10 McDonald’s Hacks

Even after all these years, McDonalds continues to be one of the most popular of all the restaurants. It's no big mystery as to why. They have tasty food that's borderline addictive and it's still reasonably priced. There's a lot of good stuff to choose from when you visit a McDonalds. However, if you go often enough you could find yourself spending more money than you'd like or getting bored with the same old meal. What you need is to change your approach to how you eat and order at this famous restaurant, and these McDonald's hacks can help.

We have hacks that cover just about every trick and tactic. There are tactics to getting the freshest food and hacks for getting burgers and treats that aren't on the menu. This list also has many hacks for saving money. We'll tell you when to go to the restaurant, how to ask for special items, and different combinations that can mix together to make tasty treats. Keep in mind that not all restaurants will have all of the same hacks, but try one of these the next time you're at McDonalds, and you could be pleasantly surprised.

You may love McDonalds and think it's the greatest food in the world, but you should know that it could be better. Often, the fries you're getting have been sitting around for a while, and the burgers are right out of the freezer. However, it doesn't have to be that way. So, one of the McDonald's hacks you need to know is that you can get the fresh food that was just made, and the hack isn't that complicated, you basically just need to ask. According to a former McDonald's chef, if you ask the employee very nicely for the freshly made fries or another fresh element, they will likely say yes. Granted, you will likely have to wait a bit longer to get your food, but the quality could be well worth it.

We all hear on the news about how food prices are rising to almost unaffordable levels, but if you use a certain hack, you can get what is essentially a Big Mac for a fraction of the price. It's all about how you place your order. Instead of ordering a Big Mac, order a McDouble sandwich. It's basically the same thing with the same toppings but without the middle bun. So, if you like the flavor of the Big Mac, you'll still get it. The McDouble is about four dollars less than the other sandwich, and since it doesn't have that middle bun, you'll eat fewer calories.

One of the most secretive burgers on McDonald's menu is the McBrunch Burger. Essentially, it's a burger that comes with two cheeseburger patties that are topped with eggs, bacon, and hash browns. This burger is a happy medium between breakfast and lunch and it's not on the menu. To accomplish one of the most exciting McDonald's hacks, you need to go to your local McDonalds at right around 10:35 am. Ask for the sandwich then. It's at that time when they are between breakfast and lunch menus, so they just pile it up. Now, it is not guaranteed that you will get the sandwich just by asking. You have to get lucky and ask the right employee, but it is possible.

Everyone likes their McDonald's chicken nuggets in different ways. Some like them as they come, others like to cover them in sauce, and some people like them well done. Again, the success of this hack depends on the employee you ask. When you're at the counter or drive-thru, ask the employee for the nuggets and ask if they'll cook them a bit longer than usual. Some employees will do it. Lately, a TikToker was able to accomplish the mission, and though the nuggets were crisper, they were just as delicious. You can do the same thing with their hash browns.

You may not realize that you ever wanted a burger with a steamed bun, but according to ex-McDonalds chef Mike Haracz, you should try to get one. This one is slightly easier to get, but you need to know to ask for it in the first place. Chef Haracz says it's something that you should try at least once, especially if you love McDonalds. He says you can really taste the ingredients and they are much better than the traditional burger. Granted, the taste won't be for everyone, but it's worth a try.

According to some past McDonald's employees on Quora, there is a way to get a more affordable meal if you have an important position in the community. They say that if you order your meal and mention that you're a firefighter, a police officer, or you work for a hospital, you may get your meal at the employee price, which is typically about half off. As an extra hack, if you mention you're a student, you can often get a free hamburger, cheeseburger, or flurry with your meal. Ask in advance just in case.

While your options will different at each McDonald's, there are several burger combinations you can ask for, and many times, the employee will say yes.

• Monster Mac — Big Mac with eight beef patties. This one is not available in many places but it doesn't hurt to ask.
• Grilled Cheese — If you ask for a grilled cheese, they'll give you a bun with melted cheese inside. It seems basic, but it's tasty.
• Land, Sea, and Air Burger — A combination McChicken patty, Filet-O-Fish patty, and a beef patty all on one burger.
• Fries with Special Sauce — Pair your special burger with fries that have a side of the sauce that's on Big Macs.

Once you're done with your special burger, you can top off your meal with a tasty dessert. Yes, you can go for the standard ice cream cone or milkshake, or you can try one of these McDonald's hacks and make a special dessert that you didn't know existed at the restaurant:

• Neapolitan Shake — For the best of all worlds, ask for a shake that combines strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla.
• Ice Cream Sandwich — This one you need to make yourself, and it will take some cash. Order a hot fudge sundae and two cookies. Then use one cookie to scoop the ice cream between the other cookie and make it into a sandwich.

People used to go to McDonalds to get a meal for an affordable price. Now that prices are going up, that's a little more difficult. However, it's possible to save with these money-saving McDonald's hacks:

• McDonald's App — Use the app to get rewards every time you order and use them use for future meals.
• Order McNugget in Bulk — Order a 20 or 40-pack and you'll end up saving a ton of money per nugget.
• Fill Out the Surveys On Your Receipts — Don't ignore your receipts. Check them out while you're waiting for your meal and you could get a survey to complete or a code to enter for free food.
• Top Off Your Burger With Free Condiments — Make your burger or sandwich more filling by adding on extra pickles, onion, ketchup, and more. Extra condiments are free.

Many people go to McDonalds strictly for coffee, and we don't blame you. It's tasty, and it's a fraction of the cost of Starbucks. You also have many options for the type of coffee you get, and some of those options aren't on the menu. If you want special drinks, try these:

• Espresso Milkshake — To get this, order a single espresso shot and a milkshake. Once the coffee cools down a bit, pour it into the shake and stir.
• Snickers Coffee — This tasty drink can be achieved by ordering an iced hazelnut coffee and then requesting one pump of caramel syrup, a pump of chocolate syrup, and two pumps of caramel drizzle. Add some whipped cream, stir, and enjoy.
• McAffogato — Slightly more of a dessert, this treat can be achieved by getting vanilla ice cream and mixing in a shot or two of espresso.