When a pregnancy craving hits, you’re better off doing everything in your power to satiate that person’s urge. Their body is growing a whole human, after all.
Pregnancy cravings are normal. Some people crave standard things like fruits, sweets, and chips. Others have bolder flavor cravings, from pickles with cheese to tuna and peanut butter to hot Cheetos and yogurt.
Mom-to-be Sarina Marie (@sarinapinacolada) was craving a McDonald’s double feature—their iconic fries with the lesser-known tartar sauce. But to her surprise, she says workers refused to sell it to her.
She says the workers claimed it was “for her health.”
“Since when does McDonald’s give a flying [expletive] about anybody’s health?” she questions.
What is tartar sauce?
Tartar sauce is a condiment most often served with seafood dishes like fish sandwiches and calamari. While it sounds fancy, it’s really just dressed-up mayo. Tartar sauce usually contains some combination of finely chopped pickles, relish, capers, lemons, mustard, and herbs.
Sarina Marie says that she had been thinking about the combo all morning. She says she specifically waited until after the breakfast menu was switched out to pull up to her local Mickey D’s. When she placed her order, she says the guy on the speaker told her he couldn’t give her tartar sauce and had little other explanation.
Thinking the worker was just new and still learning the ropes, Sarina Marie says she asked the person at the pickup window for the sauce. But, she says he brought the manager over, who refused her condiment craving.
“This [expletive] told me that she can’t give me tartar sauce because she cares about my health,” Sarina Marie recounted.
“‘Are you stupid? Do you think I’d be at McDonald’s drive-thru right now if I cared about my [expletive] health?’” Sarina Marie says she replied. (Though she says she regrets calling the woman stupid.)
The woman continued to refuse her, she says. And instead, Sarina Marie says she settled for ketchup and some BBQ sauce she didn’t even ask for.
@sarinapinacolada @McDonald’s this you? #tartarsauce #pregnant #angrypregnantlady #amiakaren ♬ original sound – Sarina Marie 🩵
“I have never been denied tartar sauce at any McDonald’s except this occasion. I did not let them know I was pregnant until I was denied three times and then decided to use the ‘I’m pregnant and I’m craving it’ card thinking she would give in to my craving lol. And there is no recall on tartar sauce like everyone is claiming,” Sarina Marie told the Daily Dot via a WhatsApp message. (She’s right, there’s no news of a McDonald’s tartar sauce recall.)
Can pregnant people consume tartar sauce?
While there are some eggs-tra precautions (we couldn’t help ourselves) pregnant people need to take with eggs—mainly eating eggs that are thoroughly cooked and pasteurized and avoiding raw or lightly cooked eggs like in Caesar salad dressing, eggnog, raw cookie batter, mousse, and tiramisu—they’re not completely off limits.
In fact, the Food and Drug Administration states that commercial mayonnaise, dressing, and sauces contain pasteurized eggs that are safe to eat. That would include McDonald’s pre-manufactured tartar sauce.
Wildly enough, McDonald’s does have a Q&A specifically addressing if pregnant people can eat their tartar sauce. This is its response:
“We advise all pregnant women to discuss any queries about what to eat during their pregnancy with their GP or midwife as advice will depend greatly on the individual. However we can confirm that our mayonnaise and tartare sauce are made with pasteurised free range egg,” the answer stated.
Viewers weigh in
People in the comments section had a lot to say on the matter.
“Next time, order a filet o fish, hold the fish hold the bun, hold the cheese. Extra tartar sauce,” a commenter wrote.
“Also how could mayo and pickles be any worse than a deep fried salted potato?” a person pointed out.
“Complain to corporate. That manager lied, they dont want to give the sauce on the side,” another suggested.
The Daily Dot reached out to McDonald’s via email.
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