V

M E

W
C RE

O
LO
R
P M E NT P

QUALITY!

BEEF

SMILE

WARM

ORGANIC

Friendly

GOLD STANDARDS

HOT!
100% BRITISH PORK

GOLD STANDARD

FRESH

VITAL
CUSTOMER INGREDIENTS
SMILE

HI

HELLO!! FRIENDLY

INGREDIENTS

THANKS

VITAL INGREDIENTS

Deliver

SMILE THANKS

Quality Unit
Workbook

Welcome to the

Quality Unit
Workbook

At the heart of what we do, is making sure that each and every customer has a great experience.
There are three parts to making this happen for every customer, every time.
The purpose of this workbook is to help you build confidence in these three areas.
The first part is about how you behave and act when you are at work. The Vital Ingredients is
our name for the everyday behaviours you can demonstrate to create these great experiences.
Once you understand the behaviours, the second part then need to understand the correct
procedures to do the job and achieve exceptional levels of quality. This workbook will help you
with important information about our food, and how we prepare and present it, that in addition
to the Training Flyers will increase your understanding of how we all play an important role in
delivering quality food. In particular, this Workbook will guide you through the journey of our food
from the field where it grows or is reared, to the customer.
The Training Flyers have some really important information contained within them. Its important
therefore that before completing this workbook you should have read through the following flyers:
Grilled products
French Fries
Buns and Dressings
Prepping Products
BOP Initiator/Chaser
BOP Batch Cooker/Assembler
You can get these from ourlounge.co.uk or ask your Manager to print you off a copy.
The final and most important element is that you are focused on your customers and the
experience you are providing them. The key to this is understanding how your behaviour and
actions impact the customer experience.

W ELCOM
E

CONNE
CT

For example,
preparing
and cooking
French Fries

My Customers
Experience
EL
L

My
Procedures

FARE W

My
Behaviour

The Vital Ingredients

DE L

Quality Unit Workbook

IV E R

Benefits to delivering a great customer experience

Here are some benefits to developing your ability to deliver
great customer experiences:
1

It makes people feel good and in turn might make you
feel good

 ou could make someones day; dont waste the

Y
opportunity

 iving customers a great experience also helps to create

G
a good team-working environment

 our restaurants team results are directly affected by

Y
how you behave, as well as what you do

If you are consistently great, you will have more

opportunity for development within the restaurant

Journey to your Quality Star

Complete all initial Quality
SOCs (passed at 80%+ all
critical factors)

Complete the Unit

Workbook

Pass the Unit

Test (70%)

Quality
Star

Throughout this workbook, you will be asked to complete a number of exercises and activities
to help you put the knowledge you will gain into practice. Once you have read through the
workbook and completed the various exercises, you should answer the 9 verification questions
at the end of the Workbook to ensure that you have understood all of the information.
On completion of the workbook and verification questions, you should let your Coach (Crew
Trainer or Manager) know. They will then verify and sign the workbook, and arrange for you to
complete the Quality Unit Test.
In total, this workbook should take around one to two hours to complete.

Remember Your confidence will grow with practice in your role.

Good Luck!

Quality Unit Workbook

My Behaviour

Contents
This workbook is broken down into the following sections;

My Behaviour
Everything we do is for the customer............................................................................................................................... 5
An Introduction to The Vital Ingredients ........................................................................................................................ 6

My Procedures
Sourcing our Food Getting the raw ingredients right ....................................................................................... 9
Delivering and Storing the Ingredients ........................................................................................................................ 12
Cooking and Preparing our Food ..................................................................................................................................... 16
How we Prepare Drinks and Desserts .......................................................................................................................... 24
Food Safety .................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Gold Standard Descriptors .................................................................................................................................................. 29

Focusing on the Customer

Bringing it all together reflection ....................................................................................................................................31

Verification
Test your knowledge................................................................................................................................................................ 32

Appendix
Gold Standards............................................................................................................................................................................. 34

Icons key:

Throughout the Workbook, look out for the icons detailed below.

Fact an
interesting
fact

Did you know?

something you
probably didnt know
but will hopefully
stick with you

Watch out some

common observations
of what to look out for
that can make things
go off track

Remember
something
important
you need to
remember

Quality Unit Workbook

Activity a task
completed when
you are working in
the restaurant or at
the Crew Room PC

Exercise
something to
help you apply
what you are
reading

My Behaviour

Everything we do is for the Customer

When our customers visit, they expect great Quality, Service & Cleanliness (QSC). This means
they want quality food that is hot and fresh, served in a clean and safe environment, by Crew who
are friendly and create an exceptional experience.
Our quality food is at the heart of creating this experience for every customer, every time. So
what does the customer expect from their food? Quite simply, the food we serve should be:

HOT, not lukewarm or cool

CRISP, not soggy
FRESH, not stale
NEATLY DRESSED, not messy
TASTY
SAFE, not undercooked or
contaminated

Activity: When you had your last break, how did your food compare to
this list? Put a tick or cross beside the factors our Customers look for in
their food.

Remember: When youre preparing or serving food, think like a

customer! Ask yourself the question: Would I be prepared to buy the
sandwiches in this restaurant?
If the answer is: No, then its certain that your customers wont either.

So how do we deliver on these expectations for each and every customer? By acting and
behaving in a way that creates a great experience.

Quality Unit Workbook

My Behaviour

The Vital Ingredients

Its how we work
Preparing, cooking and assembling safe food that meets the
correct standards is all part of delivering great QSC. Following
procedures, understanding what the customer expects and
personally checking food quality all help to achieve this, but so
does how we do our work.
Whatever your role is in the restaurant, you contribute to the
overall experience the customer receives. To ensure this is the
best it can possibly be, everyone needs to play their part, and
understand how their behaviour and actions impact both the
customers and each other.

Our Customer
Experience Vision is to:

Give the
customer what
they want, each
visit, every time

The Vital Ingredients are the everyday behaviours and actions

that guide us to deliver an exceptional experience.

It is important that you understand how you bring these to life as these are the common
ingredients our customers want to see when they visit us. When we provide extraordinary
experiences to our customers they:
Feel welcome
Enjoy their visit with us
Look forward to coming back again
Tell their friends good things about McDonalds
Become loyal customers

Quality Unit Workbook

My Behaviour

Here are some examples of what The Vital Ingredients are and
how you can demonstrate them at work.
Exercise: In the space provided write down your own idea about how
you will demonstrate the Vital Ingredients when youre working in the
kitchen.

VALUE & RESPECT those on both sides of the counter

We always remember the importance of saying please and thank you
We work as a team and care about high standards
We come to work clean and smart and take pride in our appearance
If we get something wrong, we apologise and look for a way to make it right

MAKE IT SPECIAL for every McDonalds customer

We always put a positive customer experience before any task we are completing
We are patient and helpful with customers who may need extra time or assistance
We treat our food and drink with care
We always look for ways to make someones day

FRIENDLY & FAST a smile can make a day

We greet and say goodbye to team members and customers with a smile and eye contact
W e know when customers are in a rush and when we can have more conversation with them
We work with energy and enthusiasm
We stay friendly and professional even when others are having a bad day

BE YOU let your personality shine

We are individuals who use our personalities to give our customers a great experience
We greet each customer as an individual and in a way we feel they would like to be greeted
We are aware of our body language and how it might come across to our team
members and customers
We always do our best

ENJOY WHAT YOU DO have fun

We create enjoyment and teamwork on a shift
We create an enjoyable experience for our customers
We are positive people who use positive body language
We keep in mind that our good or bad moods can affect others

Quality Unit Workbook

My Behaviour

How do we deliver on the

Customer Expectations?
When it comes to our food, the customers
expectations are really clear. To help us be able to
deliver consistently on every product, McDonalds has
developed its own standards of excellence, known as
the Gold Standards.
Quite simply, this refers to the quality standard
we expect from all McDonalds products. When
assessing the assembled food in our restaurants, we
should be evaluating the menu items quality in the
same way that our guests do, by thinking about the
following key attributes:
Appearance
Temperature
Texture
Taste

The Gold Standards are used all around

the world to help achieve a consistency
of core McDonalds products in every
restaurant across the globe. By achieving
the Gold Standard, we will be successful
in beating our competition and
exceeding our customers expectations.
At the back of this workbook, youll find
some of the Gold Standard descriptions
for many of the core food and drinks
items we serve. You should read through
them all carefully. When you do so, have
a think about the food you have eaten
in McDonalds does it match these
standards, each and every time?

Delivering Gold Standard food to each and every customer is easy when you follow the
procedures that McDonalds have been refining for many years. To make sure we are successful,
everyone must play their part in sourcing and looking after the food; from the farmer who grows
or rears the raw ingredients, to the Crew Member who prepares and assembles the finished
products. To understand this more, we need to look at the journey our food takes from the
farm where it is sourced, to the customer. In this Workbook, well follow the journey of our food,
stopping along the way to look in detail at the most important areas:

Sourcing our Food Getting the raw ingredients right

Delivering and storing the ingredients how the food
is delivered and stored in the freezer, chiller and stock
room
Cooking and preparing our food
Main Menu How we cook and look after food that
starts on the grill
Main Menu How we cook and look after fried food
Breakfast How we cook and look after food served
at breakfast
How we prepare drinks and desserts
As the food goes on its journey from the farmers fields to the customer,
its critical that we all ensure the food is safe to serve to our customers.
In section six, well look at food safety in detail, but look out for the food
safety symbol throughout the workbook that will highlight when there is an
important food safety point you need to be aware of and/or act upon.

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Sourcing our Food

Getting the raw ingredients right
In order to deliver Gold Standard quality products, we
need the right ingredients. We are committed to using the
best raw ingredients and only work with trusted suppliers.
As well as helping us to deliver Gold Standard food to the
customers, knowing where our food comes from builds the
customers trust in us as a brand and this keeps them
coming back for more.

Why else do you think its important that our customers know where
their food is sourced from?

Here are some facts on our most important ingredients:

Beef
Thick rib

Fore
rib

Rump

Thick
Flank

Thin rib
Brisket

Shin

Sirloin

Topside

Neck Chuck
clod blade

Silverside

We only use whole cuts of forequarter and flank in our Hamburgers,

with nothing added or taken away in the process. We simply add a
little salt and pepper after cooking
Only beef that can be traced back to the farm of origin is used for
McDonalds Hamburger patties
All of the beef we use comes from farms accredited by a nationally
recognised Farm Assurance Scheme. McDonalds is proud to be one
of the biggest purchasers of British and Irish beef sourcing from a
large number of British and Irish farms

Flank
Leg

Chicken
The only meat we use across our entire chicken menu is breast
meat
We only use chicken from suppliers who meet our strict animal
welfare standards

Pork
We use only 100% British pork, which is all sourced from
Freedom Food-approved farms that meet strict RSPCA
animal welfare standards

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Fish
McDonalds UK has been using sustainably sourced fish in all of its fish
products since 2001
All fish products served in our UK restaurants now carry the official Marine
Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-label
The blue logo printed on the packaging of the Filet-o-Fish and Fish Fingers
items represents our on-going commitment to sustainable sourcing, and
shows that all the fish we use in the UK is fully traceable from sea to
restaurant

Eggs
Since the end of 2008, all of the eggs used across the entire menu
have been Free Range
We take great care to ensure that all of our Free Range eggs conform
to the Lion Mark code of practice or equivalent
Our suppliers are accredited by a nationally recognised Free Range
Farm Assurance scheme

Milk
All of the milk for our Milkshakes, McFlurry desserts, and organic milk bottles are
sourced from farms in Britain and Ireland
We can trace all of our milk right back to the farms where it came from
Organic semi-skimmed milk is used for all our coffees, teas, porridge and organic milk
bottles

Potatoes
McDonalds famous French Fries are produced from only the best quality potatoes, such as
Russet Burbank, Shepody, Pentland Dell and Innovator the vast majority of which come from
the UK
Our French Fries are approved by the Vegetarian Society
No flavourings are added to our French Fries, apart from a little salt prior to serving. At certain
times of the year when there is little naturally occurring sugar in potatoes, a light sugar solution
may be used to ensure that our French Fries maintain their characteristic golden colour

Salad
We use at least three varieties of salad leaves in our food, including
Iceburg and Batavia. We choose to use Iceberg Lettuce for our
main sandwiches because of its sweet flavour and crisp texture.
We also use Batavia Lettuce for the Chicken Legend and some
promotional items, because of its characteristic curly edged
leaves. When in season, we source these from UK farms, and out of
season we source from other European countries such as Spain, the
Netherlands, France and Italy
We encourage good environmental practice, for example, water
recycling is used to irrigate the crops during the summer and waste lettuce is used to make
compost

10

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Cooking Oil
The cooking oil used in our restaurants is a blend of High
Oleic sunflower oil, Sunflower oil, High Oleic Rapeseed oil
and Rapeseed oil
Since 1998, the levels of Trans Fatty Acids in our cooking
oil have been reduced from 30% to below 2%. This is the
lowest possible level that can be achieved, because of
the presence of naturally occurring trans fats in oils

We collect and
process our
used cooking
oil into biodiesel which
we use to power our
delivery lorries.

You can find out more about where our food comes from by visiting
ourlounge.co.uk or www.mcdonalds.co.uk and clicking on What
makes McDonalds. Have a look at both websites and make a note of
three other interesting facts about where our food is sourced from:

1.
2.
3.
Exercise: Think about a situation where you could let a customer know
one of the facts you have found through your research. Make a note of
it in the box below:

Remember: You can use your fact when next on shift and interacting
with a customer.

Quality Unit Workbook

11

My Procedures

Delivering and
Storing the Ingredients
You can see a lot of care is taken to
source the right ingredients in
order to help deliver Gold Standard
food to our customers, but thats only
the start. Getting the products from
the farms to our restaurants is a big
undertaking and we work closely
with our distributer to ensure that it is
transported with the utmost care.
One of the most critical times for the
quality and safety of our food is when it
first arrives in the restaurant. That makes
the task of managing deliveries a really
important one.

Once the ingredients are in the

restaurant, they will initially be stored
in one of three places:
The freezer for frozen items, e.g.
beef patties
The chiller for chilled products, e.g.
lettuce
The stock room for products kept
at ambient (room) temperature, e.g.
pickles

Managing the Ingredients

During the Delivery
As soon as the lorry arrives containing the delivery,
the ingredients must be checked to ensure that the
quality has not been affected during transit.

For both frozen and chilled deliveries, the first thing that a Manager will
check as soon as the trailer door is opened is the product temperatures.
This will be recorded on the Delivery Acceptance Sheet and in the Daily
Product Safety Checklist (normally referred to as the DPSC)
The temperatures should be:
Frozen: Between -18C and -23C. A tolerance
of 2C is allowed during a frozen delivery, so
the warmest allowable temperature is -16C
Chilled: Between 2C and 4C. A tolerance of
+/- 1C is allowed during a chilled delivery, so
all chilled products should be between 1C and
5C

12

Quality Unit Workbook

Poor handling can damage

ingredients delivered to
the restaurant; the most
delicate products of all are
the frozen ones, as freezing
makes products very
brittle.

My Procedures

Frozen and chilled ingredients are highly susceptible to a rise in

temperature; therefore deliveries must be loaded into the freezer and
chiller as quickly as possible.
The Manager will use a probe to check the air and product temperatures in both the chiller and
main freezer.

Managing Critical Products During the Delivery

When loading or unloading
products, you must
prioritise the most critical
products when placing
them in the Chiller or the
Freezer:
1. SUPER CRITICAL all
chilled products
2. VERY CRITICAL all
meat products, which
must be put away within
30 minutes, frozen buns
and desserts
3. MODERATELY CRITICAL
potato products

The careful handling of deliveries is vital to protect the quality

and food safety of raw products. In addition, the positioning
of products in the freezer is essential in order to maintain
quality. The area nearest the door in the freezer is where the
greatest temperature fluctuations take place. This is because
when the door is opened, warm air can get in, which causes
the temperature to fluctuate. Therefore, beef products should
be stored furthest away from the door but not under the
evaporator, as they are the most critical.

Stacking Requirements
The final stage of receiving a delivery is carefully placing the
products into the storage areas. There are some important
procedures to follow. When stacking products, you should
ensure that you always:
Maintain a 2cm gap between two boxes of product
Maintain a 5cm gap between the product and the wall
Maintain a 15cm gap from the ceiling
Maintain a 30cm gap from the Evaporator

We do this to allow air to circulate around the products, which maintains the correct temperature.
As well as looking after the products during the delivery, we must also store them in the correct
way once they are in the restaurant. That means keeping them for the right amount of time in the
chiller, or freezer, or on the dressing table or in the transfer bin. To help us do this, we store the
products according to their shelf lives.

Shelf Lives
If products are left out for longer than their shelf life, product quality and, in some instances, food
safety can be affected. This will certainly impact on the Gold Standard.
Primary Shelf Life
All products delivered to the restaurant must have a clearly indicated minimum shelf life. Products
must be removed from the storage areas by checking these dates and ensuring that FIFO (First In,
First Out) is used. Using the FIFO rotation system will ensure that:
The product delivered first, or with the earliest use by or best before date, is used first
Unnecessary waste is reduced

Quality Unit Workbook

13

My Procedures
Secondary Shelf Life
The secondary shelf life is the amount of time a product can be held in the preparation area after
it has been moved from its primary storage area, e.g. the main chiller or the main freezer. At room
temperature, products stay fresh for a limited amount of time; therefore it is important to discard
products that reach the end of their secondary shelf life.
Look out for the Secondary Shelf Life and
Tempering Chart in your restaurant.

Secondary Shelf Life & Tempering Chart

Always follow the following standards:

Sauces put in the chiller overnight must be tempered the next day
Include the expiry date AND the time on all secondary shelf life labels
Label defrosting / tempering products with a Ready At date and time as well as the
secondary shelf life date and time
If a further secondary shelf life is applied, e.g. upon opening a pack, this must
not exceed any existing primary or secondary shelf life
Updated SATO labelling information can be found on the intranet

Once opened, keep products covered by re-sealing the packaging or by placing in a

clean sanitised container with an air-tight lid
Re-seal opened packaging using Use First tape wherever possible
Keep condiments etc. covered with appropriate lids when not in continuous use
Any products except sauces that have been tempered cannot be re-chilled
Any products except sauces remaining on the dressing table at the end of the day must
be discarded

product
Name

Frozen Buns

Defrost

2 hours - tray
Defrost/
4 hours - defrost
Tempering
rack
(if applicable) 12 hours - stacked

Frozen
10:1 / 4:1 /
Fish, pies,
promo Meat
Chicken and
patties
Veggie

Deli Rolls

Tortilla
Wrap

Defrost
4 hours - in
defrost rack
ambient

Defrost 24 hours
ambient (in
single layer)

Deli Grilled
Chicken

McDonalds
Fresh
Cheese
Onions/Sliced
Slices
Tomatoes

RTE Bacon

N/A

Defrost
24 hours Chilled

Defrost
20 mins ambient

Temper
1 hour
ambient
MFY STORES 5 Hours

Temper
1 hour
ambient

N/A

N/A

96 hours Chilled
(inc. defrost)

N/A

24 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

Main freezer
Use first
next day

Main freezer
Use first
next day

48 hours
Chilled

Keep Frozen

24 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering/
re-sealed)

Lettuce

Cucumber

Salad Base
&
Cherry
Tomatoes

ApRIL 2013

Any queries call the QA hotline on 0208 700 7303

Always follow the following standards:

Tortilla
Wrap

2 hours - tray
Defrost/
4 hours - defrost
Tempering
rack
(if applicable) 12 hours - stacked

Defrost
4 hours - in
defrost rack
ambient

Defrost 24 hours
ambient (in
single layer)

N/A

Secondary
Shelf Life
Sealed pack

48 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

48 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

99 hours
inc. defrost

Secondary
Shelf Life
Open pack

Use first within

secondary shelf
life

Use first within

secondary shelf
life

Secondary
Shelf Life
In Use

As above
Keep covered
when not in use

As above
Keep covered
when not in use

Defrost

ambient

36 hours
Open bag must
be folded over

As above. Keep
bag folded over,
when not in use

Use first within

secondary shelf
life

Use first within

secondary shelf
life

Secondary
Shelf Life
In Use

Frozen
10:1 / 4:1 /
Fish, pies,
promo Meat
Chicken and
patties
Veggie

Deli Rolls

Frozen Buns

48 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

Secondary
Shelf Life
Open pack

99 hours
inc. defrost

36 hours
Open bag must
be folded over

As above
Keep covered
when not in use

As above
Keep covered
when not in use

As above. Keep
bag folded over,
when not in use

2 hours
Grillside freezer

2 hours
Vatside freezer

During prep:
30 minutes
ambient. As
preset: 24 hours
Chilled

180 minutes
(inc. 20 minute
defrost)

2 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

Tube
Sauces

Bulk
Ketchup

N/A

Temper
1 hour
ambient

N/A

N/A

N/A

48 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Open tubes
in main chiller
overnight
use first
next day

7 days
ambient

72 Hours/
store in chiller
overnight sealed lid

72 hours/
Store in chiller
overnight
sealed lid

72 hours/
Store in chiller
overnight
sealed lid

72 hours/
Store in chiller
overnight
sealed lid

Cartridge or
Squeeze bottle
48 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

Dispenser:
Discard at end
of day

72 Hours
ambient
(including
tempering)
DO NOT REFILL

72 hours
ambient
In bottle (inc
tempering)
DO NOT REFILL

72 hours
ambient
In bottle (inc
tempering)
DO NOT REFILL

72 hours
ambient
In bottle (inc
tempering)
DO NOT REFILL

N/A

2 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

2 hours ambient
(including
tempering)

Keep in chiller

N/A

N/A

24 hours
In main chiller
Use first
next day

24 hours in main
chiller in sealed
pot - Use first
next day

72 hours
Chilled in
sealed
container

N/A

24 hours
Chilled
(inc.
reconstitution)

2 hours ambient
(including
tempering

2 hours ambient
on dressing
table

During prep:
20 minutes
ambient

In salad:
8 hours Chilled

Temper 1 hour
ambient

Mustard

N/A

N/A

2 hours ambient
(inc. tempering)

premium
Tomato
Sauce

Temper 1 hour
ambient (if
stored in chiller
overnight)

pickles

Reconstitute
1 hour
Chilled
Temper 1 Hour
ambient

Temper 1 hour
ambient

5 days ambient
(needs to be kept 24 hours ambient
in its brine)

Sauces put in the chiller overnight must be tempered the next day
Include the expiry date AND the time on all secondary shelf life labels
Label defrosting / tempering products with a Ready At date and time as well as the
secondary shelf life date and time
If a further secondary shelf life is applied, e.g. upon opening a pack, this must
not exceed any existing primary or secondary shelf life
Updated SATO labelling information can be found on the intranet

Once opened, keep products covered by re-sealing the packaging or by placing in a

clean sanitised container with an air-tight lid
Re-seal opened packaging using Use First tape wherever possible
Keep condiments etc. covered with appropriate lids when not in continuous use
Any products except sauces that have been tempered cannot be re-chilled
Any products except sauces remaining on the dressing table at the end of the day must
be discarded

product
Name

48 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

Spicy Tomato Sweet Chilli

Sweet &
Salsa
Sauce
Tangy Sauce

Dehydrated
Onions

Secondary Shelf Life & Tempering Chart

ambient

Secondary
Shelf Life
Sealed pack

N/A

2 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

Dispenser:
Discard at end
of day

Discard at end
of day

Temper 1 hour
ambient

Temper 1 hour
ambient

product
Name

Coffee
Beans

Hot
Chocolate
Syrup

Semi
Skimmed
Milk
(for coffee
machine only)

Milk
portions

Shake Mix &

Soft Serve

McFlurry
Toppings
and
Flake 99

McFlurry/
Sundae
Sauces

Chocolate,
Vanilla
and Banana
Syrup

Strawberry
Syrup

Frapp and
Smoothie
Base Mix

Yoghurt

Chocolate/
Caramel
Drizzle

Donuts

Sweet
Muffins

Triple Choc
Cookie

English
Muffins /
Bacon Roll

Frozen
Bagels

Shell
Eggs

Liquid
Eggs

Sausage
patties

Back
Bacon

pancakes

Liquid
Butter

Brown
sauce

Defrost/
Tempering
(if applicable)

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Defrost
2 hours
ambient

Defrost 2 hours
ambient

Defrost 2 hours
ambient

Defrost
2 hours - tray
4 hours defrost rack
12 hours - stacked
ambient

Defrost
2 hours - tray
4 hours defrost rack
12 hours - stacked
ambient

N/A

N/A

N/A

Defrost
24 hours
Chilled

Defrost
12 hours
Chilled

Temper 30
minutes ambient

If chilled,
Temper
30 minutes
ambient

Secondary
Shelf Life
Sealed pack

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

5 days
ambient
(inc. defrost)

5 days ambient
(inc. defrost)

48 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

72 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

2 hours ambient.
Return uncracked
eggs to main
chiller. Use first
next day

2 hours
ambient
Return closed
cartons to main
chiller. Use first
next day

N/A

7 days
Chilled
(inc. defrost)

4 days
Chilled
(inc. defrost)

N/A

N/A

N/A

Re-run:
12 hours
Chilled
Use during
busy periods

24 hours
from removal
of film

24 hours from
removal of film

Use first within

secondary shelf
life
Keep covered
when not in use

N/A

2 hours
ambient.
24 hours
Main chiller
Use first
next day

Main
freezer
Use first
next day

N/A

Discard at
the end of the
breakfast shift
Keep covered
when not in use

7 days
Chilled

14 days
Chilled

24 hours
from removal
of film

24 hours from
removal of film

As above
Keep covered
when not in use

As preset 48 hrs
chilled in sealed
pot or 2 hours
ambient in sealed
pot

As above
Keep covered
when not in use

Secondary
Shelf Life
Open pack

Chilled
Use first
next day

4 hours
ambient
Do not
re-chill

N/A

Use first
next day

72 hours
in bottle

7 days
ambient

7 days
Chilled

N/A

7 days
ambient

14 days

N/A

Use first
next day

N/A

Use first within

secondary shelf life
Keep covered when
not in use

Cucumber

Salad Base
&
Cherry
Tomatoes

Dehydrated
Onions

Temper 1 hour
ambient

N/A

N/A

Reconstitute
1 hour
Chilled
Temper 1 Hour
ambient

2 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

2 hours ambient
(including
tempering)

Keep in chiller

N/A

N/A

24 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering/
re-sealed)

24 hours
In main chiller
Use first
next day

24 hours in main
chiller in sealed
pot - Use first
next day

72 hours
Chilled in
sealed
container

N/A

24 hours
Chilled
(inc.
reconstitution)

2 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

2 hours ambient
(inc. tempering)

2 hours ambient
(including
tempering

2 hours ambient
on dressing
table

McDonalds
Fresh
Cheese
Onions/Sliced
Slices
Tomatoes

Deli Grilled
Chicken

RTE Bacon

N/A

Defrost
24 hours Chilled

Defrost
20 mins ambient

Temper
1 hour
ambient
MFY STORES 5 Hours

Temper
1 hour
ambient

N/A

N/A

96 hours Chilled
(inc. defrost)

N/A

24 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

Main freezer
Use first
next day

Main freezer
Use first
next day

48 hours
Chilled

Keep Frozen

2 hours
Grillside freezer

2 hours
Vatside freezer

During prep:
30 minutes
ambient. As
preset: 24 hours
Chilled

180 minutes
(inc. 20 minute
defrost)

Secondary
Shelf Life
In Use

24 hours
ambient

In hopper:
7 days
Break cycle
weekly

Discard
Weekly

4 hours
ambient
Do not
re-chill

24 hours
ambient

Re-run:
Must be
used within
12 hours

7 days
ambient

Lettuce

72 hours in
bottle
DO NOT
REFILL

7 days
ambient

7 days

2013 McDonalds. The Golden Arches logo, McFlurry, McNuggets and Im lovin it are trademarks of McDonalds Corporation and its affiliates. Secondary Shelf Life Poster

7 days

24 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

During prep:
20 minutes
ambient
In salad:
8 hours Chilled

As above
Keep covered when
not in use

30 minutes
ambient
once cracked

2 hours
ambient

Any queries ca

In pan - discard
at the end of the
breakfast shift.
72 Hours
In squeeze bottle ambient in
48 hours ambient
bottle (inc.
(inc. tempering).
tempering)
place bottles
DO NOT REFILL
in main chiller
overnight, use first
next day

Mustard

Tube
Sauces

B
Ket

N/A

N/A

Temper
1 hour
ambient

N/A

N/A

48 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

pickles
2 hours
Grillside
freezer

268249 NABB113 25

5 days ambient
(needs to be kept 24 hours ambient
in its brine)

2 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

Discard at end
of day

Dispenser:
Discard at end
of day

Cartridge or
Squeeze bottle
48 hours
ambient
(inc. tempering)

7d
am

Disp
Discar
of

product
Name

Coffee
Beans

Hot
Chocolate
Syrup

Semi
Skimmed
Milk
(for coffee
machine only)

Milk
portions

Shake Mix &

Soft Serve

McFlurry
Toppings
and
Flake 99

McFlurry/
Sundae
Sauces

Chocolate,
Vanilla
and Banana
Syrup

Strawberry
Syrup

Frapp and
Smoothie
Base Mix

Yoghurt

Chocolate/
Caramel
Drizzle

Donuts

Sweet
Muffins

Triple Choc
Cookie

English
Muffins /
Bacon Roll

Frozen
Bagels

Shell
Eggs

Liquid
Eggs

Defrost/
Tempering
(if applicable)

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Defrost
2 hours
ambient

Defrost 2 hours
ambient

Defrost 2 hours
ambient

Defrost
2 hours - tray
4 hours defrost rack
12 hours - stacked
ambient

Defrost
2 hours - tray
4 hours defrost rack
12 hours - stacked
ambient

N/A

N/A

Secondary
Shelf Life
Sealed pack

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

5 days
ambient
(inc. defrost)

5 days ambient
(inc. defrost)

48 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

72 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

2 hours ambient.
Return uncracked
eggs to main
chiller. Use first
next day

2 hours
ambient
Return closed
cartons to main
chiller. Use first
next day

Secondary
Shelf Life
Open pack

Chilled
Use first
next day

N/A

4 hours
ambient
Do not
re-chill

N/A

Re-run:
12 hours
Chilled
Use during
busy periods

Use first
next day

72 hours
in bottle

7 days
ambient

7 days
Chilled

N/A

N/A

N/A

Use first
next day

24 hours
from removal
of film

24 hours from
removal of film

Use first within

secondary shelf
life
Keep covered
when not in use

Use first within

secondary shelf life
Keep covered when
not in use

N/A

2 hours
ambient.
24 hours
Main chiller
Use first
next day

Secondary
Shelf Life
In Use

24 hours
ambient

In hopper:
7 days
Break cycle
weekly

4 hours
ambient
Do not
re-chill

24 hours
ambient

7 days
ambient

7 days
ambient

14 days

7 days

7 days

24 hours
ambient
(inc. defrost)

24 hours
from removal
of film

24 hours from
removal of film

As above
Keep covered
when not in use

As above
Keep covered when
not in use

30 minutes
ambient
once cracked

2 hours
ambient

Products that have exceeded their secondary shelf life will not meet McDonalds Food Safety
and Quality Standards. All products must have their secondary shelf life clearly indicated.
Discard
Weekly
Re-run:
Must be
used within
12 hours

7 days
ambient

72 hours in
bottle
DO NOT
REFILL

Within our restaurants, we also use reach-in chillers and freezers. These give us quick access to
frozen food when we need it.
At the end of serving breakfast or main menu products, you should re-seal any open boxes or
bags of product that are in the reach-in freezers and return them to the main freezer. These
products should be used first the next day.
2013 McDonalds. The Golden Arches logo, McFlurry, McNuggets and Im lovin it are trademarks of McDonalds Corporation and its affiliates. Secondary Shelf Life Poster

Products in the reach-in chiller and open tubes of sauce on the dressing table should be resealed
where appropriate and returned to the main chiller. These should also be used first the next day.

14

Open tubes
in main chiller
overnight
use first
next day

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Remember: Getting the product from the field into the stock room, and
then storing it in the right way is really important to ensuring each and
every customer receive Gold Standard food each visit, every time.

List three reasons why it is important to focus on the delivery and

storage of our food:

1.

2.

3.

Exercise: Before you move on to the next section, lets test your
knowledge. What order should these products be put away in?

Product

Order

Frozen Buns

Meat Products

Potato Products

Dessert Products

Chilled Products

Ambient Products

Quality Unit Workbook

15

My Procedures

Cooking and Preparing our Food

Now that you know how to deal with deliveries and to store the food in the right way, the next
stage of the journey is to cook or prepare the food and drink for customers. In McDonalds
restaurants, our food is either cooked on the grill (like the famous Big Mac) or in the fryer, including
our ever-popular Chicken McNuggets.
Lets start by looking at the procedures you need to follow on the grill in order to deliver Gold
Standard food to every customer.

Main Menu How we cook and

look after food on the Grill
When we say food on the grill, what we really mean is the
food that contains a product cooked on the grill. For main
menu items, this is usually our famous beef hamburger
patties. Its really important that we serve beef patties that
are safe and of the highest quality. Our standards are the:
Food Safety Standard
All probed patties must be at or above 70C,
having been cooked at or above the minimum
cook time

Using your
knowledge,
or the
Grilled Products
Flyer available via
ourlounge.co.uk, what
are the minimum
cooking times for:
Regular meat (10:1)
_____ seconds

Visual Standards
None of the patties show signs of red/pink meat, and the juices
run clear/yellowish by the time the patty would be placed on
the sandwich and by the time of the Destructive Test

Quarter meat (4:1)

_____ seconds

Quality Standards
One probed patty must be between 70C and 78C, provided
all probed patties meet the Food Safety Standard and all
patties meet the Visual Standard

Oval Meat (3:1)

_____ seconds

Although the meat may look great, it is imperative that the temperature in the middle of the patty
reaches the right level, to ensure that all bacteria have been killed. The only accurate way to
check that cooked meat is safe to serve is to use a probe to check the internal temperature.
Lets have a look at how cooking temperatures can affect the quality of a product. Remember, if
you follow the right procedures, you can avoid things going wrong.

Overcooking Beef Patties

The effects of overcooking mean that the Beef Patties can be:
Dry and shrunken
Tough and chewy
Lose their taste

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Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Remember: To ensure you do everything you can to prevent

overcooking, these simple tips:
Check the grill is set at the correct temperature
Remove the meat in the same order it was laid
Take the meat off the grill as quickly as you can

Undercooking Beef Patties

The effects of undercooking beef patties can be serious. The
way to kill the E.Coli bacteria that can be present in meat
products is to ensure that the Beef Patty is cooked properly. We
look for a minimum temperature of 70C when completing the
daily DPSC beef checks, although in practice the patties reach
a much higher temperature during cooking within the clamshell
grill. To ensure beef patties are cooked properly, you should
also look for the following signs:
The meat should be a grey/beige colour inside, with no red or
pink bits
The meat should have clear running juices and no red juices
on the surface
The meat patty should be 8090% dark brown in colour

Remember: To ensure you do everything you can to prevent

undercooking, follow these simple tips and remember to:
Ensure DPSC checks have been completed
Ensure the release sheet is in good condition
Check the grill temperature is set correctly
Check the correct product is selected
Check the quality of the raw ingredients for temperature abuse and dehydration
Clean the grill surface after each run, as carbon build-up can reduce the surface
temperature of the grill
Ensure all grill tools are sharp, as this will make it easier to clean the grill and to
remove the meat, which means less carbon build up and a better quality meat patty

Production Control
Once the cooked food has been removed from the grill, you then need to control the amount of
food you have available to customers in the transfer bin.

Production control is the ability to produce enough hot, fresh and tasty food to exceed our
customers expectations, without producing excessive waste.

Quality Unit Workbook

17

My Procedures

Exercise: Why do you think it is important to control the amount of

food available to customers?:

Production Modes

The Production Modes are:

There are different production modes to help produce quality

food quickly and efficiently. These are methods of cooking
products at a rate to satisfy customer demand and to deliver
the highest quality grilled products.

Call As Needed (CAN)

Pull Lay
Bun Lay
Continuous

For 10:1 meat, the production modes are:

Call as needed (CAN):
The Production Caller will request products to be produced as and when they are needed. This
requires one person who operates buns, dressings and the grill.

Pull Lay:
A run of a product is laid, cooked and assembled, and a second run of buns is laid as the grill
platen rises. This requires two people one on grill, and one positioned on buns and dressings.

Bun Lay:
This is a higher volume mode, where the second run of buns is put down part way through the first
run of meat cooking. Buns are laid 20 seconds before the removal of the meat. This requires three
people one on grill, one on buns and one on dressings

Continuous:
This is a very high volume mode, where the second run of buns
is laid when disengaging the toaster for the first run of buns.
This requires four people two on buns, one on dressings and
one on grill. The bun person should co-ordinate the grill team.
It is important to understand all of these modes in order to be
able to meet customer demand.

You can find

out production
modes for 4:1
and 3:1 meat on the
Production Control
Flyer, available on
ourlounge.co.uk

Remember: Cook less more often. This will deliver hotter, fresher
products
18

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

The 3 Cs
When youre working as part of the grill team, you should use the 3 Cs to ensure the team works
smoothly and efficiently together, to achieve the quality products our customers expect. The 3 Cs
are:
Communication
Coordination
Cooperation

Communication
A well run area is one where everyone is clear about what they need to do. Communication is
critical to ensuring great QSC. Make sure that you always communicate clearly with others in your
team, in order that any potential problems are dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Coordination
Coordination means working in a manner where everyone knows what they are doing and when to
do it. Ensure that you coordinate your work with the other members of your team at all times. For
example, if you are coordinating the grill team, you need to speak with both the crew member on
the grill to put the meat down and also the bun person to put the appropriate number of buns down.

Cooperation
Cooperation is working together to get the job done. Ensure that you work with the team to
meet the QSC standards. For example, if the person on dressings needs to re-stock their area,
you, as the person on buns, should cooperate with them to ensure that this can be done without
jeopardising the flow of products.

Main Menu How we cook and

look after fried food
Whilst many of the principles of cooking food on the grill and in the fryers are the same, there are
some important differences to be aware of. The most important to remember is that any fried
product is only as good as the oil that its cooked in, so we need to look after the oil.

Looking After the Oil

Whenever
you start work
on the fried
products station you
must check the oil for
these three things:

The oil level should be at the normal line on the back of the
vat. The oil level is critical. If the level is too low, food may not
be totally immersed in the oil and might not cook properly.
When topping up oil, do not add too much, because if the oil
level is too high, products are liable to float out of the basket.
This could also create a potential fire hazard.

Temperature
Level
Condition

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19

My Procedures

Oil condition is vital to the

finished product, as any
off tastes in the oil will be
transferred to the products
cooked in it. Oil in bad
condition will show the
following signs:
Yellow foaming/slow lazy
bubbles
Excessive smoking
Off/rancid taste
Dark in colour

Oil showing any of these signs should not be used.

Oil breaks down naturally and whilst you cannot prevent this,
you can slow the breakdown and prolong the life by taking the
following steps:
Filter every day and clean the vats with fryer cleanser
Skim frequently
Oil is one of the areas that sometimes gets overlooked, yet it
has such a big impact on the quality of the food the customer
receives. By identifying and preventing the six enemies of oil,
you can help to prolong its life and ensure that quality food is
produced.

The 6 Enemies of Oil

Exercise: There are 6 enemies of oil. Complete the following exercise
to get a better understanding of how you can ensure good quality oil.

What is the enemy?

How can you prevent the enemy?

Carbon

Air

Salt

Heat

Water

Chemicals

20

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Fried Products
All chicken products arrive in the restaurant pre-cooked, but must still be properly fried in the
restaurant to ensure a good quality product is served to the customer. Before chicken is delivered
to our restaurants it is passed through an oven and flash fried this ensures that the chicken is
properly cooked right through.
Follow these simple tips to produce good quality fried products that will help deliver Gold
Standard food:
Check the oil condition, level and temperature
Ensure the cooking times and temperatures are correct, and the UHC is set at 93C
Inform a Manager if any equipment is damaged
Hold the product in the UHC for the right amount of time and dispose of it in the red bin once
the holding time has expired
Stack product in the UHC correctly. If you dont, this may cause it to go soggy and it may not
maintain the right temperature
Fill baskets to the right level
Ensure you use the right basket for the right product

Batch Cooking
Batch cooking allows you to cook more than one run of product at a time, which is sometimes
necessary to maintain adequate levels of product so that you can meet the demand of your
customers.
We batch cook as its the fastest way to get the job done. Batch cooking also takes advantage
of the fact that menu items have different cooking times. You should start batch cooking when
the product level falls below the correct guidance stated on the UHC level chart. You should stop
batch cooking when the levels in the UHC are met for that product.

French Fries
French Fries are a product that customers
keep coming back for.
70% of our customers order fries with their
meal, so its a really important food item for
our business. As one of our most popular
products, it is critical that we produce and
sell a quality product at all times.

Cook according to the volume

of sales. Once the timer on the
vat has sounded indicating
that the holding time has
expired, Fries should be
discarded in the appropriate
red bin.

Follow these procedures and top tips to deliver Gold

Standard Fries:
Check all heat lamps are working properly
Check the oil level, temperature and condition
Ensure there are adequate fry scoops, skimmers and Accusalt shakers
Always use TLC when handling frozen fries, as they are extremely fragile
A Gold Standard French Fry will be hot, fresh and lightly salted. Package fries only
as needed by keeping them in the salting tray for as much of clock their 5 minute
holding time as possible. This will prevent them from losing temperature and going soggy.

Quality Unit Workbook

21

My Procedures

How we cook and look after

food served at breakfast
McDonalds is the number one branded outlet for Breakfast,
so it is important that we act as a market leader in order to
protect and build upon this. Breakfast is a huge opportunity in
the market, with over 280million breakfasts a year eaten out
of the home. These customers are looking for quick, efficient
service and a great product. Over the last few years we have
introduced new initiatives, products and packaging to meet this
demand.

Visit www.
ourlounge.
co.uk, search
for breakfast and talk
to a Manager about
the Breakfast products
we serve.

What are the three most popular breakfast products in your restaurant?

1.
2.
3.
Why is it important that muffins are correctly toasted?

If a customer asked, where could they find information on the nutritional information for Porridge?

How do we cook pancakes?

22

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Holding Times and Defrost Times

Holding Times
Once any product that started from the grill or fryer has been
cooked or prepared and placed in the transfer bin, there are
set times for how long they can be held. These holding times
ensure that our customers receive hot, fresh products.
The transfer bin is not designed to be a hot holding cabinet,
as products are only placed in it for a short period of time. It is
critical that timecards are used to monitor the holding times of
all products being held in the transfer bin to ensure hot, fresh
food is always served. Holding times must not be exceeded.
FIFO also applies to the food when it is assembled. Food
prepared first must be served first. These systems are critical
to ensure good quality products are served to the customer
every time.

If you arent sure what a Timecard is or how it is used, when you are
next on shift ask a Crew Trainer what they are and how they work.
Make a note of their answer below:

Defrost Times
Many of the products being delivered to our restaurants are frozen. For example, Deli rolls,
promotional buns and some desserts. Before these products are used they need to be defrosted.
It is important that all defrost times are adhered to, to ensure that products have properly thawed
out before they are used. If products arent defrosted properly, the temperature of the overall
sandwich could be cold and unpleasant to eat, meaning the customer will not receive a Gold
Standard quality sandwich.
Any food that has exceeded its holding time should be disposed of in a red bin so that it can be
counted as waste.

Quality Unit Workbook

23

My Procedures

How we Prepare Drinks and Desserts

As our business continues to
develop and evolve, we have
seen some menu innovations
with additions to the drinks
and desserts we offer, as well
as continuing to offer many
of our customers favourites.
This is all to help us deliver on
our mission of delivering what
the customer wants, each visit,
every time.
At McDonalds, what
customers drink is as
important as what they eat.
This means that all drinks
have to be the same high
standard as the food we serve.

Some of our key drinks and desserts are branded as McCaf.

This is the premium drink and sweet snacking range and it is
used as a visible badge of product quality. It includes three
product ranges:
Hot Drinks: Mocha, Espresso, Latte, Cappuccino, White Coffee,
Black Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate
Iced Drinks: Strawberry and Banana Iced Fruit Smoothie,
Mango and Pineapple Iced Fruit Smoothie, Caramel Iced
Frapp and Mocha Iced Frapp
Sweet Snacking: Chocolate Muffin, Blueberry Muffin, Sugar
Donut, Sticky Toffee Muffin and Triple Chocolate Cookie
Look out for the McCaf logo throughout
Section 5 to see where the McCaf
branding is used.

Cold Drinks
Our cold cups are clearly marked with drink fill and ice fill
lines so that our drink servings are consistent and provide
value to customers. The drinks tower should dispense the
correct amount of drink into the cup. If the cup isnt quite
full, it means that you need to put more ice in it.

Always check the appearance of the

drink before serving.

If you fail to put enough ice in cold drinks, this can have a negative
effect on customer satisfaction. If you overfill a cup with ice this may
cause the drink to spill when you put on the lid, or when the customer
handles it.

24

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Orange Juice, Milk and Water

These products come to us pre-packaged. We
only use the best quality branded drinks of
water and organic milk, and our juice is 100%
pure orange juice. It is important that before
serving these drinks you check they are in
date and have been kept chilled, to ensure
that you are serving good quality drinks.

Milkshakes
Our milkshakes are made from real dairy
products and should only be prepared (pulled)
at the customers request, so that they are
fresh, thick and cold. Milkshakes should be thick
with an icy bite, and cold and with no signs of
melting. Always ensure that they are filled to the
correct line on the side of the cup and check the
appearance to ensure good quality.

All our Milkshakes are

suitable for vegetarians.

McCaf Hot Drinks, Iced Fruit Smoothies,

Iced Frapps and Sweet Snacking
Hot Drinks
To ensure that every customer gets a Gold Standard
product, you should only prepare hot drinks on demand.

You may have noticed that our hot drinks

cups show a picture of a frog with the
stamp certified. This means that the coffee
we serve in our restaurants comes from Rainforest
Alliance Certified farms, where coffee beans are
sustainably grown to benefit farm families, wildlife
and the environment.

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25

My Procedures
You should always check the appearance before serving. Here are some simple things to look out
for:

Cappuccino
The top of the drink is slightly domed
It has a good coffee aroma
The coffee flavour is stronger than the Latte

Latte
The top of the drink is flat
There is a mild coffee aroma
It has a very mild coffee taste
It is a white coffee
The top has a layer of thin light brown foam
Underneath, the drink is mild brown in colour
The coffee has a fresh aroma

Black Coffee
It has golden crema (froth)
Tight bubbles covering dark black coffee
Fresh, appetising coffee aroma

Espresso
The top surface is covered with golden crema
It has a strong, roasted aroma

Hot Chocolate
It is a cream brown colour
It is sweet
It has a rich chocolate aroma and flavour
It has a creamy texture

Mocha
The top surface covered has spray cream that
has been applied from the outside of the cup
and is peaked at the centre
The chocolate dusting is evenly sprinkled on
top of the spray cream
It is silky smooth
It has a coffee and chocolate taste

Iced Fruit Smoothies and Iced Frappes

To support our vision to become a preferred beverage
destination known for our quality premium drinks, we have
introduced Iced Fruit Smoothies and Iced Frapps.

What to look out for to ensure

a Gold Standard product is
served:

Iced Fruit Smoothies

The smoothie should be cold

It should be slightly thick and
coarse from the ice crystals
It should have a uniform
colour, with no evidence of
colour carry-over from other
flavours
The Yoghurt is well mixed in

Strawberry and Banana Iced Fruit Smoothie: Made with real

pured fruit and juices, and blended with low fat yoghurt
and ice
Mango and Pineapple Iced Fruit Smoothie: Made with real
pureed fruit and juices, and blended with low fat Yoghurt
and ice

26

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures

Iced Frapps
Caramel Iced Frapp: made with a hint of coffee,
smooth whipped cream and drizzled with a rich
caramel sauce
Mocha Frapp: made with a hint of coffee, smooth
whipped cream and drizzled with a chocolate sauce
What to look for to ensure a Gold Standard product is
served:
It should be cold, with a semi-frozen texture
It should be smooth and thick, with a slightly coarse
sensation from the ice crystals
There should be a uniform colour, with no evidence
of colour carryover from other flavours
The Whipped Cream is smooth and light
The drizzle sauce is smooth and thick

Desserts
Desserts are an important and increasingly popular menu items
that are either ordered as part of a meal, or as a stand-alone
treat.

Nearly 20% of
our customers
who buy a
meal in our restaurant
will buy a dessert

Sweet Snacking
Sweet Snacking is the name of our great tasting range of
McCaf treats. This includes:
Triple Chocolate Cookie: a Triple Chocolate Cookie with white,
milk, and dark chocolate chunks.
Sticky Toffee Muffin: a Sticky Toffee Muffin injected with a
smooth toffee sauce and sprinkled with a traditional Crumble
Chocolate Muffin: a Chocolate Muffin with chocolate chunks
Blueberry Muffin: a Blueberry Muffin with blueberries inside,
and a crumble topping
Sugar Donut: a sugar coated ring doughnut
All of these products arrive at the restaurant frozen and need
to be defrosted before serving. You should use the clear tongs
when handling the products and clearly mark them with the
appropriate holding times.

Apple Pies
When cooking pies, you must ensure you cook enough to meet demand. Pies have a secondary
shelf life of 90 minutes, including a cooling time of 10 minutes. This will ensure the product is at
the right temperature when the customer receives it and will also ensure that the filling is not too
hot to avoid the risk of burning someone. You should always discard pies once their holding time
has expired, to ensure that you dont serve soggy or lukewarm pies.

Quality Unit Workbook

27

My Procedures

Ice Cream: McFlurrys, Cones and Sundaes

Ice cream desserts offer our customers an even wider
range of dessert options and are especially popular
with our younger customers.
The demand for McFlurrys may sometimes place
significant demand on the milkshake machine. Therefore,
during special promotions or hot weather for example,
it is important that you are able to meet demand, whilst
also meeting quality standards. During these periods, you
can pre-pull blank McFlurrys (this is simply McFlurry Cups
filled only with soft serve ice cream) and store them in the
McFlurry Freezer for up to 30 minutes.

It isnt a
McFlurry unless
it has been
flurried!

Only store blanks. The topping must be added at the time

of serving. Do not put spoons or collars in the freezer, as
they become brittle at low temperatures, which could
cause them to break and contaminate the product.

Food Safety
Throughout this workbook, you have seen how all of the
procedures in place help us to deliver safe food that protects
you and your customers from harm, as well as ensuring you
deliver Gold Standard quality every time. We already know that
the safety of our food and our customers is paramount to our
business, and it is critical that care is taken by all food handlers
all of the time.

Our food safety procedures reduce the risk of the food becoming
contaminated. Every employee in the restaurant plays a major role in
ensuring that product quality and safety is maintained.

All types of raw meat and eggs can be a potential source of bacteria, and your adherence to
the points covered in this workbook and to all cooking procedures will ensure food safety. Any
possible contamination in meat and eggs is killed during cooking. However, contamination
from raw product could be spread around the grill area and onto cooked food via hands etc if
procedures are not followed correctly.

28

Quality Unit Workbook

My Procedures
You must minimise the risk of cross-contamination as much as possible. This can be done by
implementing the following hygiene practices:
Not working and informing a Manager when suffering from food poisoning symptoms, infected
wounds or sores, skin infections, heavy colds and flu, or other infectious illnesses
Wearing a clean apron when preparing and handling food in the kitchen, on the fry station, or on
wrap and call
Removing your apron prior to carrying out cleaning projects, deliveries, dirty tasks, going on a
break or using the toilet
Not wearing watches or visible jewellery (except a plain wedding band)
Washing hands thoroughly, using AMH, and rinsing and
drying properly
Wearing gloves to handle raw meat and eggs, and taking
care not to touch the outside of the gloves
Washing hands if they do touch the outside of the glove
Using bun tray liners for staging buns
Using sanitised cloths

DPSC Procedures
An important part of food safety is keeping
accurate records of food safety checks. At
McDonalds, we use the Daily Product Safety
Checklist (DPSC). The DPSC is primarily designed
to reduce the risk of food poisoning, e.g. to ensure
we serve safe products.
In order to ensure that food is fit to eat, product/
equipment temperatures and use by dates are
required to be completed in the DPSC. Only in
this way can we ensure we consistently produce
high quality, safe food for our customers and also
fulfil our legal obligations. If you cannot locate
the DPSC, you must inform a Manager. The DPSC
should be kept in a designated place so that it
is at hand, and it is the responsibility of the Shift
Manager to complete it clearly and accurately.

All staff receive training on food

safety and must follow the food
safety procedures at all times. This is
verified by checking their knowledge
and performance using SOCs. Some
procedures include:
Always use Clean As You Go
(CAYG) to maintain a safe and
clean environment
Wear an apron in food preparation
areas to provide a barrier
between yourself and the food
Ensure that you frequently wash
your hands and do it thoroughly
Do not use faulty equipment
Do not serve product which you
suspect is not cooked properly or
may have been contaminated in
any way

Gold Standard Descriptors

Throughout the journey of our food from the farm to the fork, you have seen how treating it
with care will help to deliver Gold Standard food that will help us to exceed our customers
expectations.

Quality Unit Workbook

29

My Procedures
Once the food has been cooked and assembled, you will have a finished product that you can
compare against the Gold Standard descriptors. You can complete a number of general quality
checks on our food and drink before it is served:
Meat moist and juicy, dark brown in colour, no pinkness and
no red juices
Chicken golden brown, tender, coating crisp, moist and juicy
Sandwich neatly dressed, no sauce on packaging
Buns crisp, even toast
Lettuce crisp and green
Filet golden brown, evenly bread crumbed, slight oil coating
Fries golden brown, moderately crisp exterior, mealy and
slightly moist interior, slight separation of exterior from interior
Hash Browns crisp and golden brown, with visible flakes of
potato
Apple Pies golden brown, crisp, bubbly pastry crust
Drinks correct temperature, correct dilution and appearance

Before serving
any product,
you should
check its
appearance before
giving it to the
customer.

When you take your next break, have a look at three of the food or
drink items you are served and check them against the descriptors
above and at the back of this workbook. When youre tasting the food,
consider the following guidelines:
Do not smoke before tasting food
Only drink water while tasting food, or in between tasting different menu items. Do not
drink coffee or sugary drinks
Conduct your quality evaluation in an area away from customers, where you can sit
and focus on the evaluation, and refer to the Gold Standard descriptors
Use your senses: sight, smell, touch and taste
Think about what the food is supposed to taste like as you bite into it
Do not dissect sandwiches, or take them apart before you taste the food

Food Item

30

Does it
meet Gold
Standard
quality?

If it doesnt meet the correct standard,

what are the areas that need to be
improved and how?

Quality Unit Workbook

Focusing on the Customer

Summary
Focusing on the Customer
Remember at the start of the workbook we said that once you understand how to behave and act,
and then understand the correct procedures, the final element is that you are focused on your
customers and the experience you are providing them.
We know that when our customers visit, they expect great Quality, Service & Cleanliness (QSC).
This means they want quality food that is hot and fresh, served in a clean and safe environment,
and by Crew who are friendly and create an exceptional experience.
We now know that serving Quality food is fundamental to us achieving this and helping to deliver
our customer mission to:

Give the customer what

they want, each visit, every time
Take five minutes to reflect on the skills and knowledge you have
learnt in this workbook and think about how this will help you to focus
on the customer by answering the following questions:
How can I personally make a positive difference to the quality standards of the products that I
produce and serve, and therefore positively impact the customer experience?

If a Manager asked you to say how ensuring we serve quality food to every customer, every time
would affect the overall customer experience, what would you say?

If a Manager asked you to say how serving Gold Standard food impact the overall customer
experience, what would you say?

Quality Unit Workbook

31

Verification
1. How can you display the Vital Ingredients when working in the kitchen preparing food?
VALUE & RESPECT

MAKE IT SPECIAL

FRIENDLY & FAST

BE YOU

ENJOY WHAT YOU DO

2. What is Gold Standard?

3. Name two things that our customers expect their food to be:
1.
2.
4. Where is the beef that we use in the UK sourced from?

5. What is the holding time for all products in the transfer bin?

6. If you are in any doubt about a product, what two things should you do?
1.
2.

32

Quality Unit Workbook

7. List three things you can do to prevent undercooking of meat products:

1.
2.
3.

8. What should you look for to ensure meat products are cooked properly?

9. What are the 3 Cs?

1.
2.
3.

Workbook Verification
Name
Restaurant
Date
Verified by
Verifiers signature

You have now completed the Quality Workbook.

Once your Coach (Crew Trainer/Manager) has checked and verified your completion of this
workbook and you have completed the relevant flyers, you are then ready to take the Quality Unit
Test.

Quality Unit Workbook

33

Gold Standard Descriptors

Listed below are the Gold Standard descriptors for the most popular products on your menu.
When assessing the assembled food in our restaurants, we should be evaluating the menu items
quality in the same way that our guests do, by thinking about the following key attributes:
Appearance
Temperature
Texture
Taste

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds French

Fries
Appearance
Externally bright, light golden brown with natural colour
highlights and a slight sheen.
Internally white, fluffy and mealy like a freshly baked
potato with slight separation of crust from flesh.
French fries are straight and uniformly cut with varying
lengths and minimal defects. Some salt crystals are visible
on the surface.
Served hot in a full bag or box.
Temperature/Texture
French fries are hot.
Exterior texture is slightly crisp with a tender bite. Interior
texture is mealy, slightly moist like a baked potato.
Taste
The signature taste is a well balanced flavour profile of
freshly cooked fried potato, clean oil and salt.

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds Chicken

McNuggets

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds

McChicken Sandwich

Appearance
Fried Chicken McNugget tempura breading is light
golden brown in colour with natural reddish brown
highlights.
Chicken McNuggets should be in the four distinct shapes
and are uniformly coated with ridges and peaks.

Appearance
The sandwich is neat and holds together well.
The sandwich has a uniform golden brown bun, topped
with sesame seeds.
Light golden brown coated tear drop shape chicken
piece.
Edges of the lettuce are visible.

Temperature/Texture
The product is served fresh and hot.
The breading texture has a light crisp and tender
tempura coating that adheres firmly to the meat. Meat
texture has a uniform firm bite and is slightly juicy.
Taste
The taste is a slight fried corn and wheat flour breading
taste with caramelised notes and clean oil taste. Mild
chicken taste that is slightly salty with a hint of black
pepper and celery taste in the breading.
2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 1

2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 0

Temperature/Texture
The sandwich is hot.
The texture of the sandwich is a soft, resilient, moist
bun with coated chicken that has a firm, lightly crisp
bite, moistness from sauce, slight crisp from lettuce.
2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 2
The breading texture
has a light crisp and tender
tempura coating that adheres firmly to the meat. Meat
texture has a uniform firm bite and is slightly juicy.
Taste
The taste is a balanced blend of freshly caramelised
bread taste with a slight fried corn and wheat flour
breading taste with caramelised notes and clean oil
taste. There is a clean chicken flavour with buttery
highlights with mayo and fresh lettuce.

Cool
Mayo
OR

Spicy
Tomato
Salsa

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds McChicken

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds Chicken

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds Filet-O-

Legend, with Cool Mayo/Spicy Salsa

Selects

Fish

Appearance
The sandwich is neat and holds together well.
The Legend bun is golden brown with golden crust and
some flour dusting. Oval shape with two diagonal dcor
slices on top of bun.
The edges of the ginger coloured chicken piece are slightly
visible, with some pepper and herb flecks and will different from
sandwich to sandwich due to the non uniform shape of the
natural chicken, which is irregular oblong/teardrop shape.
Curly edges of the lettuce are visible.

Appearance
Fried Chicken Selects coating is a home-style
breading, with breading clusters and fine ridges, light
reddish, golden brown in colour, with black pepper
specks.
Chicken Selects should be irregular shaped strips, with
white natural chicken fillet inside.

Appearance
The sandwich has a uniform golden brown steamed bun
with a slight sheen. The corners of the golden brown
fish portion and cheese are slightly visible.
Sandwich looks neat and holds together well.

2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 3

Temperature/Texture
The sandwich is hot.
The texture of the sandwich is moderately toasted roll with
slightly crisp crust, with a doughy, tender, resilient,
slightly moist texture with chicken fillet that is lightly crisp
on the outside with succulent natural chicken fillet inside,
moistness from sauce, slight crisp from Batavia lettuce.

Temperature/Texture
The product is served fresh and hot.
Succulent, juicy natural chicken fillet with a firm bite, with
light crunchy, tender breading coating that adheres firmly
to the meat.
2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 4

Taste
The taste is savoury, spicy, country-fried chicken,
with mild black pepper notes, and fried breading and
clean oil taste. The chicken should be mild, with slight
savoury notes.

Taste
The overall taste of the sandwich is spicy and is a balanced
blend of freshly toasted roll, with white bready flavours,
savoury, spicy fried chicken with black pepper notes,
distinctive white pepper, onion and garlic and clean oil
taste, with cooling mayo or spicy tomato salsa and fresh
lettuce.

34

Quality Unit Workbook

Temperature/Texture
The sandwich is hot and moist.
The texture of the sandwich is distinguished by a soft,
steamed bun with fish filet that is lightly crisp outside,
tender, moist and flaky inside, with creamy tartar sauce
and melted cheese.
Taste
The taste is a balanced blend of fresh steamed bread
taste, creamy,2013slightly
acidic
tartar
sauce
a
14 | QSC WORKBOOK
Gold Standard
Quality Reference
Material |with
GSQ 5
balanced blend of a dill pickle relish and fresh onion,
mild fish and slight mild cheddar cheese.

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds Double

Cheeseburger

Hamburger

Cheeseburger

Appearance
The sandwich has a uniform golden brown bun.
The sandwich looks neat and holds together well.
The melted cheese has draped corners.

Appearance
The sandwich has a uniform golden brown bun.
The sandwich looks neat and holds together well.

Appearance
The sandwich has a uniform golden brown bun.
The sandwich looks neat and holds together well.
The two pieces of melted cheese are staggered with draped
corners.

Temperature/Texture
The sandwich is hot.
The texture of the sandwich is a soft, resilient, moist
bun, with tender, juicy beef, moistness from the melted
creamy cheese and the condiments with occasional
crispness of the dill pickle and onions.
Taste
The taste is a balanced blend of freshly caramelised bread
taste, seared, seasoned mild beef, creamy, mild cheddar
cheese, sweet tangy McDonalds ketchup and mustard
with an isolated acidic bite from the dill pickle and mild
onion.

Temperature/Texture
The sandwich is hot.
The texture of the sandwich is a soft, resilient, moist
bun, with tender, juicy beef, moistness from the
condiments and occasional crispness of the dill pickle
and onions.
Taste
The taste is a balanced blend of freshly caramelised
bread taste, seared, seasoned mild beef, sweet
tangy McDonalds ketchup and mustard with an
isolated acidic bite from the dill pickle and mild onion.

Temperature/Texture
The sandwich is hot.
The texture of the sandwich is a soft, resilient, moist bun,
with tender, juicy beef, moistness from the melted creamy
cheese and the condiments with occasional crispness of
the dill pickles and onions.
Taste
The flavour is a balanced blend of freshly caramelised bread
taste, dominant creamy cheddar cheese, seared, seasoned
mild beef, sweet tangy McDonalds ketchup and mustard
with an isolated acidic bite from the dill pickle and mild onion.
2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 8

2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 6

2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 7

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds Quarter Pounder with Cheese

Appearance
The sandwich is neat and holds together well.
The melted cheese is staggered with draped corners.
The beef patty is visible outside the sesame seed bun.

Gold Standard Quality McDonalds Big Mac

Appearance
The sandwich stands tall on a three layered bun with sesame seeds on the crown.
It is neatly assembled with overflowing fresh green shredded lettuce.
The melted cheese has draped corners.

Temperature/Texture
The sandwich is hot.
The texture of the sandwich is a soft, resilient, moist bun, with tender, crumbly, juicy beef,
moistness from the melted creamy cheese and the condiments with occasional crispness of
the dill pickles and fresh onions.

Temperature/Texture
The sandwich is warm and holds together well.
The texture of the sandwich is a soft, resilient, moist bun, with tender, juicy beef, crisp
lettuce, moist, melted creamy cheese and creamy sauce, with occasional crispness of
the dill pickles, onions and relish.

Taste
The taste is a balanced blend of freshly caramelized bread taste with sesame seeds, dominant
seared, seasoned mild beef, creamy cheddar cheese, sweet tangy McDonalds ketchup and
mustard with an isolated acidic bite from the dill pickle and fresh onion.

Taste

2013 14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 9

Exercise: Ask your Manager

for the other Gold Standard
Descriptors detailed below
Breakfast Items
Bacon/Sausage & Egg McMuffin
Big Breakfast
Breakfast Wrap
McBacon Roll
Bacon, Egg & Cheese/Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel
Pancakes & Syrup/Sausage
Oatso Simple Porridge

The taste is a signature taste that combines a distinctive balanced blend of freshly
caramelized bread taste with sesame seeds, seared, seasoned mild beef, creamy
Big Mac sauce with a balance of sour, pungent mustard, sweet pickle relish, onion
14 | QSC WORKBOOK Gold Standard Quality Reference Material | GSQ 10
and savoury tastes,2013
fresh
lettuce, creamy cheddar cheese, with an isolated acidic bite
from the dill pickle and mild onion.

Beverages & Desserts

Hash Brown
Latte
Cappuccino
Black Coffee
White Coffee
Espresso
Mocha
Apple Pie
Sweet Snacking: Blueberry Muffin
Sweet Snacking: Chocolate Muffin
Sweet Snacking: Sugar Donut
Sweet Snacking: Triple Chocolate Cookie
Carbonated Drinks
Milkshake
Mocha Frapp
Strawberry & Banana Smoothie
Mango & Pineapple Smoothie

Quality Unit Workbook

35

M E

W
C RE

O
LO
R
P M E NT P

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