Secret Menu Items From Your Favorite Fast Food Restaurants

By: Kate Row | Published: Jun 16, 2024

Most restaurants have a secret menu with tons of hidden food items that don’t appear on the regular menu. You have to look up the secret menu to find these delicious treats! 

You might have been completely unaware that you were missing out on some of these incredible food items from your favorite restaurants. We’ve collected some of our all time favorite under-the-radar food items that you have to try!

Fish Tacos, El Pollo Loco

Fish tacos are an interesting item on the menu from El Pollo Loco because when the restaurant first started to make them, they were only offered at select locations. Some El Pollo Loco restaurants have them on the menu and some do not, making them somewhat exclusive.

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Source: mashed

Most store locations carry all the ingredients to make these tacos so even if they don’t appear on the menu, you can order them and they will make them for you. They are a healthy alternative to the chicken tacos that are on the menu.

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Skinless Chicken, El Pollo Loco

El Pollo Loco is known for their delicious chicken, but it’s no secret that the greasy skin is not very healthy. In fact, over 50% of the fat from chicken is found in the skin, so eliminating this will give you a much healthier meal!

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Source: fatsecret

If you request your chicken skinless, they will make it for you! This will give you a high protein, low fat meal that is still delicious. Pair it with some rice and you have a perfect meal!

Unicorn Frappuccino, Starbucks

The Unicorn frappuccino gained popularity for its bright pink and blue colors. This cotton candy colored drink is made with ice, pink powder, sour blue powder, frappuccino syrup, mango syrup, and blue drizzle.

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Source: brit & co.

If you’re a lover of all things sweet, this might be the secret menu item for you. Or if you just want to take a picture for Instagram, this is probably the brightest drink that Starbucks can make! Beware of the sugar rush.

The Crystal Ball Frappuccino, Starbucks

The Crystal Ball frappuccino came out after the Unicorn drink gained popularity in 2017. The company realized the colorful frappuccinos were popular and that they basically gained free advertising when people began posting pictures of the fun drinks.

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Source: starbucks secret menu

The Crystal Ball frappuccino is a swirly colored drink that can be made in your choice of color. You can order it in purple, blue, or green. It’s infused with peach tea and peach whipped cream as well as candy gem topping.

The Baby Yoda Frappuccino

Perhaps the cutest frappuccino of all is the Baby Yoda Frappuccino. The green color comes from the matcha green tea drink. Then caramel drizzle  is added around the cup. This color is supposed to represent Yoda’s cloak.

Source: disney food blo

It’s topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and caramel crunchies. If you’re a fan of the Star Wars films or The Mandalorian, this is the perfect drink for you to enjoy while you watch.

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Butterbeer Latte, Starbucks

All of our Harry Potter fans are going to appreciate this one. You can actually order your own butterbeer at Starbucks and feel like you’re a witch or wizard at Hogwarts. This latte is fairly easy to order and tastes like you would imagine the butterbeer in the film tastes.

Source: totally the bomb

Simply order a grande iced latte. Add 2 pumps of caramel syrup and 2 pumps of toffee nut syrup. This will give you a sweet tasty version of the drink you see Harry Potter and Hermoine Granger enjoy in the Harry Potter movies.

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Pickle-Os, Sonic

Pickles are a hot menu item at Sonic. People loved their pickles and they love their fried foods. These are a tasty alternative to french fries if you’re looking to switch it up with your sides. This menu item is not well-known, but they can be made at almost any Sonic location.

Source: SecretMenuSource

Pickles are coated in batter and deep fried to become tasty crispy little bites. This is a really popular food item in the South of the United States, but pickles are at every Sonic location so they can really be made anywhere!

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Pickle Juice Slush, Sonic

The Pickle Juice Slush is another pickle-flavored menu item that has gained major popularity at Sonic. It was a menu item that was taken away and brought back in 2022. Even if you are a pickle lover you might be concerned about what a pickle slush tastes like. 

Source: facebook

The Pickle Juice Slush is meant to satisfy pickle cravings with a salty dill flavor mixed with the sweet flavor of a slush. Some fans have mentioned that it tastes like drinking the juice from a pickle juice with a slight hint of sweetness.

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Frito Pie, Sonic

The frito pie is another dish that is popular in the Southern United States. It is basically exactly what it sounds like. Fritos are covered in chili sauce and nacho cheese for a crunchy and salty meal.

Source: ranker

Not every Sonic location will have the ingredients for the Frito Pie, but it is definitely worth the ask. If you’re a fan of nachos and chili, this is a fun rendition on a classic nacho dish. In fact, it is closer to nachos than it is to a pie.

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Animal Style Fries, In-N-Out

In-n-Out doesn’t have a secret menu as much as they have some little known renditions on the fan favorite food items that some people might not know you can ask for. Ordering a burger “animal style” means adding secret sauce and grilled onions to your burger.

Source: couple in the kitchen

This is probably the most popular menu item at In-n-out. But not everyone knows that you can order your fries animal style as well. Grilled onions, melted cheese, and creamy secret sauce will be piled on to your delicious fries.

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Protein Style Burgers, In-N-Out

In-n-Out is known for their simple menu. In their years of service, they haven’t added or taken much away. They pride themselves in their simple items and work to make them the very best they can. Burgers, fries, and shakes are good on their own without many crazy additions.

Source: quadrant kindercentra

One way you can make your meal a little healthier is to order your burger “protein style”. This simply means replacing the bun of your burger with lettuce. This eliminates the carbs and leaves you with all the tasty fillings of a normal In-n-Out burger.

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The Mustard-Grilled Patty, In-N-Out

One of the other more popular secret items from In-N-Out is the mustard-grilled patty. If you’re a mustard fan, this rendition of the classic IN-N-Out burger might just be for you. Request this item for a burger with a little extra kick.

Source: couple in the kitchen

For the mustard-grilled patty, the team will slather your burger patty in mustard before placing it on the grill. It’s an acquired taste but one of the most popular requests from the restaurant. People love their mustard!

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Chick-fil-A, Chicken Quesadilla

Chick-fil-A is known for their delicious chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and tasty shakes. But a little-known secret menu is the chicken quesadilla. It’s simply made with their classic chicken, cilantro, and monterey jack cheese.

Source: Pinterest

You can get this wrapped in your choice of corn or flour tortilla. Thankfully, this delicious treat is available at most locations. It’s a different way to enjoy your favorite chicken! Switch up the classic chicken sandwich for this yummy alternative.

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Chick-fil-A Rootbeer Float

Who doesn’t love a root beer float? Classic vanilla ice cream mixed with root beer is the perfect treat. Chick-fil-A sells both root beer and vanilla ice cream so why not put them together?

Source: food beast

Pair this with your meal in replacement of a shake or soda for a delicious sweet treat. In our humble opinion, every restaurant should sell these. It seems they’re hard to come by these days but they’re absolutely amazing!

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Chick-fil-A Peach Hand-Spun Milkshake

Chick-fil-A does the classic milkshake flavors that most of us are familiar with. Chocolate and vanilla are obviously on the menu as well as their famous cookies and cream shake. But there is another somewhat unexpected flavor available at some locations.

Source: spoon university

This secret menu item is for those fruit lovers who are looking for a summery treat to go with their meal. The peach hand-spun milkshake is a little-known menu item that offers an alternative to some of the other classic flavors.

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Chick-fil-A Free IceDream

The IceDream is a more common secret menu item than some of the aforementioned. But not everyone knows about this tasty treat. Apparently, you can ask any Chick-fil-A to exchange any kid’s meal toy for a free ice cream cone.

Source: twitter

If your kids are bigger fans of ice cream than they are toys, feel free to make this exchange so they can enjoy a sweet treat. You can get this in a cone or a cup based on your preference.

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Chick-fil-A Fried Chicken Club

This is a delicious alternative to the classic chicken sandwich we all know and love. The fried chicken club swaps the regular char-broiled chicken for fried chicken. They will add tomato and lettuce.

Source: secret menus

They also use a slightly larger bun than the regular chicken sandwiches. It’s not as healthy as the regular club sandwich due to the fried chicken but it sure is delicious. For only $4.49 you can order this at any location.

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Chipotle Double Wrapped Burrito

Chipotle is known for their build your own burritos, bowls, and tacos. But there are some secret menu items that you can add to your meal to give them that extra umph as well as some menu items you may not have heard of.

Source: shopfood.com

The Chipotle burrito is near perfect. To add to this delicious meal you can ask for your burrito double wrapped so you have 2 warm tortillas. The best part is this request will be fulfilled for free!

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Chipotle Nachos

One of the only things tastier than a burrito might be nachos. You can essentially get all the fillings you would ordinarily get wrapped in a tortilla thrown on top of crispy chips instead. Nachos are a great option if you’re sharing with friends.

Source: eater

Chipotle doesn’t really advertise this item but it is one of their more common secret menu dishes. Get meat of your choosing, cheese, beans, vegetables, and whatever sauces your heart desires on a plate of their salty chips.

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Chipotle Burritodilla

The burritodilla sounds like something Mexican food lovers dreamt up. But at Chipotle, this fantastic cross between a burrito and quesadilla really exists and you can order it at some limited locations.

Source: brand eating

It is basically a quesadilla filled with cheese wrapped within a burrito with all the fillings of your choosing. It is grilled to perfection and served as a warm cheesy burritodilla. Yum!

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Chipotle Quesarito

The Chipotle Quesarito is made for all of our cheese lovers. It does cost $3.50 more than a regular burrito, but for this tasty meal, it may just be worth it. The quesarito is basically a burrito with a little something extra.

Source: Buzzfeed

Your burrito will be double wrapped with 2 tortillas. In between these two tortillas is a whole bunch of melted cheese. Inside is all the fillings of your favorite burrito so you can enjoy a cheesy burrito flavor with every bite.

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Chipotle Fresh Cilantro

If you’re a lover of food you can appreciate how much of a difference fresh ingredients make to a dish. Chipotle appeals to their audience by offering fresh cilantro at every location.

Source: eater

Adding some of this fresh herb to your dish will add to the flavor of your already delicious burrito. Your favorite meal just got even tastier. If you ask, they will add this green topping absolutely free of charge.

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Dairy Queen Banana Split Blizzard

DQ has tons of tasty menu items and they are constantly adding seasonal items to the mix. But they also have a little-known secret menu where you can order some exclusive menu items that most people don’t know about.

Source: z menu

The banana split blizzard is one such item. You can order a regular banana split from the regular menu but if you’d like all these things thrown into a blizzard, they will be happy to oblige. It’s made simply by adding all the banana split toppings into vanilla ice cream.

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Dairy Queen Frozen Hot Chocolate

A frozen hot chocolate might sound like an oxymoron. But this chocolatey treat is perfect for when you’re craving that flavor but want something cool in the summer months. The frozen hot chocolate is just a regular hot chocolate with ice blended in.

Source: tasteofhome

It’s typically available at every location but might only be served in certain months. This tasty treat is definitely worth asking for!

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Dairy Queen Coffee Blizzard

If you’re a fan of the classic vanilla or oreo cookie blizzard, but want to add a little change, try this secret menu twist. Just ask the staff to add some coffee syrup to the blizzard for a delicious new rendition of your classic treat.

Source: secret menu source

DQ does not carry coffee ice cream so make sure you don’t ask for that. The coffee syrup, when added to the blizzard will taste just like a coffee blizzard.

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McDonalds Apple Pie McFlurry

McDonalds has an extensive menu of delicious (though unhealthy) menu items. But they also have some secret menu items that are not well known but are offered at most locations around the world.

Source: NPR

One popular menu item is their warm apple pie. And what pairs perfectly with apple pie? Vanilla ice cream, of course. The apple pie can be blended into a Mcflurry for the perfect combination of apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Yum!

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McDonalds All American

The All American is a perfect option for those of us who prefer a simple meal. The All American is simply a beef patty with ketchup and pickles inside of a hamburger bun. No extra bells and whistles.

Source: Baklol

Most likely, people were ordering this frequently so they decided to actually make it a secret menu item. Even picky eaters need something to eat! If you’re looking for something a little on the lighter side, this is a great option for you.

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McDonalds Big Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Many restaurants have begun to create menu items that will work for people with different kinds of eating habits. Being vegan and vegetarian has become more and more popular, so restaurants have to change with the times.

Source: know your meme

One example of a vegetarian option from McDonalds is the Big Mac ‘n’ Cheese. It has everything that a regular Big Mac has except for the meat. It still has the three buns, lettuce cheese, pickles, and Big Mac sauce.

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McDonalds Cinnamon Melt a la Mode

This tasty treat is available at most McDonalds locations. It involves two sweet ingredients: low fat soft serve and gooey cinnamon melts. You can get this tasty treat for as little as $2.99.

Source: brand eating

Simply order a soft serve ice cream cone and dump it on top of the warm cinnamon bites. The warm cinnamon will melt the ice cream and it will all be topped with a crunchy cone.

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McDonalds Egg Burger

If you’re looking for a little extra something added to your regular cheeseburger, this might be just the thing. You can add an egg to any burger and choose which way you want it cooked. It’ll cost $1-$2 extra depending on how the egg is prepared.

Source: foodbeast

You can ask for a round egg, folded egg, or scrambled egg whites on any burger or sandwich for some added protein or to make your own breakfast sandwich.

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McDonalds Fries with Big Mac Sauce

Big Mac sauce is one of the most popular flavors at McDonalds, similar to how the secret sauce at In-n-Out is a big crowd pleaser. If you love the sauce and can’t get enough, you’re in luck!

Source: HackTheMenu

You can order a side of the Big Mac sauce to dip your french fries in. Usually, most locations will give you this side for free, but some might charge you $50 more. In our opinion, it’s well worth it.

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Taco Bell The Incredible Hulk

The Incredible Hulk  burrito is as intense as the name suggests. This burrito is a beefy 5 layer burrito made with guacamole instead of the classic nacho cheese. The green is where it gets its name.

Source: spoon university

It takes out the inner 6 inch tortilla shell that is in the regular 5 layer burrito and makes it FRESCO. This is a healthier alternative because the guacamole is a lot better for you than the usual nacho cheese.

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Taco Bell The Superman

The Superman burrito is perhaps the most excessive menu item on the Taco Bell secret menu, but it sure does sound delicious. The Superman is a cheesy double beef burrito with a whole bunch of extra fixins.

Source: snack history

It includes extra potatoes, sour cream, guacamole, and crispy tortilla strips in addition to the cheese and beef. Thankfully they made a name for this thing so you don’t have to list off all those items when you order!

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Taco Bell Cheesarito

The Cheesarito has become so popular that it is less of a secret and more of a regular menu item, but they haven’t put it on the menu yet so it’s still technically a secret dish. The Cheesarito is just as the name suggests.

Source: First We Feast

It includes melted cheese, scallions, and taco sauce rolled inside of a soft tortilla. It’s popular for a reason, folks! Give this tasty snack a try next time you’re at Taco Bell.

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Taco Bell Chili Cheese Burrito

The chili cheese burrito is another one of Taco Bell’s most popular secret menu items. It’s simple yet delicious, and has become a fan favorite in the past few years.

Source: taco bell

The chili cheese burrito is simply a cheese burrito with chili sauce and meat added in. This warm burrito is easy to make, but is only offered at limited locations because not every Taco Bell carries the chili sauce.

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Taco Bell Dorito Shell Anything

Taco Bell came out with the dorito shell a few years back and it has grown to become one of their staple menu items. A little known secret is that you can add a dorito shell to almost any meal.

Source: eater london

Ask to swap out any hard taco shell with the flavorful doritos shell. This will add a little kick to your regular meal. It costs less than a dollar to swap the shell or you can choose to add the shell to the dish for a little more.

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Chipotle's Burrito in a Bowl

Do you often have to think about your choice between ordering a burrito and a Chipotle bowl? If you do, then you will be pleased to know that you can have both if you order correctly.

A Chipotle meal served with chips and a drink.

Missvain/Wikimedia

At the start of your Chiptole order, you will want to request a tortilla at the bottom of your bowl. This allows you to consume your favorite Chipotle toppings from the tortilla and then eat the tortilla directly afterward without missing a single crumb.

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Barnyard Burger at Wendy's

The Barnyard Burger secret menu item at Wendy’s is a delectable combination of burger, chicken, and bacon into a holy trinity of delightful meat.

An example of a Barnyard Burger.

Ballistic BBQ/Youtube

It gets its name from the fact that you are putting all the animals in the barnyard into one burger. Unfortunately, a Wendy’s Barnyard Burger won’t have any ham, since they typically don’t serve it. One way to get a Barnyard Burger from Wendy’s is to supplement a Chicken Club with a burger patty.

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Wendy's Meat Cube

As the name suggests, Wendy’s secret menu Meat Cube involves a solid one pound of meat composed of four seperate beef patties.

A Wendy's meat cube burger being unwrapped.

The Food Guy/Youtube

To order a Wendy’s Meat Cube you ask your server or drive-through attendant to make a Dave’s Hot ‘n Juice 1-pound Quadruple burger. This will get you the pound of beef that your stomach and taste buds desire.

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Subway Old Cut

Longtime Subway fans may have noticed but never really realized that Subway changed the way they cut their bread. 

A subway sandwich cut the old way.

Source: User Nostalgia/Reddit

Originally bread was cut into a V-shape for the longest time, even during the 2000s. According to a Subway Facebook post, this sandwich cut fell out of practice because the other way of cutting was more popular. Still, if you go to Subway today you can request the old cut if you prefer.

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The Subway Pizza Sub

The Subway Pizza Sub was an official product sold at the restaurant but only existed for a brief period in 2012. Nowadays, they sell the Pizza Melt sandwich.

A pizza sub from Subway.

Crisco1492/Wikimedia

However, if you ever wanted to return to the past you can still order the old Pizza Sub with pepperoni, tomato sauce, and cheese. You can also add your own flair to the Pizza Sub by customizing it further with a selection of sauces and vegetables.

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Wing Effect at Subway

The “Wing effect” gets its name from the way the meat hangs off the side of your sub, kind of looking like a series of wings.

A subway sandwich with cucumbers on it.

Willis Lam/Wikimedia

By default, Subway will usually ensure that all your ingredients are tucked into your sandwich but sometimes in commercials, they will make the ingredients more visible to the camera. Just ask your Subway sandwich artist to leave the meat hanging off the side to get the effect for yourself.

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Put KFC Mashed Potatoes on Anything

KFC mashed potatoes are the medicine that is required to hit the spot sometimes. A secret menu item you can take advantage of at KFC is to request your mashed potatoes to cover another food item.

Mashed potatoes at KFC.

N509FZ.wikimedia

This way, you can have the taste of KFC mashed potatoes your way, seamlessly integrated into another item like a chicken patty or other sandwich.

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KFC Poutine

The Canadian delicacy of poutine is typically described as a serving of french fries with hot cheese curds mixed in.

A plate of poutine, which is a Canadian delicacy.

Camelia Boban/Wikimedia

The concoction is then topped with gravy for a delicious final product. AT KFC you can order French fries and request for them to include cheese and be submerged in delicious KFC gravy.

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KFC Biscuits With Anything

One of the best parts of eating at KFC is their biscuits. They are typically offered as part of certain menu selections, but you can also request for them to be included with practically any order.

A box of chicken and biscuits from KFC

Willis Lam/Wikimedia

Just ask your KFC for a side of biscuits to receive two extra biscuits to be included in your order for a small fee. It’s not spelled out on the KFC menu, but if you are in the know you can take advantage of it.

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KFC Triple Down

Back in 2023, KFC in Korea released a triple-down version of their chicken sandwich. Many people are familiar with the double-down sandwich, which is a sandwich where the bread is replaced by fried chicken.

A triple down sandwich from KFC.

Ben Dean/Youtube

The triple down is a higher level than this, featuring a piece of chicken in the middle of the sandwich as well. Double downs are only offered for a limited time, so the next time they come back ask about making yours a triple down.

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Extra Hamburger Patties from Jack in the Box

Did you know you can request extra hamburger patties on your Jack In the Box burger?

A burger from Jack in the Box.

Willis Lam/Wikimedia

To order this secret menu item you just need to ask for additional patties while placing your order. While the ordering process for this secret menu item is simple, it’s so simple that someone might not think of it. This menu hack should be available at most locations.

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Secret Bacon Cheeseburger from Jack in the Box

Jack in the Box has a secret menu item that some call the “Bacon Bacon Cheeseburger.”

A brunch burger from Jack in the Box with bacon on it.

Willis Lam/Wikimedia

The burger may look like your standard bacon burger, but it actually has two types of bacon on it: regular bacon and bacon bits. To order this burger you need to ask your Jack in the Box server if they have bacon bits and if they will add it to your burger.

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