In the last few years, secret menus have been on the rise! Back in 2014, the secret menu of In N Out went viral when a devoted customer compiled the complete list of items and posted it online, and ever since then, pretty much everyone in California can tell you their favorite items on the In N Out secret menu (animal fries and a flying Dutchman with both kinds of onions anyone?)! Other chain restaurants soon followed on the secret menu train by either intentionally or “accidentally” having their not listed items posted on the internet! A good business move I might add because the idea of the secret menu is to come up with a more diverse selection of foods to please customers without taking sales away from their main selection.
Burger King, Five Guys, Chick-Fil-A, Olive Garden and even Panera Bread have secret menu’s that can be found online but my three favorites are Jamba Juice, Chipotle and Starbucks! Not all of the items listed online have been verified, but all of the items are made with ingredients that most stores already have on hand, just switched around a little bit! Check with any location you go into before counting on any of these items, and try not to take it out on the employees if they are unfamiliar with the order you are requesting! Best advice I can give you? Talk to your local employees, and be willing to try anything they can offer you- together you can get to a delicious and satisfying treat!
Jamba Juice
The “underground menu” as Jamba Juice calls it contains 44 recognized items but can be extended to close to a hundred other options! Many of the drinks are named after the candy or sweet treat that the drinks supposedly taste like and while they are regional or independent, base recipes for the drinks can be found online! In a press statement, Jamba Juice officials said that the creations on the menu “came out from our greatest fans, the store team member, making their own smoothie creations and naming them over a decade ago”.
One of the most delicious hidden menu treats is the "Gummy Bear," which comes in four different flavors: red, green, pink, chocolate, white.
While no actual bears were harmed in the making of these smoothies, the White Gummy Bear is one of the most popular secret menu items. There's also the scrumptious "Berry Lime Sublime," "Orchard Oasis," "Fruity Pebbles," "Orange Whip," "Sour Patch Kid" and "Piña Colada." Also, the secret items have tons of creative flavors like the "Dream machine." The orange dream machine is on the official list of drinks on the menu, but variations include lemon, pineapple, raspberry, and strawberry.
Plus there's the "Chocolate Covered Strawberry!" This twist on the "Chocolate Moo’d," which I recommend, comes with an addition of strawberry just enough to create a delicious combination. Who says food can't be a drink? The "Peanut-butter and Jelly," classic sandwich pairing that brings back childhood lunch memories is rumored to be offered in grape and strawberry.
Some of the items are probably secret for a reason, like the "Dirty Orgasm." Sometimes known as the “Screaming Orgasm,” this drink is a blend of pineapple, peach, strawberry and orange and is one of the sweetest drinks offered, but good luck ordering it with a straight face!
There's the "San Diego" named after America’s Finest City, this tangy smoothie is perfect for a warm and sunny beach day. The secret item list here also has an "Apple Pie," "Pink Starburst" and "Tropical tango" has options of customers in-the-know to order.
Chipotle
Chipotle has never officially endorsed their secret menu, but the company policy, as stated by Communications Director Chris Arnold, is that “if it’s something we can do, we’ll do it” and that is good enough for me! You can ask for extra shells!
There's also the double wrapped burrito. Double the tortillas, double the strength to keep all the goodies from falling out of your burrito!
Want some fillings? Feel free to ask for extras! This refers to the grilled veggies (fajitas) that you can add to your meal free of charge. Also, if you order a bowl instead of a normal burrito, ask for extra shells and get some taco sized tortillas to fill your own.
Can't decide between a burrito or a quesadilla, why not a Burritodilla? Put half of the portions of what you want in your burrito but have them fold it in half instead of wrapping it, then press it on the grill like a quesadilla
You can also make a delicious quesarito. Make a quesadilla, then open it up and fill it just like a normal burrito, just with an additional layer of melted cheese!
There's also the option to order fresh cilantro, a quesadilla, a single taco, nachos an taco salad.
Starbucks
Most of the drinks on the compiled Starbucks secret menu (all 180 of them) are Frappuccino’s although there are some hot drinks and types of tea. When asked about their secret drinks (not the seasonal ones) Starbucks replied that “customers can personalize their drinks with the more than 170,000 coffee options offered at the shop.”
The most well-hidden menu item may be Starbucks' Liquid Cocaine, which is aptly named for the insane amounts of espresso shots (4 entire shots of espresso). The entire recipe can be found online and I recommend you look at that before you order this drink!
There's also the dirty chai. You can create this delicious drink by adding a shot of espresso to a chai tea latte and let the additional caffeine get you through the day (either hot or cold).
If you're not afraid of the extra calories, try the raspberry cheesecake mocha Frappuccino. Take that basic white chocolate mocha Frappuccino and make it sing with the addition of some raspberry syrup.
Wizarding fans will love the butterbeer latte. Enter the world of Harry Potter with this latte that mimics the fictional drink of Butterbeer, the secret is caramel syrup, toffee nut syrup, and cinnamon dolce syrup!
Also, order the chocolate dalmatian because if chocolate is one of the best things in the world, this drink is close to the top!
Looking for a jolt of energy ask for a Black Eye, yes literally! The "Black Eye" is a regular coffee (iced or hot) with two shots of espresso added. Take one pump away and you have a "Red Eye," add one more and make it a "Green Eye!"
Lastly, here are some more hidden menu items that you should try at your next visit! Ferrero Rocher Frappuccino, Nutella Drink, Cake Batter Frappuccino, Zebra Mocha Frappuccino, Chocolate Pumpkin Latte, Caramel Snicker Doodle Macchiato, Cinnamon Dulce Smoothie, Cotton Candy Frappuccino and a Twix Frappuccino.
