Though McDonald’s isn’t quite the same around the world, as a 2018 Spoon University article revealed, it does note, “Many McDonald’s locations around the world keep classic, staple items, such as the Big Mac, on their menus.”
But even though their fries might be the same in Pittsburgh, Paris, and Puerto Vallarta, it’s still a hackable menu, and loyal customers over the years have shared their favorite McDonald’s hacks online.
Determining what the best McDonald’s hacks are certainly depends on your personal preferences, but TikTok’s a good place to look. There are many McDonald’s customers going to the platform to share ways to make your McDonald’s experience better.
The best McDonald’s hacks, according to Chef Mike Haracz
If you follow just one TikToker to get an insider’s take on the Golden Arches, make sure it’s Chef Mike Haracz. The former McDonald’s chef has a treasure trove of tips on his TikTok account.
The Daily Dot has covered a number of his best hack recommendations, including how to get fresh fries (which can also work for fresh burger patties) and how to order a cheaper and better Big Mac. He also offers insights on the worst time to go to McDonald’s and a surefire test for telling if you’re at a “good” McDonald’s.
The best McDonald’s chicken sandwich hacks
If you like McDonald’s chicken sandwiches, but you think they can be improved, creator @hasaneats has two tips for you.
The first involves taking a McCrispy, removing the buns, putting the chicken in the bag the sandwich comes in, and adding a Buffalo Sauce packet and a Ranch packet to the chicken. Shake it up, and you have a more flavorful McCrispy.
The second is a Big Mac but make it chicken. The creator demonstrates it’s possible to sub chicken patties for the meat patties in a Big Mac and get extra sauce to really bring it home.
As the Daily Dot shared, another creator revealed that a Chicken McGriddle exists, bringing a chicken-and-waffles experience to McD’s, though some contend that’s been part of a “secret menu” for some time, and it even appears on the McDonald’s site.
The best McDonald’s hacks for people with a sweet tooth
If you have a McFlurry craving but you want to try something new, consider the Oreo McFlurry hashbrown sandwich.
No, seriously.
This made the rounds among TikTokers in May 2023, and as the Daily Dot reported, it’s created by scooping McFlurry in between two hashbrowns to make a sandwich. One creator claimed, “I have never wanted to try anything more in my life” in a TikTok that went viral. There, a commenter confessed to dipping fries in their McFlurry.
One creator who specializes in food hacks, @sarahmargareteats, revealed a recipe for a Snickers iced coffee that can be created in the app with a few customized ingredients.
And a pair of McDonald’s-loving moms, @janelleandkate, created an elaborate dessert item featuring six McDonald’s ice cream cones plus three of the fast-food restaurant’s cookies and chocolate sauce.
The best McDonald’s app hacks
Using the McDonald’s app can open up a whole other world of possibilities at the Golden Arches. Some swear by the app, and as one creator underscored with a video boasting she had $1.34 in her bank account but more than 30,000 McDonald’s app points, those points are emerging as a form of currency.
Some claim there are hacks available to make the app even more useful. One creator offered a way to use multiple coupons without waiting the requisite 10 minutes that another TikToker claimed is the norm. Another claimed that it’s possible to get a full McDonald’s breakfast using the app for just $2. Yet another shared a hack to get a free McCrispy chicken sandwich.
Best McDonald’s hack for eating in your car (or transporting your meal)
This one actually comes from McDonald’s itself—specifically from the McDonald’s UK Twitter account, which in 2019 shared a hack they spotted. It showed a person with a Chicken McNuggets box balanced atop a drink, with the straw protruding in between the two halves of the box, with nuggets on one side and fries on the other.
“Carry your whole meal in one hand with this hack we spotted,” the tweet said. “Who else is giving this a try?”
Though it looked efficient, one person noted, “This is a game I’m not willing to play.”
Another demo’d it with a Big Mac box; sadly, it didn’t fare as well, though it did at least appear to be holding up in the picture.
While the Daily Dot shares McDonald’s hacks on the site, its coverage goes well beyond that, including how to make your own Big Mac sauce at home, a Big Mac combo that rang in at nearly $17, and a McDonald’s worker claiming to only spend $30 a month on groceries thanks to the job.