So today's review is something a little different. We went to McDonald's on Sunset Hills Road in Reston. Not that it really matters which McDonald's you go to. That's one of the appeals, certainly for someone who was an employee of this corporation for two and a half years as a teenager. There's a comfort and familiarity about McDonald's that resonates around the world, and you always know, in theory at least, what you're going to get.

The Scene

5pm on a weekday afternoon, and the place had that classic McDonald's mix: families with kids, teenagers hanging out. On the way in, I caught a couple of teenagers stopping to photograph the McDonald Land signage outside. Inside, this was one of the nicest McDonald's I've been in. Recently updated, with padded seats, well-spaced tables, and surprisingly, fresh flowers on a couple of tables. The dining room was relatively clean, though there were some ring marks from drinks on the tables. Not pristine, but comfortable.

The Fries: A Crime of Impatience

I always start with the fries because they're better hot. These fries showed so much promise. Fresh out of the fryer for sure, with a slight crisp on the outside, but guilty of the ultimate fry crime: they were pulled about 15 seconds early.

When I worked there, the timer was sacred. Four minutes and change in that oil. Sometimes employees in too much of a rush will pull the basket out just 15 seconds early, thinking what difference can it make? Let me tell you, my friends, it makes all the damn difference. These fries were just short of brilliance because they needed that extra 15 seconds. There's a formula for a reason. Still enjoyable, well-salted (maybe a little too much), but they could have been perfect.

Here's a fun fact: I have a scar on the back of my arm from a fry basket. Someone left it at the fryer, I turned around at the wrong time, and got a 400-degree hot oil basket shape burned into my arm. That's where I learned that if you get an oil burn, the worst thing you can do is rub it or swipe it away because then you just spread the hot oil all over your arm. You have to grimace and seek some absorbent towel to mop the oil up.

The Quarter Pounder: Getting the Ratios Right

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese has always been one of my favorites, and today's didn't disappoint. Juicy patty with good char, nicely salted, well-constructed. The chopped onions (not the diced ones you get on regular burgers) were fresh and crunchy, though a couple fell out. They resemble actual onions and taste like them too. You get two pickles instead of one, more ketchup than a normal cheeseburger, plus mustard. These burgers can get slippy and slidey with all those condiments, but this one stayed intact all the way through.

Fun fact: regular cheeseburger patties weigh 1/10 of a pound. So even a double cheeseburger has less meat than a Quarter Pounder with Cheese. The triple cheeseburgers, in my opinion, mess up the meat-to-bread ratio too much. Don't recommend. The double burger has better ratios.

The McDonald Land Promotion: Nostalgia Meets Fortnite

The reason I ended up at McDonald's today was their current McDonald Land promotion, done in partnership with Fortnite. Presumably they're going to make a fortune selling digital nonsense, but for me it was a return to the nostalgic characters: Grimace, Hamburglar, Ronald McDonald. Compared to their recent celebrity meal partnerships, this is actually a return to the iconic characters that McDonald's created to market their burgers.

The prize that came with the meal was impressive. At first I thought it was a jigsaw, but it's actually a nice metal case that could be used as a pencil case, filled with QR codes for Fortnite and loads of cool stickers. Honestly, it's a better play than plastic toys that don't last long even with little kids. Some of these Grimace stickers are actually pretty cool, and people might actually use them.

The Grimace Shake: A Visual Triumph, A Taste Disaster

Now, the McDonald Land shake. Blue with pink "lava" that comes out of it. Visually spectacular with that vibrant blue base topped with pink whipped cream. But it tastes exactly like you'd imagine: cotton candy flavored plastic. I searched long and deep in that straw for some redeeming features but failed to find any. Normally at McDonald's, I might say I'd finish it anyway. This, my friends, I did not finish. It looked disgusting as the pink whipped cream started melting into the blue. It tasted terrible. I can't unrecommend it enough.

The Insider's Perspective

Having worked there during the mad cow epidemic in Britain, I can tell you McDonald's has to adhere to much higher standards than similar chains because everyone's so quick to jump on them if they do it wrong. The corporate reputational risk is immense. They're super hot on hygiene, super hot on throwing away food that's past its freshness (10 minutes for pre-made burgers kept warm, by the way).

And here's another myth buster: people don't deliberately make the milkshake machine not work. It's a pain to clean at the end of the shift for sure, but it's way more painful telling multiple customers that the milkshake and ice cream machine isn't working than it is making milkshakes and changing the milk bags. Everything is made from fresh milk delivered every day.

Value and Respect

I enjoyed my time working there and got a healthy dose of nostalgia today. I have great respect for the folks that work there. McDonald's is a great employer, offering decent wages, opportunities, potential sponsorships for college education, and benefits including healthcare, which cannot be underestimated in this country. They get a bad rap.

Twenty minutes, quality food, and where else are you going to get a full meal for a little over $10? I paid $14 today, but that's with the McDonald Land special pushing the price up. For a once-in-a-while treat or a reconnection with my teenage years, I don't think it's too bad.

Graham's Menu Recommendations

• Sausage McMuffin with Egg: A long-standing favorite with great ratios
• Double Cheeseburger: Best meat-to-bun ratio on the menu
• McNuggets: They get more praise than they deserve
• Filet-O-Fish with tartar sauce and cheese: Surprisingly delicious, with a unique steamed bun rather than toasted

The Bottom Line

McDonald's on Sunset Hills Road, RestonPrice: $14 for McDonald Land meal (regular meals around $10)Best for: Quick nostalgia fix, consistent comfort food, surprisingly nice interior for a McDonald'sSkip: The Grimace Shake (seriously, don't)Order: Quarter Pounder with Cheese, fries (hope they use the timer), avoid promotional shakes

This McDonald's delivers exactly what you expect from the golden arches, with a nicer-than-average dining room and the current McDonald Land promotion adding a hit of nostalgia for those of us who remember when these characters ruled Saturday morning cartoons. Just make sure whoever's working the fry station respects the timer.

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