I’m not going to lie. I love myself a good fast food meal every now and then. And when I say “every now and then,” I actually mean decently-often. Who can resist an awesomely greasy burger and some horrifyingly salty fries? I know I can’t. And if you thought your favorite fast food joint couldn’t get any better, it’s about to. There are multiple hacks available to make your guilty pleasure dining experiences more enjoyable, and many of them will even save you a few bucks. So keep reading for a list of 32 simple and useful fast food hacks worth trying on your next trip to the drive-thru. I know where I’m going for dinner…
1. Ask for your Starbucks drink in an upgraded cup to prevent spills and leakage.
2. By customizing your Burger King burger, you’ll get a fresh-from-the-grill patty instead of one that’s potentially been set aside for hours.
3. The best bun on the Mcdonald’s menu is undoubtedly the steamed bun on the Filet-O-Fish. It’s soft, fluffy, and not tough like most of the other buns. Ask to swap out regulars for this delicious one instead.
4. I always find that one half of my Subway subs are always drenched in sauce, while the other half is lacking. Avoid this imbalance by carrying your sub like so!
5. At Starbucks, ask for a Venti cup filled with water. This is free, aka you’ll save yourself two dollars or more on pricey bottled water.
6. Buy McDonald’s chicken nuggets in quantities of four. This is actually cheaper than buying them in bulk, plus you’ll get more dipping sauces. Double score!
7. This is pure genius. Simply flip back one side of your fries carton to strategically get at that ketchup.
8. Ask for any of your Taco Bell favorites to be grilled a second time. This makes them crunchier, and oh-so-good.
9. Ask for equal portions of chicken and steak on your Chipotle burrito. This basically ensures that you’ll get more meat than usual, but for the exact same price.
10. Many smoothie-lovers are unaware that Jamba Juice employees are required to abide by substitution requests. The options are basically endless.
11. Almost every fast food restaurant has a secret menu. These items are definitely not official, but employees will make them for you the majority of the time.
Simply research what secret menu goodies your favorite joints have to offer, and order away!
12. The best tip for getting fresh, hot, fast food is by going during rush times. You’re more likely to get a better meal at noon than if you were to go at 3 p.m.
13. Although this McDonald’s item isn’t on the menu, there is such thing as an apple pie McFlurry. And yes, it involves crushed up pieces of their delicious apple pie.
14. On the topic of McDonald’s, if you ask for fries without salt on them, they’ll have to make you a fresh batch of fries. Yum!
15. Did you know that you can add rice to any order at Chipotle for free?! I sure didn’t.
16. This may be the best Subway hack of all time. Ask for an “old cut style” sub and they’ll cut a deep V into the bread instead of the usual horizontal slice. This will ensure your toppings don’t fall out the sides!
17. The sleeve on your Starbucks cup can double as a handy place to store your splash stick.
18. Some McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches come made with folded eggs. If you ask for a round egg instead, it will be far fresher since the round ones are many right then and there in an egg ring!
19. At Starbucks, get way more coffee by asking for light ice in your iced coffee.
Yes, it will still be cold enough.
20. Now this one is amazing. When Monopoly season comes, order large tap waters to get free tickets.
They usually don’t have large standard cups kicking around because no one really does this.
21. Save between $2.30-$2.50 on a Big Mac by simply ordering a Double Cheeseburger (or McDouble) and replacing the ketchup and mustard with pickles, extra lettuce, and special sauce.
This is where I’m wishing McDonald’s did delivery.
22. Get more beef at Arby’s by ordering two junior roast beef sandwiches instead of one regular roast beef sandwich.
Bonus, if you do the phone-in survey that comes on your receipt, you’ll be rewarded with a code for a free roast beef or beef n’ cheddar sandwich.
23. At Domino’s, save money on the Honolulu Hawaiian Pizza by ordering a large three-topping pizza with pineapple, ham, and bacon instead.
Even if you have to have the shredded parmesan asiago and roasted red peppers, you can add them as additional toppings and it will still cost less.
24. Order your burger “Off the Broiler” at Burger King to get a patty that hasn’t been sitting in a warming tray.
25. Instead of the Philly Cheese Steak, order the Double Steak and Cheese at Subway to get more meat for less.
Pro tip: order it on a flatbread to get a longer sandwich, too.
26. Substitute fudge for the regular syrup in the McDonald’s mocha frappe.
I’m drooling just thinking about this.
27. Take the customer service survey and get a code for a free donut at Krispy Kreme.
Brb doing this right now.
28. At Jack-In-The-Box, order two Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers off the value menu to get a less expensive version of the Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger.
29. Order a double-shot of espresso over ice at Starbucks, and then load up your own milk and sugar to get an iced latte for less.
30. Maximize your Chipotle order by ordering a burrito bowl with double wrap (two tortillas) on the side, both kinds of rice, types of beans, half of two meats, fajita veggies, and corn salsa.
31. Get the Triple Layer Nachos without beans or sauce instead of the Chips and Cheese at Taco Bell to get more chips, with the cheese already poured over them, for less.
32. Rather than creating your own smoothie from scratch, customize your drink at Jamba Juice – just substitute strawberries for blueberries if that’s what you’re in the mood for.
