.
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Thank you for your question. With regard to the dill pickle's popularity - there has always been a great debate around whether the burgers taste better with or without the gherkins. Some people love them, others don't, and that's OK. For now, McDonald's is staying with the dill pickle and letting each customer make up his or her own mind as to how they want their burger served.
Hope this helps with your project. From a reference standpoint - you can say this is answer is from one of the Makeupyourownmind question team.
Also, if you are a student, McDonald’s has lots of information packs that you may find useful. They have been designed to help address the type of questions that you may ask about the company operations. To take a look, visit the 'Schools & students' section that can be found under 'About us' at www.mcdonalds.co.uk
(July 2009)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 4. I have been told by an ex mcdonalds employee that the reason you put gerkins on your burgers is because without them the burgers lack the nutritional value to be classed as legally edible. Is this true?
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No this is not true, the gherkins are there as a signature to McDonald's burgers. Gherkins have been part of the sandwich for decades and are there for no other reason than taste.
(June 2009)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 5. is it true that one or two pickles are only put in the burger because if they werent the burger would be classified as confectionery?
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No, this is not true. Gherkins have always been a signature ingredient in the unique taste of McDonald's burgers. There has always been some debate around whether McDonald's burgers taste better with or without the gherkins. Some people love them, others don't, and that's OK. If you would prefer your burgers without gherkins, just let the restaurant staff know when you place your order. To find out more about the ingredients of McDonald’s products, see ‘Ingredients’ which is in the ‘Food’ section of www.mcdonalds.co.uk.
(March 09)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 6. How much do McDonalds spend on gerkins each year in the UK
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Thank you for your question. As you know the Make Up Your Own Mind site was set up to answer questions about the McDonald's business in the UK as openly and honestly as possible. However as we state on the site, some information cannot be given out because it is commercially sensitive and therefore confidential. McDonald’s is sure you’ll appreciate that the exact breakdown of the kind of financial information you are asking for is highly confidential and the company doesn’t release it.
(March 09)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 7. How do you make your gerkins? They seem to have an aftertaste much like petrol.
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Firstly apologies for the delay in answering your question, the team has been very busy with all the questions that are pouring in and everybody is working hard to answer them all.
The gherkins are grown in Turkey. They are pickled in vinegar with dill spices which gives that particular taste which can be distinctive to some palates.
(Dec 08)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 8. Why dont people like the gherkins that are in your burgers? Do you put poison on them?
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Firstly apologies for the delay in answering your question, the team has been very busy with all the questions that are pouring in and everybody is working hard to answer them all.
There is definitely no poison in the gherkins. They have always been a signature ingredient in the unique taste of McDonald's hamburgers. There has always been some debate around whether McDonald's burgers taste better with or without the gherkins. Some people love them, others don't, and that's OK. If you would prefer your burgers without gherkins, just let the restaurant staff know when you place your order.
To find out more about the ingredients of McDonald’s products, see ‘Ingredients’ which is in the ‘Food’ section of www.mcdonalds.co.uk.
(Dec 2008)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 9. can I go to a Mcdonalds restrsunt and buy the pickles? If not what is the closest brand to what they use?
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Sorry, but the dill pickles are made specifically for McDonald's. They are grown in Turkey and once they reach about six inches in length, they are harvested and pickled in vinegar and spices before being sliced and supplied to McDonald's restaurants. You should find something similar at your local supermarket, though McDonald's can't recommend any product in particular.
(September 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 10. I only ever have gerkins at when I'm at mcdonalds. They are ok but i don't know anything about them. Can you tell me more. Is gerkin a meat and if so, which animal does it come from?
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McDonald's uses Dill Pickles in their burgers. These are basically pickled cucumbers and they are a vegetable.
The ingredients are as follows: Cucumbers, Water, Salt, Vinegar, Dill Pickle Blends (contains E414 Gum Arabic, Extractives of Dill and other spices, Extractives of Turmeric), E509 Calcium Chloride, E202 Potassium Sorbate, E211 Sodium Benzoate.
Details of all McDonald’s ingredients are available online in the 'Ingredients List' which is in the 'Eat Smart' section of www.mcdonalds.co.uk. Also, there is a comprehensive list of nutritional and allergen information available at www.mcdonaldsmenu.info.
(September 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 11. why do mc donalds always put GURKINS(pickles) in theyre bigmacs when the most majority of people dont like them
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There has always been a great debate around whether the burgers taste better with or without the gherkins. Some people love them, others don't, and that's OK. For now, McDonald's is staying with the gherkin and letting each customer make up his or her own mind as to how they want their burger served.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 12. What is the point in gerkinising your burgers? (yep, I made that word up). It's just that I would say that more of these horrid green slices of pickle end up wasted than in peoples stomachs. If you don't believe me, look at the ceiling next time you go in a Maccy D's. Has anyone ever done the naths to see how much money would be saved if you ditched this putrid, and totally uneccesary little extra? :o) Just let the gherkin farmers down gently, you're all they have!
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There has always been a great debate around whether the burgers taste better with or without the gherkins. Some people love them, others don’t, and that’s OK. For now, McDonald's is staying with the gherkin and letting each customer make up his or her own mind as to how they want their burger served.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 13. I was disturbed by recent news that Gherkins contain the poison cyanide. Is this true?
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No, this is not true. (October 2007)
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 14. You claim that your dill pickle slices are not fresh as they are pickled. Is it not true that the dill pickle slices and also the onion is dried and is rehydrated in the restaurant. Surely this is the real reason they are not classed as fresh.
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Where ever possible, McDonald’s will always use fresh ingredients. As you correctly state, the dill pickles are not fresh: they are pickled – just as you would buy them in a supermarket. There are two types of onions used in the burgers. Fresh onions are used in the Quarter Pounder. In the Hamburger, dehydrated onions - rehydrated in the kitchen - are used. This is to give the sandwiches the distinctive tastes and textures.
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What are these? Delicious Digg Reddit Facebook StumbleUpon - 15. Is it true that the only reason that you always put a gherkin on a cheeseburger is because there is so much sugar in it, that if you didnt it would have to be decribed as a dessert? I ask this as a mother of a 3 year old and a qualified dental nurse. I take my daughter to McDonalds as a treat and was very concerned when I heard this from a fellow mum.
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This is another myth. The gherkins are actually there as a signature ingredient of McDonald's burgers, and have been part of McDonald's sandwiches for decades for no other reason than taste.
The Cheeseburger contains approximately eight grams of sugar which is found in the bun and the ketchup. All McDonald's food, ingredients and nutritional information are available online in 'Eat Smart' section of www.mcdonalds.co.uk under the 'Nutrition Counter'.
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