TikTok Is Divided Over A Dad's Fake McDonald's Parenting Hack

McDonald's is the most successful fast food chain as of 2021, with 13,438 stores and about $46 billion in U.S. sales (via QSR). Its popularity isn't too surprising considering its focus on convenience and affordability, as well as consistency. While many McDonald's customers have favorite menu items that haven't changed in decades, plenty of other customers enjoy customizing these classic menu items and coming up with their own special meal ideas. Thanks to dozens of McDonald's hacks and countless secret menu items, the chain's standard menu seems a lot more extensive than it really is.

Parents, especially those with younger kids, are always looking for ways to make their chaotic lives easier. Whether they have picky eaters or just want to introduce new foods to their children, there are fortunately a lot of helpful parenting food hacks out there. A few food hacks that Amy McCready from Positive Parenting Solutions recommends include adding veggies to macaroni and cheese or spaghetti sauce, offering fruit to kids before other snacks, and buying a whole rotisserie chicken and using it for multiple meals throughout the week. Recently, a TikToker dad shared his own parenting food hack that involved McDonald's, and the commenters weren't sure how to feel about it.

TikTok user @bestdad_ceo shared a parenting "hack" that he uses whenever his kids want fast food for dinner. Instead of driving them to McDonald's, he'll cook homemade cheeseburgers, then wrap them in yellow McDonald's paper before serving them. He captioned his video, "It worked until they asked where are the happy meal toys." Though his son gave a thumbs up of approval after taking a bite, not all of the commenters were fans of the hack. 

One user suggested that the parent be more authoritative, commenting, "Just tell them that they do not have an option and they eat what you make or don't eat." Although many of the comments mimicked that tone, a couple were more supportive of the hack, with one user writing, "For those leaving negative comments, just appreciate a parent that puts in effort to make their kids happy." Another user even offered advice for where to get faux "Happy Meal" surprises next time: "Go to the dollar store and load up on small toys."

A few comments had more humorous advice for how the dad could have assembled the fake McDonald's burgers more realistically. "You forgot to punch the burger to make it flat," one self-described McDonald's worker said, while another said the parent "forgot to get ketchup and cheese on the wrapper and stack the bread unevenly with meat hanging out." @bestdad_ceo took their comments to heart: He later posted an update video in which he chaotically punched the burger to give it "that iconic flat look."