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8 Things on the McDonald’s Secret Menu You Need to Know About

Updated: Sep. 10, 2021

McDonald’s has a secret menu. Here’s how to work it.

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CHICAGO, USA - JUNE 28, 2013: People walk by McDonald's restaurant in Chicago. McDonald's is the 2nd most successful restaurant franchise in the world with 33,000 locations.
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You didn’t hear it from us, but McDonald’s has a secret menu just like your other fast-food faves! With the help of Hack the Menu, we looked into lots of secret items that you might be surprised—and pleased—to know exist. Just bear in mind that not everything will be available at every McDonald’s location and your server may or may not know the lingo. That’s why you’ll get the best Mc-Mileage by being prepared to describe what you want…and doing so with a smile. Check out these 75 mind-blowing facts about McDonald’sPsst! These copycat recipes taste like the real deal.

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Lodz, Poland, January 07, 2017: McDonald's Big Mac
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Poor Man’s Big Mac

The Poor Man’s Big Mac is a McDouble (a bargain at around $1.49 made up of two burgers and one slice of cheese) with special sauce (that’s the Big Mac Sauce), extra lettuce and no ketchup. You won’t miss the Big Mac’s third bun and hefty price of around $3.99. You can also whip up a copycat version of the Big Mac at home (or sample another fast food-inspired copycat recipe)!

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Huge burger ready to be eaten
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Big Mac ‘n’ Cheese

You might think of this one as a “Veggie Mac,” because that’s precisely what it is: a Big Mac, hold the meat. It could cost you as much as a Big Mac, depending on your location, but if you don’t eat meat, it might be worth it. Find out the 11 McDonald’s menu items that totally failed. (In the mood for a meatless meal? Here are some of our best veggie burger recipes.)

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Chiangmai, Thailand - December 09 2017:McDonald's French Fries in a McDonald's restaurant.
Sergey Edentod/Shutterstock

Grilled Cheese

Slightly less tasty but way less expensive than the Big Mac ‘n’ Cheese is the Grilled Cheese, which is a cheeseburger, hold the burger. It will run you around $.99. You can decide whether you want them to hold the condiments as well, but you might want to leave on the pickles. (So good!) PsstDid someone say “grilled cheese?”

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BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, April, 2013: Young woman eating a Big Mac hamburger menu in a McDonald's restaurant. Illustrative editorial.
napocska/Shutterstock

Monster Mac

The Monster Mac is a Big Mac made with eight (or any number, really) burgers, instead of two. It will cost you extra, of course—we’ve heard at least $2.50 per patty. This is definitely not the same Big Mac that was introduced in 1968! Don’t miss our McHistory of the McDonald’s menu. 

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PENANG, MALAYSIA - MAY 16, 2017 : Egg McMuffin with McDonald Premium Roast Coffee is one of the meals choice at McDonald's Weekday Breakfast Specials.
TY Lim/Shutterstock

Add an Egg

Now that McDonald’s offers an all-day breakfast menu, you can level up your burger game by adding an egg to any burger. Just decide what kind of egg you want (your choices being the round McMuffin egg, folded eggs, scrambled eggs, or scrambled egg whites). You’ll most likely have to pay somewhere between $1.19 and $1.59 for the egg. This is the only McDonald’s breakfast that uses real eggs. Here’s our famous Eggs Benedict Burger to get you in the mood! 

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This, photo, shows a McDonald's McGriddle sandwich in New York. McDonald's plans to push its operational limits by testing the addition of the McGriddle to its all-day breakfast menu. The move comes after the company reported its biggest U.S. sales jump in nearly four years, following the launch of all-day breakfast in October
Candice Choi/Shutterstock

Chicken McGriddle

This is another item that’s available thanks to the all-day breakfast menu. What it is: a chicken patty sandwiched between two McGriddle-cakes. It reminds us somewhat of chicken & waffles. The Chicken McGriddle is actually on the menu in some locations, which makes it more likely your server will know what you’re talking about!

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Minsk, Belarus, May 18, 2017: Big Mac hamburger menu in a McDonald's restaurant.
8th.creator/Shutterstock

Fries with Big Mac Sauce

This is precisely what it sounds like, and it shouldn’t even cost you extra because McDonald’s doesn’t charge for extra sauces. Here’s why McDonald’s fries are so good.

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Minsk, Belarus, January 8, 2018: Man is eating at McDonald's restaurant.
8th.creator/Shutterstock

Top-Secret Dipping Sauces

Warning: your server might be holding out on you! If you’re offered, say, barbecue sauce with your McNuggets, that doesn’t mean there aren’t tons of other choices as well. The McDonalds Dipping Sauces include: Sweet and Sour, Honey Mustard, Chipotle BBQ, Tangy BBQ, Spicy Buffalo, Sweet Chili, Hot Mustard and Creamy Ranch. What a list! We’re big fans of using the dipping sauces for fries, too. Just ask, and you shall (probably) receive. Don’t miss the 17 things McDonald’s employees won’t tell you.

Taste of Home
Originally Published on Taste of Home