McDonald's Employee Whistleblows: Beijing Supervisor Allegedly Misallocated Milk, Falsified Records, Sold Expired Ingredients

A current McDonald's employee has filed a formal complaint on social media, accusing a regional operations supervisor in Beijing's Tongzhou district of multiple food safety violations. The alleged misconduct is said to have occurred in August 2026.

According to the complaint, the regional manager engaged in unauthorized cross-store transfers of milk mix, transported temperature-sensitive ingredients without refrigeration, and instructed staff to falsify food waste records. Expired or near-expiry milk mix was reportedly processed and sold to customers.

On September 21, the topic quickly trended on social media, reigniting industry debate over whether standardized management systems at fast-food chains are being properly implemented.

Employee Files Public Complaint

The whistleblower, identified as E Mou, has named the accused as Chen Mou, the McDonald's operations supervisor for Beijing's Tongzhou district. The complaint involves the Jiukeshu restaurant and several other outlets in the area, listing six categories of alleged violations.

According to the complaint, the supervisor:

• Unauthorized transfer of milk mix: Milk mix designated exclusively for milkshakes at the Jiukeshu restaurant was transferred to other stores not authorized to sell milkshakes. The mix was then used as regular ice cream mix. The two products have different formulas and equipment requirements. The misuse reportedly resulted in thin ice cream, multiple customer complaints, frequent machine freezing, equipment breakdowns, and increased hardware costs.

• Falsified inventory records: To conceal the cross-store transfer of near-expiry milk mix and failure to follow proper disposal procedures, the supervisor allegedly instructed staff to modify FOB food waste records. This included altering semi-finished product expiration dates and waste history, thereby bypassing the required disposal process. Near-expiry and expired milk mix was reportedly still used in production and sales.

• Improper cold chain transport: Milk mix transferred between stores was not transported in refrigerated vehicles. Instead, it was delivered using private cars or courier services. Given Beijing's high temperatures in August, room-temperature transport posed a significant risk of spoilage and contamination.

The complaint also notes that during an internal inspection on August 16, an acting regional manager reportedly discovered that some stores were using expired milk mix, but the issue was not reported through proper channels.

The whistleblower has submitted evidence to McDonald's China compliance department and headquarters food safety team, requesting three lines of investigation:

1. Review OC system records of cross-store milk mix transfers and semi-finished product waste logs
2. Retrieve store surveillance footage
3. Conduct an interview with the whistleblower

Internal Oversight Under Scrutiny

On September 21, as the story gained traction, a reporter from China Business News contacted McDonald's China for comment but received no response by press time. Staff at the Jiukeshu store said the matter had been reported to regional headquarters and that all media inquiries would be handled centrally. As of press time, McDonald's China had not released preliminary findings, disclosed the number of stores involved, identified affected product batches, or outlined personnel actions.

According to McDonald's China's publicly available policies:

• Semi-finished products have strict expiration date management
• Near-expiry ingredients must be disposed of according to procedure
• Low-temperature dairy products require full cold chain control
• Cross-store transfers of semi-finished products require a complete approval process

The company's website provides a third-party-operated compliance hotline and food safety hotline, with a commitment to protect whistleblowers and prohibit retaliation.

However, the allegations in this case directly target regional management practices, raising the question of whether the chain's top-down oversight mechanisms have failed.

A Beijing-based food industry expert commented: "This reflects systemic management deficiencies in the catering industry. Inventory records are the core evidence for food safety traceability. Tampering with expiration dates and waste records directly undermines the entire supply chain traceability system."

Regulatory Challenges for Chain Restaurants

In recent years, multiple domestic chain restaurant brands have been exposed for kitchen food safety issues—from major coffee chains altering ingredient expiration dates to fast-food outlets engaging in improper kitchen practices. A common thread is that under performance pressure, some regional managers view ingredient waste as a cost burden and choose to bypass or simplify food safety controls.

McDonald's China has faced several food safety incidents in recent years:

• July 2022: A video exposed McDonald's staff in Guangzhou picking up bread that had fallen on the floor and returning it to the shelf. Local regulators launched an investigation, the store was closed for rectification, and the employee was suspended. A company-wide self-inspection was conducted.

• May 2024: An undercover investigation revealed that McDonald's stores in Zhengzhou and Jinan had altered ingredient expiration labels, used expired ingredients, used substandard frying oil, and cut corners on portions. Local regulators intervened, and McDonald's issued a statement promising to handle violations seriously and strengthen store-level compliance.

According to Tianyancha App, Beijing McDonald's Food Co., Ltd. is jointly owned by Golden Arches Joint Venture Holdings Co., Ltd. and Beijing Sanyuan Foods Co., Ltd., each holding a 50% stake. The Jiukeshu restaurant involved in this case was established in September 2006 as a branch of Beijing McDonald's Food Co., Ltd.

Industry insiders note that as chain restaurant companies expand their store networks, it becomes difficult for headquarters to conduct on-site inspections at all locations nationwide. They rely heavily on regional managers to self-report issues. When those same managers are also evaluated on revenue and waste reduction targets, food safety oversight can become a case of "self-policing." Internal reporting channels serve as an important supplement, but the independence of internal investigations remains a point of public concern.

(Source: China Business News)