A lot of fast-food chains have a secret menu but some are more secret than others.
Starbucks (SBUX), for example, has a lot of secret menu items that have become pretty commonly known and a few which have even crossed over to the regular menu. This type of secret menu has its positives and its negatives for a chain.
On the positive side, having a well-known "secret" makes people feel like they're part of something special, but not so special that they won't share it with other people. But, there are negatives when an item is not actually on the menu. This can lead to inconsistencies when it comes to recipes and how things get made.
Secret menus use items that a chain already has to make something new. That actually can lead to customers creating new items and combinations that make their way to the regular menu. That's something McDonald's (MCD) has embraced.
The fast-food giant added a number of formerly secret menu/menu hack items to its menu in January and it has more planned for this summer.
Image source: McDonald's
McDonald's Embraces Menu Hacks
Menu hacks are items that customers order together to essentially build something new. At McDonald's this includes a few pretty impressive sandwiches:
- Surf + Turf (a sandwich with both the Filet-O-Fish and Cheeseburger patties),
- Hash Brown McMuffin (an Egg McMuffin with the chain's hashbrown in between the egg and sausage)
- Crunchy Double (chicken nuggets over a burger).
- Land, Air & Sea (a McChicken, a Big Mac, and a Filet-O-Fish stacked on top of each other.
It's a fairly brilliant strategy to put these items on the menu (albeit for a limited time, which has expired) because the chain already has all of the ingredients. The reality is that while these items are no longer listed on the menu, you can still order them because you always had to assemble them yourself.
Now, the chain has plans to embrace some more secret menu items/menu hacks as part of a major summer promotion.
What Is McDonald's Doing This Summer
McDonald's plans a 27-day promotion it's dubbing "Camp McDonald's." In addition to food specials, the chain plans a summer concert series.
"Every Sunday, we're giving you front-row seats to exclusive virtual concerts by incredible musicians, including BIBI, Omar Apollo, blackbear and our headliner, Kid Cudi," the company shared in a press release.
The Golden Arches will also be releasing some special merchandise including some celebrity collaborations and the return of an old McDonaldland friend.
"Get ready for camp with limited-edition merch collabs, dropping for purchase every Thursday starting with Free & Easy, followed by Ma®ket, innisfree and Kid Cudi. Even better? Your favorite purple bestie is welcoming you to camp on opening day, July 5, with a Retro Grimace Pool Float, while supplies last."
But, most importantly McDonald's will be adding to menu hacks/secret menu items to its actual menu.
"And with the weather heating up, we're dishing out deals on two menu hacks with peak summertime vibes – an Apple Pie McFlurry and a McFlurry Sandwich – which fans can build themselves," the company shared.
A "McFlurry Sandwich" is created by taking the frozen treat and putting it between two chocolate chip cookies. An Apple Pie McFlurry is literally a McDonald's Apple Pie blended into a McFlurry (which seems like added stress on the often-broken McFlurry machine).
(Technically, the company said you have to do the mixing yourself, but numerous social media reports say that store employees might do it if you ask nicely).
