# McDonald's mystery **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 24, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380 "2017-05-24T23:26:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/1 "2017-05-24T23:26:43Z")
What is about the food or how it’s prepared that always causes me to run to the bathroom after I eat a meal from that place? This has been the case for over 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/2 "2017-05-24T23:29:51Z")
Um, it’s cheap garbage maybe? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/3 "2017-05-24T23:31:23Z")
I don’t eat McDonald’s, because, vegetarian, but I’m guessing lots of fat coupled with lots of salt that causes you to consume a lot of liquid when you eat the food. Either that, or something about it gives you gas. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/4 "2017-05-24T23:32:18Z")
> [@mmkt](#): > > What is about the food or how it’s prepared that always causes me to run to the bathroom after I eat a meal from that place? > > This has been the case for over 20 years. I don’t eat stuff from there that often, but that never happens to me. maybe the problem is you. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/5 "2017-05-24T23:32:25Z")
What are you ordering and why do you keep getting it? McDonalds is certainly not high cuisine but that isn’t a typical reaction. You may have a GI sensitivity to certain oils or other ingredients that they use. Does it happen with food from anywhere else? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/6 "2017-05-24T23:42:37Z")
I think Ambivalid nailed it, but I’ll try to take this seriously.\*\* mmkt\*\*, exactly which cheap garbage do you eat at McDonalds that cause this reaction? ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/7 "2017-05-24T23:48:09Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Um, it’s cheap garbage maybe? I know but so is Taco Bell, Wendy’s and Burger King and I don’t have any issues after eating a meal. ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/8 "2017-05-24T23:49:12Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > What are you ordering and why do you keep getting it? McDonalds is certainly not high cuisine but that isn’t a typical reaction. You may have a GI sensitivity to certain oils or other ingredients that they use. Does it happen with food from anywhere else? All I had was nuggets and fries ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/9 "2017-05-24T23:50:31Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I think Ambivalid nailed it, but I’ll try to take this seriously.\*\* mmkt\*\*, exactly which cheap garbage do you eat at McDonalds that cause this reaction? I retired from the Quarter Pounder years ago and never ate the Big Mac. So the only thing I eat is Fries and Nuggets and it’s always the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/10 "2017-05-24T23:52:17Z")
Same issue here as **mmkt** , everything there except the chicken nuggets does the same to me. I have healthy bowels, I rarely eat fast food but when I do its ONLY McDonalds that does this. Not Wendy’s, BK, Taco Bell, Popeyes or anything else. I have learned this over quite some time. I speculate whether or not its some preservative McDonalds uses that other chains don’t, but I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/11 "2017-05-24T23:53:43Z")
> [@mmkt](#): > > I retired from the Quarter Pounder years ago and never ate the Big Mac. So the only thing I eat is Fries and Nuggets and it’s always the same thing. All three of those are high in salt. The fries and nuggets are fried in the same oil. What comparable foods do you eat that don’t produce the reaction? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/12 "2017-05-24T23:54:23Z")
> [@mmkt](#): > > I retired from the Quarter Pounder years ago and never ate the Big Mac. So the only thing I eat is Fries and Nuggets and it’s always the same thing. Those are both deep fried so that probably has something to do with it. You may be experiencing a reaction to their oil(s) and high salt content. Did you hear about the patient that went to the doctor and said, “Doc, it hurts when I do THIS!”. The doctor replied, “Well stop doing that”. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/13 "2017-05-24T23:58:24Z")
Maybe it’s particular to the two items you buy at McD’s and not to their larger menu? Simple to test, just order something different. No explosive diarrhea? You have your answer. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/14 "2017-05-24T23:58:59Z")
I’m assuming the issue is that you have to crap, not just that you have to pee, right? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/15 "2017-05-25T00:02:37Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I’m assuming the issue is that you have to crap, not just that you have to pee, right? Those aren’t the only options. ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/16 "2017-05-25T00:27:36Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > All three of those are high in salt. The fries and nuggets are fried in the same oil. What comparable foods do you eat that don’t produce the reaction? Tacos at Taco Bell Nuggets at Wendy’s Chicken at Popeye’s Nuggets/Fries at Burger King ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/17 "2017-05-25T00:29:26Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Those are both deep fried so that probably has something to do with it. You may be experiencing a reaction to their oil(s) and high salt content. > > Did you hear about the patient that went to the doctor and said, “Doc, it hurts when I do THIS!”. > > The doctor replied, “Well stop doing that”. Lol Yes it was a episode of Three’s Company when mr. Furley said to the doctor "My arm hurts when I move it like this, any advice doc? The doctor said, “don’t move it like that”😃 ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/18 "2017-05-25T00:30:50Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I’m assuming the issue is that you have to crap, not just that you have to pee, right? Yes that is the case. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/19 "2017-05-25T06:50:31Z")
How soon after you eat the meal are you experiencing these symptoms? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/20 "2017-05-25T10:37:09Z")
I think I’ve heard rumors that McDonalds has special breeds of animals that are born without legs, allowing them to cram more together in the same space. Maybe you are “lack toes” intolerant. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380.md?page=2)