21 Best McDonald's Secret Menu Items to Order in 2024

Looking to try the McDonald’s secret menu?  The internet and social media is abuzz with hacks involving McDonald’s extensive menu of breakfast offerings, burgers, sandwiches and desserts.

All of them meld ordinary ingredients into unique and distinctive combinations not readily available in fast food eateries. All they require are some targeted and ingenious changes to common menu items at McDonalds. While some require in-restaurant customizations, others can be created from McDonald’s items at home (and sometimes in your car on the go).

We’ve rounded up some of the more delicious and strange options on the McDonald’s secret menu that will be sure to surprise with their unusual textures and flavors. Others are based on using McDonald’s ingredients to mimic other popular treats and food items. From simple alterations to Frankenstein-esque sandwiches you can barely fit in your mouth, there is something for everyone who regularly enjoys McDonalds. With a few exceptions, many can be created with little or no additional cost.

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• Does McDonald's Have a Secret Menu?
• Mcdonald's Secret Breakfast Menu
• McDonald's Secret Menu Burgers and Sandwiches
• McDonald's Secret Menu Desserts
• Other McDonald's Secret Menu Items

Does McDonald's Have a Secret Menu?

Yes. Like many fast-food eateries, McDonald’s has a wealth of off-book meals and concoctions available from their vast array of menu options. As with the Starbucks secret menu, you won’t find any of these options above the counter or on the app, but you can make DIY combos, selective substitutions and requests to alter regular menu items to get some very unique flavor combinations and treats. 

If you’re wondering how to order from the McDonald’s secret menu, read some of the options below and order the listed items, or ask for the customizations necessary next time you’re looking for something beyond their regular menu. Keep in mind some customizations may take longer to finesse than others, particularly during busy times, so be patient and polite with the counter staff. 

Mcdonald's Secret Breakfast Menu

1. Chicken and "Waffles"

This Southern favorite available from the McDonald’s secret menu combines a crispy fried chicken patty with the McGriddle sandwich’s pancake bun, along with sides like additional maple syrup and Buffalo sauce. While technically a pancake and not a waffle, the combination of flavors is similar to chicken and waffles in many ways.

2. Cinnamon Melt à la Mode

McDonald’s cinnamon rolls are a sweet and luscious breakfast option, only made better by adding a vanilla cone to the order. To enjoy this McDonald’s secret menu item, simply scoop out the ice cream onto your cinnamon roll while it’s still warm for a toasty treat.

3. Snickers Coffee

This sweet concoction modeled on one of America’s favorite candy bars is sure to deliver both your caffeine and sugar fix for the day. To create this McDonald’s secret menu item, order an Iced Hazelnut Coffee, then ask for two pumps of caramel drizzle, one pump of chocolate syrup and one pump of chocolate caramel syrup. Top with lots of whipped cream for an even sweeter flavor profile.

4. Hash Brown McMuffin

This is one of the simplest additions with the greatest impact. While it’s only available during the early half of the day while they are serving breakfast, all you need for this McDonald’s secret menu creation is a hashbrown order and your choice of an Egg or Sausage McMuffin. The result is a little soft and chewy and just a tad crisp, the perfect way to start the day. Some recommend adding fruit jam to the sandwich for a touch of sweetness.

5. The Mc10:35

Named for the optimal time during the day to get one, this sandwich is only available between 10:30 and 11:00, when it combines both the breakfast menu's Egg McMuffin and the regular menu’s McDouble. To assemble this McDonald’s secret menu combo, put the beef patties inside the English muffins on top of the egg and Canadian bacon for a unique blend of flavors.

6. McCrepe

Only available during breakfast hours, this unique and very French DIY McDonald’s secret menu item involves an order of hotcakes and a yogurt parfait. Spread the yogurt parfait over the pancake and roll it up for a sweet and creamy fruit filling.

McDonald's Secret Menu Burgers and Sandwiches

7. Bababooey Burger

This fun combination throws in everything but the kitchen sink and remains one of the most popular secret menu items at McDonald's. To create this burger, order a McDouble and a McChicken. Remove the chicken patty from the bun and place between the two burger patties. It’s especially tasty if you also add some barbecue sauce. 

8. McChicken Big Mac

One of the more formidable McDonald’s secret menu burgers, this sandwich involves replacing the three buns of the Big Mac with McChicken patties instead of bread. Another less expensive version uses the McDouble instead of the Big Mac and uses only two McChickens. 

9. Land, Air and Sea

The best of all worlds, this mammoth sandwich on the McDonald’s secret menu involves a Big Mac (land), McChicken (air) and Filet-O-Fish (sea). This combo is also sometimes called the “Surf & Turf” and is another sandwich of formidable size once assembled. 

10. The Monster Mac

Another meat-heavy McDonald’s secret menu item is this gigantic stack of six to eight beef patties on a Big Mac bun configuration. While it costs more than a regular Big Mac and may present difficulty in opening your mouth wide enough to eat it, it's a challenge some diners meet with relish. It’s also a tough one to finish once you start. Keep in mind each additional patty will cost you around $2.50.

11. McGrilled Cheese

This is a simple McDonald’s secret menu alternative if you do not eat meat but have a vast love of cheese. Simply order a Big Mac, but ask them to hold the burger. You can also enjoy a less expensive option by swapping it out for a regular cheeseburger and asking them to leave off the condiments of your choice. For a creamier version and higher cheese-to-bread ratio, ask for additional slices of cheese.

12. Poor Man’s Big Mac

For a secret menu item more budget-friendly than the Big Mac, order a McDouble instead and swap out the ketchup for the Big Mac Sauce. You’ll be missing the third bun, but the flavor combination is very much the same for about half the price of a conventional Big Mac.

McDonald's Secret Menu Desserts

13. Ice Cream Sandwich

This sweet and chilly McDonald’s secret menu item involves two chocolate chip cookies and your favorite ice cream (a cone, sundae or McFlurry). Lay one cookie on some foil, then spread the ice cream over it, pressing a second cookie on top. Wrap it up and pop it into the freezer to fully freeze again. Popular variations include using the Oreo or M&M McFlurry as the filling. If you prefer a smoother filling, try the hot fudge sundae between the cookies. 

14. Orange Dreamsicle Shake

Order a small Hi-C orange soda and a vanilla cone to create this popular McDonald’s secret menu favorite inspired by the frosty ice cream treat. Simply dip the cone in the soda and wait for it to melt to a shake-like consistency. You can also add your desired amount of Hi-C to a vanilla shake and stir.

15. Apple Pie McFlurry

This McDonald’s secret menu item tastes just like the all-American classic dessert. Ask the staff to blend two apple pies into a McFlurry instead of the other options, or blend it yourself at home. 

16. McAffogato

For a caffeine-laced treat off the McDonald’s secret menu, try mixing one or two espresso shots with ice cream. You can create this with a vanilla shake or a sundae without sauce. Simply mix the coffee in with the shake or sundae to create this Italian coffee and ice cream dessert.

17. Neapolitan Shake

A perfect McDonald’s secret menu option for the indecisive, this treat involves all three flavors (vanilla, chocolate and strawberry) blended together for a classic flavor trio. 

18. McLeprechaun Shake

Only available in March around St. Patrick's Day, this McDonald’s secret menu item mixes the perennially favorite Shamrock Shake with a regular chocolate shake for a minty combo of flavors that resembles mint chip ice cream or Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies.

Other McDonald's Secret Menu Items

19. Cotton Candy Soda

If you’re looking for a fun fountain drink that’s also a McDonald’s secret menu option, many have noted that if you add two pumps of French vanilla coffee syrup to a Sprite, the resulting drink resembles the sweet and frothy flavor of cotton candy. 

20. Fries With Big Mac Sauce

While you are free to order your fries with any number of other McDonald’s dipping sauces like barbecue, honey mustard or sweet and sour sauce, a popular suggestion in McDonald’s secret menu discussions is to order your fries with a side of their Big Mac Sauce. 

21. McDonald’s Milk Tea

A budget-friendly option for this popular drink at Thai restaurants or cafés, you can order a sweet tea and add three to seven free coffee creamers to achieve an exact ringer for the real thing at less than half the cost.

Whether you are a regular diner at McDonalds or just looking for a quick and unique bite that’s far from the usual fast-food options, the McDonald’s secret menu is a great way to sample the culinary creativity spawned by internet denizens all over the world. Sample one of these, or dream up your own unique combination and share it with the world via social media.

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