Having a meal over at McDonald’s never gets old. Why? Because you can always level up your dining experience with secret menu items and menu hacks!
McDonald’s is one of those fast food brands that’s big on creativity. Looking at their menu, it’s seems to be ever-expanding, always staying in tune with consumer preferences. The secret? Well, it’s also a secret…literally! 🤣 McDonald’s continues to promote its secret menu items and menu hacks to celebrate not just the brand’s flexibility but also their fans’ inventiveness. Apparently, it’s not just Burger King that works hard to help you “have it your way.” With these secret menu items and menu hacks, you can level up your McDonald’s game.
Crunchy Double
This is the crunchy twist you thought you didn’t need for your Double Cheeseburger. This hearty menu item features two 100% beef patties seasoned with salt and pepper. The flavor bomb actually comes from the combination of chopped onions, tangy pickles, ketchup, mustard, and two slices of American cheese. The tender 6-pc. Chicken McNuggets is also added to the sandwich to create the crunchy, delicious experience. Don’t forget to try this with the BBQ sauce!
Land, Air & Sea
This is perhaps the most quirkiest item on McDonald’s secret menu, combining three different proteins that include beef, chicken, and fish. The item is basically a mashup of Big Mac, McChicken, and Filet-O-Fish. The “land” part refers to the beef patty from the Big Mac, the “air” is represented by the chicken patty, and for the “sea,” aspect of it…you’ll need the crispy fish filet patty. These three iconic sandwiches are stacked together, offering a unique flavor adventure.
Hash Brown McMuffin
Hash browns from McDonald’s are delicious on their own, but when combined with McMuffin? They become much more irresistible! With this secret menu item, you can enjoy the savory, crunchy combination of sausage, egg, and hash browns, all day, every day, if your local McDonald’s offers an All Day Breakfast Menu!
Surf and Turf
If Double Cheeseburger and Filet-O-Fish set out the have a baby, it’s going to be the Surf and Turf. This sandwich features two 100% beef patties and the crispy, flaky fish filet patty. The sandwich is also packed with other familiar flavorful ingredients, including melty American cheese, tartar sauce, pickles, ketchup, onions, and mustard.
Back in 2022, all the mentioned sandwiches were part of McDonald’s official “Order by Name and Build by Hand” Menu Hacks. Customers were able to order these in-store or via the McDonald’s app, get all the items needed, and build them by hand. Pretty cool, right?
Of course, if there are ways to elevate the burger experience, your dessert game at McDonald’s can also be upgraded. ‘Tis the season to cool down and get cozy with these menu hacks for McDonald’s drinks and sweets:
- Cotton Candy Soda – A sweet drink that’s impossible to mess up, this item just needs two things: Sprite and 2-3 pumps of vanilla syrup. Order away and enjoy a beverage that tastes like cotton candy!
- Holiday Pie McFlurry – While we’re in the thick of the holiday season, why not treat yourself to McDonald’s returning Holiday Pie? It’s one of those items that you can mix and match with another one to create something more delightful. Here’s a tip: order your favorite variation of McFlurry, get the Holiday Pie and break it into chunks small enough to fit into the McFlurry cup. Enjoy!
- McAffogato – Sweet and with an extra kick, this menu hack combines espresso and vanilla ice cream. To build it yourself, get a scoop of vanilla soft serve ice cream and pour over the shot of espresso.
- Neapolitan Shake – Can’t decide which flavor of shake to get at your local McDonald’s? Why not try combining them? To get the Neapolitan Shake, order a mix of Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla Shakes in equal portions.
- Orange Creamsicle Shake – Citrusy sweet is a flavor that’s hands-down refreshing. If you need something like this after chowing down a savory burger, get your hands on the Orange Creamsicle Shake. It’s made simply by dipping a vanilla cone into a glass of Hi-C orange soda. Stir well and sip away!
More Deals to Snag from McDonald’s
The holiday is unofficially the spending season, what with all the gifts and party food that you need. So to help consumers get the best bang for their buck, McDonald’s is offering plenty of value-based deals. On top of that, the brand continues to introduce new items and bring back fan-favorites to keep the festive spirit alive.
- $5 Meal Deal: McDonald’s recently announced that it will be extending the $5 Meal Deal this fall season. The promo started back in summer, allowing millions of customers to enjoy a choice of McChicken or McDouble, small fries, 4-pc. Chicken McNuggets, and a soft drink—all for $5. According to the chain, the $5 Meal Deal will be available until December.
- McDelivery Deals: For football fans, grab a chance to save big with McDelivery deals. The restaurant partnered with DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats for limited-time offers available until end of December. For instance, from December 20 to 24, you can get a free Big Mac with your DoorDash order worth $15 and up.
- McRib: The iconic McRib is also coming back later this year, as revealed by McDonald’s President Joe Erlinger in an interview. If you’re from Kansas, however, you might not have to wait that long. Because McRib is rumored to arrive in Topeka, Kansas around the week of November 25. McRib is a pork BBQ sandwich that’s been on and off the menu since its discontinuation in 2005.
- Chicken Big Mac: If you’re looking for something new to try, McDonald’s already dropped a new twist on its classic Big Mac. Now with tempura-battered chicken patties, this sandwich would be a crave-worthy menu item for chicken lovers. Chicken Big Mac will be around for a limited time only, so you better act fast!
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From The Club
Mixing and matching sweet treats is actually my favorite way of using McDonald’s secret menu. And since it’s the holiday season, I’d love to get my hands on that Holiday Pie McFlurry. 👀 I haven’t had the chance to combine burgers before and they sound too much for me, especially the Land, Air & Sea. But that Hash Brown McMuffin is something else…I often order the two during breakfast, so I think it’s about time to mix them up and take the experience to the next level!
Special thanks to @snackbetch for the image and tip.