Man returns McDonald’s cheeseburger to In-N-Out and gets free food

A man is going viral after discovering a way to successfully exchange a McDonald’s cheeseburger order for free food from In-N-Out.

TikToker Anthony Villegas has a whole channel dedicated to fast food. Whether it’s trying out new items or ordering off secret menus, he’s always willing to try out what viewers suggest, even if the idea is a bit wacky.

On April 3, a viewer suggested that Villegas order a McDonald’s burger and then return it to In-N-Out by telling them they made it wrong. Not one to shy away from a challenge, the TikToker accepted.

First, he went to In-N-Out and got a cheeseburger before heading to McDonald’s where he bought one of theirs and switched the packaging. From there, he headed back to In-N-Out with a plan in place.

“I had a cheeseburger, but I just want a normal hamburger if that’s possible,” Villegas told a worker as he handed her his In-N-Out bag with the McDonald’s burger inside.

Instead of taking it to the back, however, the employee handed Villegas his food back and let him keep it as the staff prepared his plain burger.

When all was said and done, the mission was accomplished and the content creator now had an extra burger.

“And that is how you get a free burger from In-N-Out,” he grinned.

Regardless, users in the comments were impressed with how staff handled the situation and former employees even revealed why the tactic works.

“Used to work there, you don’t even need proof of anything just go up and say you’re missing a burger or something is wrong with a burger and they’ll make another one, no receipt or proof of the burger,” one commented.

“In-N-Out typically has the best customer service, hate their lines but service is top notch,” another chimed in.

Before you go and try this at your local chain, keep in mind that Villegas doesn’t advise other customers try this at home. He even ended up admitting that after he received the food, he let the staff know it was a prank and gifted them $10 for their trouble.