THIS is the stomach-churning moment a fast-food worker is caught spitting into a burger at a McDonald’s knock-off chain in Russia.

Footage secretly filmed at a Tasty Dot drive-thru in Rostov shows the disgruntled employee preparing two quarter-pounders before the disgusting move.

He is seen glancing around to check the coast is clear before leaning in, hawking spit onto one of the patties and spreading it over the meat.

The employee, identified only as Nikita, places a slice of cheese over the burger to conceal the unpleasant addition of his saliva, before packaging the burger and handing it over at the drive-thru.

The vile hack came after the customer who ordered the burgers had a heated exchange with Nikita while placing his order on Monday.

Suspicious of the worker’s behaviour, the diner decided to film his order being prepared, and ended up exposing the grim act in full.

Local media reports that Nikita was immediately fired by the Tasty Dot branch.

This imitation restaurant chain assumed control of all McDonald’s locations in Russia after the international fast-food brand exited the nation due to the conflict in Ukraine.

The event has incited outrage on Russian social media, with users criticizing the ex-employee and expressing worries about the cleanliness standards at the new establishment.

Speaking out after the footage went viral, Nikita attempted to defend his actions.

He claimed: “Some of them shouted, insulted me and ordered me to hurry up. Then they promised to get out of the car and hit me.”

Tasty Dot confirmed his sacking, saying: “His actions did not live up to our values.”

Out of Russia

Tasty Dot was born out of one of the biggest corporate exits from Russia in modern history.

McDonald’s officially quit the country in 2022, permanently shutting its 847 stores after Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

The move ended a 30-year era that began in 1990, when the first McDonald’s opened in Moscow’s Pushkin Square and 30,000 curious customers queued up to try a Big Mac.

At the time, it was seen as a symbol of the West arriving in the crumbling Soviet Union.

But after the invasion, McDonald’s said the “unpredictable operating environment” and “humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine” left them no choice but to pull out.

Chief executive Chris Kempczinski said at the time: “We have a commitment to our global community and must remain steadfast in our values.

“And our commitment to our values means that we can no longer keep the Arches shining there.”

The company promised to sell all Russian branches to a local buyer and ensure workers would keep their jobs, but made it clear the restaurants would no longer use McDonald’s branding or menu.

Tasty Dot, the replacement brand, kept most of the same layout and look — minus the Golden Arches — and was meant to represent business as usual under new ownership.

But now, this revolting spitting scandal risks tarnishing the replacement chain’s image just as it attempts to gain public trust.

One disgusted social media user wrote: “Bring back McDonald’s. At least they didn’t serve up burgers with DNA toppings.”