McDonald's speaks out on bizarre '100% beef' myth that's been internet rumour for years

Back in the late 90s and early 00s, McDonald’s was getting ripped a new you-know-what every five minutes by concerned parents determined to claim the outlet doesn’t sell ‘real food’.

Along with wanton fears over ‘E numbers’, the juice content of Sunny Delight, and whether the humble Fruit Winder actually had any nutritional value, I remember those conversations between mums outside my primary school like they happened yesterday. In a lot of ways they’re still happening today, only now it’s mainly thanks to alarmist, AI-generated TikTok videos.

There's beef in there, honest, it's just a funny angle (SOPA Images / Contributor/Getty Images)

As for Maccies, the claims of the chain’s food being nutritionally-barren have taken a knock from a few canny moves over the past couple of decades.

Unlike in my childhood, its chicken McNuggets are now made with 100% chicken breast, kids can get some veg or fruit instead of chips in their Happy Meals – spare a thought for the poor sods – and its burgers are made with 100% beef.

Or are they?

According to one popular internet rumour that’s been doing the rounds for at least 10 years, McDonald’s has a company called ‘100% beef’ that it uses for its burgers. The idea is that by having a name serving as a claim, the company can legally get away with plastering it on their burger boxes even if the burger isn’t made with 100% beef.

Maybe Bill Gates is putting microchips in the patties, too?

Unlike the burgers, it’s all tripe. It sounds like the kind of inventive little playground rumour that somehow becomes a nationwide phenomenon, only it’s believed and propagated by real-life adults spending much too long digesting social media nonsense.

The claims gained fresh traction when a spurious social media post claimed that McDonald’s had lost a ‘case’ whereby it was accused of only having 15% beef in its burgers. FullFact.org debunked it, saying ‘There’s no evidence of such a case or findings against McDonald’s in the UK. McDonald’s confirmed it uses 100% beef in its beef burgers in the UK’.

McDonald's menu is decidedly more nutritious than it was back in the day (Mike Kemp/Getty Images)

Keen to dispel the rumours itself, McDonald’s has made a statement on the matter in its website's FAQs section.

“We've heard this myth, and can confirm that '100% beef" 'is not a company owned by McDonald's,” said the statement.

“We refer to '100% beef' when describing our beef burgers because these are made from whole cuts of beef, taken from the forequarter and flank, which are simply minced and shaped into burger patties.

“Once the patties are made, they are frozen, carefully packed and delivered to our restaurants. We do not add anything to the beef patties except for a sprinkling of salt and pepper after cooking."

I believe ya, Ron.