The McDonald’s “Surf-and-Turf” Hack
Ordering surf and turf usually means receiving a plate of steak and lobster side by side, but who has the funds to enjoy that on the regular? If you’re looking for a quick and easy budget dupe for this bougie meal, then you need to try the McDonalds’ surf and turf sandwich, which combines a double cheeseburger and a Fillet-O-Fish. The double cheeseburger is pulled apart and the Fillet-O-Fish is placed between them, resulting in a delicious triple-decker sandwich that brings together both land and sea!
The Taco Bell “Incredible Hulk” Taco
Taco Bell is delicious but, even compared to other fast food joints, it can be a bit of a calorie bomb. As such, people are always looking to make their orders healthier, by implementing creative and out-of-the-box hacks. The Incredible Hulk secret menu item involves ordering your usual five-layer burrito however you like it but removing the nacho cheese, six-inch internal tortilla shell and sour cream. Then, instead of laying the burrito with nacho cheese, you load up with guacamole, giving your order that signature green colour and making it more nutritious!
The Starbucks “Luna Lovegood” Refresher
Starbucks are the absolute G.O.A.T when it comes to secret menu items, as all of their drinks are basically infinitely customisable and remixable. However, out of all the secret Starbucks drinks that have been popular over the years, the most delicious is undoubtedly the Luna Lovegood Refresher. Starting with a Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade, this drink adds a kiwi base and strawberry puree, topped with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and blended strawberry puree. The result is a fruity drink so loud and unique that even the famous Ravenclaw couldn’t refuse it.
The Dairy Queen “Banana Split” Blizzard
Even without any secret menu hacks, Dairy Queen has a pretty extensive menu. However, if you just love the thrill of having a Blizzard that no one else has ordered that day, then you need the banana split Blizzard. This indulgent dessert is made by ordering a plain vanilla Blizzard and then asking for all the fixings that normally adorn a banana split swirled into it. If that’s not enough fruity fun for you, then you can up the ante by asking for even more extra bananas, strawberries and pineapples!
The KFC “Build-Your-Own” Bowl
The KFC bowl is one of the most indulgent meals in all of fast food: combining fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn into one big delicious heap. However, did you know you can take this already-decadent meal to the next level by adding customisations? Not only can you layer in french fries on request, but you can also add gooey melty cheese and, depending on your KFC location, crispy bacon and cheese curds. The only limit is your imagination… and the size of your stomach, of course.
The Subway “Pizza” Sub
Way back in 2012, select Subway locations added the pizza sub to their menu. This Italian-inspired sandwich combined tomato sauce with mozzarella, pepperoni and select veggies, for a final product that brought together the best parts of both pizza and sandwiches. Tragically though, this item was pulled from stores less than a year later, making it unavailable to all but the savviest secret menu hackers. Ask for a hearty Italian sub toasted with mozzarella, spicy pepperoni, tomato sauce and your favourite pizza topping veggies and you have a lunch item that beats anything Dominoes has to offer!
The Sonic “Frito Pie” Hack
Frito Pie is a longstanding Midwestern delicacy that’s also a bit of a misnomer, given that it’s not similar to a pie at all. It’s actually closer to nachos in appearance and composition, involving a packet of Frito corn chips topped with chilli, taco meat, cheese, beans and sour cream. While you could easily make this meal at home, it’s also available as a secret menu item at Sonic; just ask for a side of Fritos topped with their signature chilli and cheese sauce!
The Starbucks “Baby Yoda” Frappe
Baby Yoda is currently the most merchandised creature in all of Disney and Star Wars combined – but what do you do if you already have the backpack, the tote bag, the stuffed animals, the water bottle and the mug? Well, you order a Baby Yoda frappe of course! This Starbucks secret menu item starts with a Green Tea Frappuccino with caramel sauce drizzled on the inside of the cup. Then whipped cream, caramel drizzle and caramel chunks are all added to replicate Grogu’s iconic look. Will it taste good? Maybe, maybe not, but it is at least super Instagrammable!
In-and-Out “Ultimate Animal” Fries
You’ve heard of topped fries, you’ve heard of loaded fries, you might even have heard of animal fries, but what about Ultimate Animal Fries? At In-N-Out Burger, you can eat like the king of the jungle, with fries that are loaded with melty cheese, grilled onions and secret sauce. However, if that secret menu hack isn’t intense enough for you, you can take things to the next level by adding a whole 100% pure beef burger patty chopped into pieces into the mix too. Just ask for Ultimate Animal Fries and they’ll do the rest.
The McDonald’s “Monster” Big Mac
For most people, a McDonald’s Big Mac is already enough food. However, for almost as long as it has been a mainstay menu item, people have been hacking it to make it even more audacious. Whether it’s the big McChicken, which replaces the burger buns with three McChicken patties or the land, sea and air burger, people love making their Big Mac even bigger. The so-called monster Mac is the final evolution of this idea, and includes a total of eight burger patties and eight slices of cheese between three pieces of bread. Can you handle it?
