'It takes a few seconds max': Fast food etiquette Aussies agree everyone must do

“It's just another litmus test like returning your trolley to the trolley bay.”

At a restaurant, cleaning up after yourself beyond wiping up any spills and collating your used napkins is considered to be going above and beyond, and reserved almost exclusively for former hospo workers trying to make the staff’s lives easier.

But, fast food is a whole different ball game.

An Aussie mum has taken to social media asking a simple question about fast food etiquette - and the commenters responded loud and clear.

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Image: TikTok / @sophadophaa.

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“Would it be rude to do that?”

A Melbourne mum has taken to social media after dining at McDonald’s with her children and a friend.

The woman said that after they all finished eating, she proceeded to clean up what was left of their food. But, her friend didn’t agree.

“Went out with my young toddler kids and a friend the other day to Macca’s,” she began.

“After eating, I started to collate all the rubbish in preparation to dump it in the bin.

“My friend says not to worry about throwing it out as it is the staff members responsibility to clean up as they get paid to do it. In other words, it's part of the service you get when you go to Macca’s or any fast-food restaurant or food-court place.”

While the woman said she finished what she started, her friend got her thinking - what are you really supposed to do?

“I still cleaned up the rubbish with my toddlers to model cleaning up after yourself, but it got me thinking, should I just leave it for the staff to clean? Or would it be rude to do that?” she questioned.

“The bin is right there on the way out”

Commenters on the post agreed that throwing out your rubbish is the least you can do when eating at a fast food restaurant.

“The bin is right there on the way out. It takes a few seconds max to collect it all up, and no time at all to dump it in the bin on your way past,” one commenter said.

“I don't go out of my way to do a lot, but I will do a quick wipe of spills if I have some spare napkins and throw out the rubbish, particularly if the store is busy so someone else can use the table without them having to rush out to clean up after me,” another agreed.

“It's just another litmus test like returning your trolley to the trolley bay,” said a third.

“One of my proudest parenting days”

Others noted that it was even more important to be doing it in front of your kids, sharing their own stories of how their acts have rubbed off on their little ones.

“Yes and I've taught my teenager to do the same. The first time I saw him stay back to tidy up after his friends only for them to notice, turn around and return to the table to help him was one of my proudest parenting days,” one person commented.

“[I clean it up] because my mum always did. I noticed one of my kids folded up their wrappers and chip packets and put them inside the drink cup just like I do... just like my mum did. My other child scrunches everything all together just like their dad does,” another shared.

Originally published as 'It takes a few seconds max': Fast food etiquette Aussies agree everyone must do