Why stick to the official menu? For clued-up customers, there are some amazing lesser-known dishes on offer at your favorite fast food joints. Secret menus are unofficial, unadvertized options recommended via word-of-mouth, and range from well-known insider picks (hi, In-N-Out secret menu) to popular ways you can hack what’s on offer – we're looking at you, McDonald's dinner bundle box.
Want to switch things up a little? Click or scroll through our gallery to discover what to ask for next time you're craving something different.
This secret menu order is actually a way to enjoy an old favorite. The Arby’s Melt used to be on the regular menu and, when it was removed, fans figured out they could just keep asking for it. Made with the chain’s famous roast beef and featuring a sesame seed bun, it's the Cheddar cheese sauce that makes this item truly sensational.
Now this is a sandwich. Apparently clocking in at 1,275 calories, the Meat Mountain is made with two chicken tenders, roast beef, corned beef, sliced roast turkey, pit-smoked ham, 13-hour smoked beef brisket, bacon, and Angus steak. Oh, and both Cheddar and Swiss cheeses. Talk about a protein punch. Arby’s servers should be pretty familiar with this secret menu item, so go ahead and order whenever those meat cravings hit.
Why limit your sandwich by playing by the rules? Thanks to Arby’s generous policies with sandwich customization, there’s a whole host of different secret menu sandwiches you can try. Upgrade your BLT to an ultimate BLT by opting for eight slices of bacon rather than five, or bring back the old favorite Turkey ‘n’ Cheddar sandwich (officially gone since 2012) by swapping turkey into the Beef ‘n’ Cheddar. You can also double stack your Reuben with twice as much meat.
This off-menu order subs the crispy fried chicken from the classic Crispy Chicken Sandwich into the Chicken Club Sandwich. The result is an addictive combo of deep fried chicken, lettuce, tomato, smoked bacon, and Colby Jack cheese. To get in on the action, just ask for the Chicken Club Sandwich with original fried chicken instead of charbroiled.
One of Chick-fil-A’s most popular secret menu items, the Chick-fil-A Spicy Char takes the famous Grilled Chicken Sandwich and swaps the regular charbroiled chicken for a spicy version. In return you get a sandwich zinging with heat and flavor: succulent spiced chicken, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a side of barbecue sauce. Such a simple trade, such a great result. The very similar Grilled Spicy Deluxe is pictured here.
One of the most popular ways to deviate from Chipotle’s menu is to order yourself a hot, cheesy dose of loaded nachos. Sure, it’s not officially on offer, but all the ingredients are. Just ask if they can do a burrito bowl with tortilla chips as the base, then load up with all your favorite fixings. Oh, and to really nail this order, opt for queso rather than regular cheese.
Another popular Chipotle hack is the Quesarito: basically, a regular burrito wrapped inside a cheese quesadilla. Cheese in every bite? Yeah, it tastes as good as it sounds. Unfortunately, not every Chipotle restaurant will agree to make this for you. And, since it’s more fiddly than a regular order, it’s worth asking at a time when there isn’t a super long line. But when the Quesarito stars align? This is Tex-Mex heaven!
Coffee lovers have got to try this one. While Dairy Queen doesn’t offer a specific coffee-flavored Blizzard, savvy fans figured out that the chain keeps a coffee syrup to hand, meaning you can ask for it to be added to your regular order. Trust us – once you try coffee in your vanilla Blizzard, there’s no going back.
Made by blending together an Arctic Rush slush, cocoa fudge, and ice cream, this summer-suitable hot chocolate alternative is officially only available on a seasonal basis. But don't let that stop you. Most DQ locations have the ingredients to make Frozen Hot Chocolate year round; if the store isn’t too busy, go ahead and ask for it whenever you want.
This secret menu trick is especially fun: next time you’re at Del Taco, try asking to 'go bold' with your order. Those simple words will see crinkle cut fries and special sauce (from Del Taco’s Chicken Soft Tacos) added to whatever you ordered – think the Del Beef Burrito with added fries and creamy, tangy sauce. It really works but, let’s be honest, half of the appeal is saying the words.
Want your burger extra cheesy? At Five Guys, this unbeatable secret menu order has you ask for a grilled cheese sandwich with an added hamburger patty. That means crispy bun, melty cheese, succulent beef patty. And, since it’s Five Guys, you can add as many free toppings as you want. Just make sure they grill the buns like they would with a normal grilled cheese.
In-N-Out Burger arguably invented the concept of the secret menu, and 'animal style' fries might just be the most famous ‘secret’ item of them all. For those not yet in the know, asking for your fries ‘animal style’ will get them topped with cheese, In-N-Out secret sauce, and grilled onions. Messy, but so good. Take note: you can also get these toppings in a burger by uttering those same magic words.
Though the official In-N-Out menu only offers a single hamburger or Double Double (two patties and two slices of cheese), servers will happily make you a 3x3 or even a 4x4 if you ask for it. Yep, that’s four patties and four slices of cheese – not for little appetites. Want more hacks? Asking for your burger mustard-grilled has the cook squirt mustard on the patty as it sizzles away on the grill. Flavor-bomb indeed.
On a keto diet? This In-N-Out order is for you. You’ll be familiar with the chain’s standard regular or ‘Protein Style’ (lettuce leaves replace the bread bun) burger options pictured here, but the Flying Dutchman is something else. Order this and you’ll receive two slices of cheese melted between two burger patties – literally, a burger sandwich. Pickles and spread will come on the side for you to add yourself, since it’s too messy for the cooks to do so.
Did you know that there’s a ton of ways to customize your Jamba Juice order? Once you start trying your own creations, there’s no going back. Try a Fruity Pebbles (just like the cereal) by ordering 12oz soy milk with a scoop each of lime, raspberry, pineapple, and orange sherbet. Or sip away on a drink that tastes like Sour Patch Kids by mixing that same sherbet order with 12oz lemonade and a scoop of blueberries.
Here’s a really tasty hack. Did you know that there’s no need to stick to the Famous Bowl? A lot of KFC locations will let you DIY your own bowl, adding pretty much anything you like from the menu at the same time. Our top tip? Recreate the Hot Pocket Bowl, which used to be available on the official menu, by asking for a hot pocket of dough with chicken and topping it with melted cheese, gravy, and corn.
What’s better than a McDonald’s Apple Pie? Easy: a McDonald’s Apple Pie blended into a McFlurry. Once you get a taste of this dessert, there’s no going back. We’re talking creamy, cold ice cream melting around hot, flaky chunks of pastry and apple filling. Some servers will agree to blend the pie into the McFlurry for you. If they don’t, it’s easy enough to break the pie up and stir it in yourself. Trust us, the extra effort is well worth it.
The internet went wild for this special McDonald’s hack following a viral TikTok video from @xolovelei. It showed family rolling up to a drive-thru asking for a ‘Dinner Box’ and leaving with a box stacked with two Big Macs, two cheeseburgers, four small fries, and a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets selection. Its availability varies from location to location, along with prices and contents, but it’s a great way to feed a group on a budget.
Sometimes all you want is that familiar combination of toasted bread and warm, gooey American cheese. This crowd-pleasing vegetarian hack gives you just that: slices of cheese melted between two grilled burger buns. Since it’s so simple, it’s a great option for kids or fussy eaters. If your server’s reluctant to make it for you, just ask for a cheeseburger without the burger and with extra cheese.
It’s time to give the root beer float a grown up twist, by adding real alcohol into the mix. The Beer Float is on the actual menu at certain Shake Shack locations in Las Vegas, but elsewhere it’s super easy to create your own. To make it happen, order a beer and ask for a scoop of frozen custard to be added in.
Peanut butter lovers, this one’s for you. For one glorious weekend in 2010, Shake Shack trialed a Peanut Butter & Bacon ShackBurger (cheese, burger patty, chopped cherry peppers, Applewood smoked bacon, and peanut butter sauce) and it was phenomenal. Short on a time machine? Just order a Bacon Shackburger with a side of peanut sauce, then drizzle the good stuff all over.
This kicker of a sandwich hasn’t been a permanent menu option since 2010, but there’s nothing stopping you from hacking your way to ordering it today. To do so, ask for herb and cheese bread with oven roasted chicken, meatball sauce, and mozzarella or provolone, toasted with Parmesan and oregano. If you like the Italian dish this sub is based on, you’re guaranteed to love this combo.
The outrageously delicious offspring of an enchilada and a burrito, the Enchirito is stuffed with beef, beans, and cheese, then topped with diced onions and smothered in red sauce. Once a regular menu order, it’s been relegated to the secret menu for years (though was briefly brought back in a November 2022 promotion). Since it takes a few steps to assemble, it’s worth ordering when the store is quiet – with luck, your Taco Bell server will be happy to whip one up for you.
Another fan-favorite that’s been sadly taken off the menu, the Cheesarito consisted of a flour tortilla stuffed with melted cheese, scallions, and Mexican pizza sauce. While not exactly a looker, it was an oozy, cheesy delight. To recreate it today, just ask for a Cheese Roll-Up with Mexican pizza sauce and scallions added. Simple? Sure. But sometimes simple is exactly what you want.
This secret menu hack has been trending all over TikTok, and for good reason. Waffle House has a ton of great sandwich options, and do you know what makes them even better? Asking for waffles instead of bread. A particular winner is the waffle-heavy version of the Texas Cheesesteak Melt, which sees thinly sliced cheesesteak bacon, grilled onions, and American cheese, all layered between two waffles. We call that breakfast done right.
Not unlike the Arby’s Meat Mountain, this secret menu order springs from the belief that one type of meat just isn’t enough. Wendy's Barnyard Burger is a little more manageable than its Arby’s compatriot, though, combining beef, chicken, and bacon. To sample one for yourself, either add a burger patty to the Asiago Ranch Chicken Club or, if you like things spicier, add bacon, a beef patty, and cheese to the Spicy Chicken Sandwich.
Chicken and waffles? So passé. This secret menu item is bringing sweet and savory into a new realm: the wonderful world of chicken and pancakes. Think crispy, salty fried chicken piled onto a fluffy stack of griddlecakes, all drenched in either maple syrup or honey butter. To get it, all you need to do is order pancakes and a side of chicken strips, then combine with your chosen drizzle. Yep, it’s that simple!
Now discover the fast food items destined to become classics