'McRobin Hood': Post says McDonald's worker fed friends for free for a year, Redditors share similar stories

A unique tale of "generosity" has surfaced on Reddit, where a user disclosed that a friend working at McDonald's provided free meals and discounts for an entire year. This 'McRobin Hood' operation, as the user amusingly termed it, allowed them and their friends to enjoy the benefits without feeling guilty. 

The employee managed to run this operation without being caught, showcasing a rare act of stealthy benevolence. Reflecting on the experience, the Reddit user noted, "Me and my friends ate at McDonalds for free for a year. My friend worked at McDonald's and he would always secretly give out free stuff or give me and my other friends a huge discount." 

"Was it wrong? Because I always laughed and didn’t feel bad whatsoever," they wrote, adding that visits with groups of up to five friends were not uncommon. 

The post quickly gained popularity, with other Reddit users sharing anecdotes of exploiting fast-food chains. One user detailed how a loophole in the Domino's app allowed for free pizzas every weekend until the glitch was fixed. "He scammed the f** out of them… until they finally caught on and put a stop to it," they revealed. Such tales highlight the creativity some employ to take advantage of system oversights. 

Another user shared an experience as a Domino's delivery driver, where a combination of promotional codes led to free pizzas. "I had a shift as a Domino’s delivery driver where a combination of codes would lead to a free pizza. Orders came swarming in when it got posted online. I made shitloads of tips by laughing with customers about it." This illustrates how these clever workarounds can also benefit those on the front lines of the food industry. 

Stories of food freebies continued with a former Wendy's employee recounting how high school staff often gave away frozen nuggets and chicken breasts. "I worked at Wendy’s in high school and most the time the crew that closed were all high school kids. One guy would toss entire bags of frozen nuggets and chicken breasts to his friends through the drive-thru window." Such tales serve to underline how these practices are more widespread than one might assume. 

A former General Manager at Arby's offered insight into the generous practices within fast-food chains, sharing that free meals were given to acquaintances and professionals alike. "I worked as a GM for an Arby’s for 3 years. Gave out free meals to anyone I remotely knew... Friends, family, coworkers, regulars, kids, doctors, nurses, officers. Pretty much anyone in a work uniform who came thru on a lunch break." The high-profit margins in 2022 facilitated such generosity without much concern. 

The accounts reveal a fascinating side of the fast-food industry, where employees occasionally exploit their positions to spread goodwill, either out of friendship or simply to enjoy a shared laugh over a free meal.