“This Is Alarming”: Woman Compares McD and Burger King Burgers in Shocking Four-Month Rot Test

• A woman stored two fast-food burgers for months and noticed one refused to rot, and what consumers eat daily
• The McDonald’s burger stayed dry, hard, and fresh-smelling after four months, while the Burger King burger spoiled naturally within days
• Similar experiments worldwide have shown fast-food burgers drying instead of decomposing, sparking debate about ultra-processed foods and long-term health effects

A South African woman left many people uneasy after running a food experiment comparing how long burgers from two major fast-food chains take to decompose.

The test, done in late 2025 and early 2026, raised questions about what consumers are really eating. The experiment was conducted by a woman who bought burgers from McDonald’s and Burger King, stored them in a cupboard, and tracked their condition over several months.

The goal was to see how real beef reacted over time. The McDonald’s burger was bought in October 2025, while the Burger King burger was bought in January 2026.

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The McDonald’s burger was placed in storage on 8 October 2025. By early February 2026, it had not decomposed. The burger had no mould, no colour change and no sour smell. It was dry and hard, but still shaped like a fresh burger. The Burger King burger, stored later, began showing signs of spoilage within days.

The woman shared her findings in a TikTok video posted by @anelisa1735 on 7 February 2026.

By the time four months passed, the McDonald’s burger looked almost untouched by time. The Burger King burger behaved differently. Bought on 3 January 2026, it began spoiling within a few days.

This has happened before

This was not the first time McDonald’s burgers were accused of defying decay. Similar experiments have been reported in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia over the past decade.

A report by Serious Eats previously explained that dehydration plays a major role. When burgers lose moisture quickly, bacteria struggle to grow. High salt content, preservatives, and low water activity slow decomposition.

McDonald’s has previously stated that their beef is 100% real and that small patties dry out faster when exposed to air.

See the TikTok video below:

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Mzansi reacts with concern

The experiment struck a nerve because fast food is widely consumed in South Africa.

@🌈Dezz commented:

“We consume GMO foods everywhere, every day. We can't avoid it, sadly.”

@Sphokazi_Nkandi🇿🇦🇺🇸 wrote:

“I met this other American guy here, and he told me that McDonald's is not real food.😭”

@Mimi😘 noted:

“Someone said even cockroaches don’t eat it.😭🤣”

@usba.mazibu said:

“Thank you for this. This is extremely alarming.”

@MncotsheXS commented:

“It's called a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO). Most American food products contain artificial ingredients, which can cause health issues in the long run.”

@Motshabi Thobela said:

“That’s why we don’t lose weight easily. If you can’t break it, how is our digestive system supposed to break it down? My goodness!”

More articles about McDonald's

• A TikTok content creator named Ntando showed people on the internet a shocking McDonald's bill that was going over R8 000.
• A local woman shared a TikTok video of how she and a man pranked staff members at a McDonald's restaurant.
• A well-known food reviewer, @BestEverFoodReviewShow, visited a McDonald's in Johannesburg to see what unique South African menu items it offers.

Source: Briefly News