Kamala Harris has a brilliant trick to eat at McDonald’s in the car without making a mess

The vice president – the second most powerful person in the country and one of the most influential leaders in the world – has a lot to think about, from foreign policy to clean energy initiatives. But Kamala Harris has a foolproof strategy for staying clean on energy, too.

Vice President Harris, who ran for president in 2020 and is the official Democratic nominee in 2024, is used to eating on the go. Some might assume that politicians often enjoy an upscale, chef-prepared meal (like the one that inspired the Inauguration Day menu featuring favorite dishes of Harris and President Joe Biden), but grueling campaign schedules mean a lot of road tripping at a rapid pace — and that means a lot of fast food.

But the cameras are also always on a candidate. So how does Vice President Harris keep her flawless appearance when we all know that eating in the car can end in a leftover-spoiling disaster? She explained her secret on The Drew Barrymore Show. It’s a brilliant, populist move that speaks to a relatable and crucial issue and can be done by anyone with a ubiquitous household product. “When I was campaigning and I was in the car the whole time, we would just cut open a garbage bag,” she told Barrymore.

So how exactly does this garbage bag strategy work for Vice President Kamala Harris? She suggests that if you’re driving, you can cut the bag open before you get in the car. From there, she suggests you just spread the bag out over yourself: “Pocket it in, and it’s just a really great, giant bib,” she said.

Unsurprisingly, host Drew Barrymore found this amusing advice from such a powerful, composed public figure, but Vice President Harris responded to Barrymore’s surprised expression by emphatically assuring her that “it works!”

Harris may have picked up this trick over the course of her career, but she knows McDonald’s from more than just her numerous drive-thru trips during her campaign. She also told Barrymore that she once worked there herself. “I made fries and then I was a cashier,” Harris said.
Co-host Ross Mathews took the opportunity to chat with the Vice President as they discussed their shared careers at the burger chain. Although her work now takes her all over the world, it’s obvious that Harris enjoys returning to the chain to eat her favorite dishes.

Vice President Kamala Harris not only revealed her strategy for eating at McDonald’s without making a mess, but also her menu choices. She mentioned that her favorite order is a Quarter Pounder with cheese and fries, and when it comes to McNuggets, she prefers barbecue as a dipping sauce.

Vice President Harris also had strong opinions on another condiment. “The ketchup packets at McDonald’s are so good,” she said, noting that the consistency is particularly thick. She’s not wrong; there’s a reason McDonald’s ketchup tastes different than other chains’.

Harris may already know one of the 21 McDonald’s hacks you should know before ordering to efficiently dip fries even when you’re in a rush. But she also had another tip for Drew Barrymore’s entourage when it comes to ketchup: “Keep a few extra (packets) because you just don’t know,” she said.

This is life lessons for many fast food lovers who can now enjoy their favorite ketchup and barbecue sauce-laden meals on the go, knowing they’ll come out clean. To Barrymore, Harris concluded by saying, “I’m here to help,” and this garbage bag hack is proof for many McDonald’s fans.