McDonald's is among the UK's favourite fast-food chains in the world with thousands of branches across the UK.

York is no exception with five establishments displaying the famous golden arches - a sign you are never too far from a Big Mac or Chicken Legend.

If you ever questioned which McDonald's restaurant is the best when it comes to cleanliness, the answer to your question is held by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The FSA make their hygiene ratings public, meaning it's easy to discover how restaurants scored. 

The inspections are carried out by the local authority and findings are updated on the FSA website whenever there is a new inspection. 

What do different food hygiene ratings mean?

There are six different ratings that a venue can be awarded from 0 to 5.

5 - Hygiene standards are very good

4 – Hygiene standards are good

3 – Hygiene standards are generally satisfactory

2 – Some improvement is necessary

1 – Major improvement is necessary

0 – Urgent improvement is required

How is McDonald's assessed?

Inspectors look at a few different key elements when assessing the hygiene of a restaurant including: 

How hygienically the food is handled- such as how its prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled, and stored.

The condition of the structure of the buildings – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, and other facilities.

How the business manages what it does to make sure food is safe so the officer can be confident standards will be maintained in the future.

York McDonald's hygiene ratings

14 Blake Street, York, YO1 8QG

Hygiene rating: 5
Last inspection: October 26, 2019

Clifton Moor McDonald's, Hurricane Way, York, YO30 4XU

Hygiene rating: 5
Last inspection: October 26, 2019

Poppleton McDonald's, Boroughbridge Road, Poppleton, York, YO26 6QD

Hygiene rating: 5
Last inspection: March 20, 2020

Monks Cross McDonald's drive-thru, Monks Cross Drive, Huntington, York, YO32 9GW

Hygiene rating: 5
Last inspection: June 3, 2019

McDonald's at York Designer Outlet, St Nicholas Avenue, York, YO19 4TA

Hygiene rating: 5
Last inspection: December 6, 2019