McDonald’s serves millions of customers every day, but most people don’t know about the simple tricks that can make their meal better and cheaper. Whether you’re a weekly visitor or someone who only stops by occasionally, these ordering hacks can transform your experience. Some tricks help you save money, others get you fresher food, and a few unlock secret menu items that regular customers never discover. The best part? Most of these tricks work at any location, and you don’t need to be a secret shopper to use them.
The app saves you more money than most people realize
Ordering at the counter or drive-through window means you’re missing out on deals that only exist in the McDonald’s app. The app offers exclusive specials like a customizable $5 meal deal that includes a 4-piece McNuggets, small fries, a soft drink, and either a McChicken or McDouble. There’s also Free Fries Friday, where you can add a free medium fries to any order over $1. These deals can save you several dollars on a single visit, and they’re only available through the mobile app.
The rewards program is another reason to download the app. You earn 100 points for every dollar spent, and you can redeem points starting at 1,500 for items like hash browns or a cheeseburger. Save up 6,000 points and you can get a Big Mac or Happy Meal for free. Some rewards offer better value than others, so paying attention to menu prices helps you maximize your points. The McChicken at 1,500 points works out to around $2.99 per 1,000 points, while the Filet-O-Fish at 4,500 points gives you about $1.55 per 1,000 points.
A McDouble dressed like a Big Mac costs way less
Big Macs have been around since 1967, but they’re not cheap anymore. Depending on your location, a Big Mac can cost $6 or more just for the sandwich. If you love the taste but not the price, there’s a simple workaround. Order a McDouble and ask them to prepare it like a Big Mac. They’ll add Big Mac sauce and shredded lettuce, giving you almost the same sandwich for around $4 instead of $6.
The main difference is that you get two beef patties instead of three, and there’s no middle bun. For most people, that’s a fair trade for the money saved. Some locations might charge extra for the Big Mac sauce, but even with a small upcharge, you’re still paying less than you would for the full Big Mac. This budget hack works at most McDonald’s locations as long as you ask politely and explain what you want.
Ordering fries without salt guarantees a fresh batch
Nothing beats McDonald’s fries when they’re hot and fresh, but sometimes you get fries that have been sitting under a warmer for too long. They taste stale and lose that crispy texture everyone loves. There’s a trick to guarantee fresh fries every single time, even during slow hours. When you order, ask for your fries with no salt. This forces the kitchen to make a fresh batch because the regular fries are already salted.
The workers have to wipe down the area to make sure there’s no salt contamination, then cook a new batch just for you. Your fries might take an extra minute or two, but they’ll be piping hot and crispy. If you want salt on them, you can add it yourself using the salt packets at the counter. Some people worry this hack annoys the staff, but as long as you’re polite and patient about the wait, most employees don’t mind. Just remember that requesting no salt might mean you get slightly fewer fries since they’re making a smaller custom batch.
Steamed buns make any burger taste better
Most McDonald’s burgers come on toasted buns with a golden brown color and slight crunch. But there’s another type of bun that most customers never try. The Filet-O-Fish comes on a steamed bun that’s soft, fluffy, and almost twice as tall as a regular toasted bun. It has a glossy top and a pillowy texture that melts in your mouth. You can actually request this steamed bun for any burger on the menu.
The buns go in a steam drawer for just 11 seconds, which gives them that distinctive soft texture. You can’t order this option through the app, so you’ll need to ask for it in person at the counter or drive-through. Just tell them you want a steamed bun instead of toasted, or ask for the same bun used on the Filet-O-Fish. Most locations can accommodate this request without any problem. The steamed bun changes the entire eating experience and makes your burger feel more premium without costing extra.
Round eggs are real eggs, folded eggs are not
Not all eggs at McDonald’s are created equal. If you order a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit or a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit, you normally get a folded egg patty. These folded eggs are made from a pasteurized egg mixture that includes water, xanthan gum, and other additives. They’re shipped to restaurants already cooked and just get reheated when you order. The texture is a bit rubbery, and they don’t taste as fresh as real eggs.
But the Egg McMuffin uses a different kind of egg called a round egg. These are actual fresh eggs that get cracked and cooked in the restaurant inside a ring mold. They’re steamed right there, which gives them a much better taste and texture. Here’s the trick: you can ask for a round egg on any breakfast sandwich. Just tell them you want your biscuit sandwich made with a round egg instead of a folded egg. This simple swap transforms your breakfast sandwich into something that tastes much more like homemade food rather than processed fast food.
Extra crispy McNuggets are available if you ask
Chicken McNuggets are one of McDonald’s most popular menu items, but the crispiness can vary depending on how long they’ve been sitting. Sometimes you get nuggets with a satisfying crunch, and other times they taste a bit soft. Instead of hoping for the best every time you order, you can actually request extra crispy nuggets. Not all locations or employees will honor this request, but many will if you ask nicely.
When you request extra crispy nuggets, the kitchen cooks them a little longer than usual. This gives the breading an extra crunch that makes it taste fresher and more satisfying. The key is to eat them right away because letting them sit will make them soggy again, which defeats the purpose of getting them extra crispy in the first place. If you’re eating in your car or taking them home, try to enjoy them within a few minutes of getting your order. This simple request can make your McNuggets significantly better without costing anything extra.
The land, air, and sea combine three sandwiches into one
The land, air, and sea is a legendary secret menu item that combines meat from animals that walk, fly, and swim. To make it, you need to order three separate sandwiches: a Big Mac for the land, a McChicken for the air, and a Filet-O-Fish for the sea. McDonald’s actually offered this as an official menu item for a brief time, but now you have to build it yourself. The process takes a bit of work, but the result is a massive sandwich that some people love.
Start by taking apart the Big Mac and stacking the McChicken on top of the first beef patty. Then take the middle bun from the Big Mac, place it on the Filet-O-Fish, and put the second beef patty on top of that. Finally, lay the Filet-O-Fish over the hamburger patty and put the top bun from the Big Mac back on. The finished sandwich is enormous and contains multiple types of protein and sauces. It’s not for everyone, but it’s worth trying once if you’re feeling adventurous and very hungry.
A hash brown McMuffin is better than it sounds
Hash browns are one of the best things on the McDonald’s breakfast menu, with their crispy exterior and soft potato interior. The sausage McMuffin is another breakfast classic. Someone figured out that combining these two items creates an amazing breakfast sandwich. McDonald’s even offered this as an official menu item starting in 2022, where you’d get a sausage McMuffin and a hash brown to build the sandwich yourself.
Even though it’s not officially on the menu anymore, you can still order the components separately and build it yourself. Some people take this hack even further by replacing the English muffin entirely with two hash browns, creating a sandwich with hash browns as the top and bottom bun. A few adventurous eaters even add a splash of pancake syrup for sweetness. The combination of crispy hash brown, savory sausage, melted cheese, and egg creates interesting contrasts in texture and taste. This breakfast hack has become popular enough that many employees know exactly what you mean when you ask for it.
Coffee shakes exist if you make them yourself
McDonald’s sells plenty of coffee drinks and several flavors of milkshakes, but they don’t offer a coffee-flavored shake on the regular menu. That doesn’t mean you can’t have one. The trick is simple: order a vanilla shake and a McCafé espresso shot. When you get both items, pour the espresso shot into the shake and give it a quick stir. Now you have a coffee milkshake that tastes amazing.
The warm espresso will thin out the shake a bit, but most people find the consistency is still good. Once you try this basic version, you can experiment with different combinations. Try mixing a McCafé Caramel Macchiato into a vanilla shake, or add a McCafé Cappuccino to a chocolate shake. Some people prefer using a chocolate shake as the base for a mocha-style drink. The possibilities are endless once you realize you can combine any coffee drink with any shake flavor. This hack costs a bit more since you’re buying two items, but it gives you a unique drink that isn’t available anywhere else.
These tricks work at most McDonald’s locations, though some employees might not be familiar with every hack. Being polite and explaining what you want usually gets better results than demanding special treatment. Some hacks save money, others improve quality, and a few just make eating at McDonald’s more fun. Try a couple of these tricks on your next visit and see which ones become part of your regular routine.
