10 McDonald’s menu hacks you may not know about

From hashbrowns and McFlurries to ‘superman’ nuggets, here are 10 Maccas menu hacks every Aussie should give a go.

Holly Gerrard

4 min read

October 24, 2023 - 5:00AM

Everyone has a favourite go-to Macca’s hack… but did you know just how creative your fellow Aussies can be?

We’re seriously impressed with the imaginative McHacks we’ve been seeing recently and decided to compile a list so that you get a chance to try all of the trending on-the-go customisable McDonald’s dishes.

McDonald’s loaded fries

A couple of years ago, we discovered KFC’s secret menu item: a Kentucky Snack Pack. Since then, many Aussies have been inspired to create their own loaded fries using fast food menu items, but we think you’ll struggle to find one that tops McDonald’s D.I.Y loaded fries!

TikTok user Sasha Tyers showed us just one of many options for making these delicious fries. She starts with a small fries, then takes all the toppings off a cheeseburger and adds those (tearing up the pickles and cheese to make bite-sized bits), then she adds two torn nuggets and burger meat before finishing it off with Cajun and sweet and sour sauces. You can genuinely add whatever you want though, that’s what makes Maccas loaded fries the best!

McDonalds Chicken McNuggets and sauce. nuggets fast food /Food /McDonalds/Restaurants

Macca’s ‘Superman’ nuggets

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s superman nuggets! If you’re wondering what they are, you’re not alone, but you may be surprised to know a lot of Aussies have been doing this hack for years. Essentially, ‘Superman’ nuggets get their name because they are a nugget wrapped in a triangular piece of cheese – creating a cape! Simply order a pack of nuggets and a stack of cheese slices (yep, you can totally do that). Fold the cheese in half to make two triangles and you’ll have a tasty super-nugget parcel. Some people even order a container of pickles on their own and wrap them up with the nuggets…

How to make a Mini Mac

Have you ever craved a Big Mac, but wanted a few less calories and a lower price attached? Lucky for you, our friends over at News.com.au told us about a ‘Mini Mac hack’ created by Australian fitness coach and TikToker, Bec Hardgrave. All you have to do is order a “cheeseburger like a Mac”, which will mean you get a regular cheeseburger bun and one patty, instead of the classic triple Big Mac bun and double patty. You also get lettuce and Big Mac sauce instead of the mustard and ketchup usually found on a cheeseburger.

McDonald’s iced coffee shake hack

Eagle-eyed Maccas fans may remember us telling you how to make the soft serve coffee everyone talked about back in 2021 (spoiler alert: it involves shoving an entire soft serve into your McCafe iced latte). This year we’ve taken it up a notch and found a way to get the same deliciously refreshing flavours, without being worried about an ice-cream overflow!

Introducing the iced coffee shake. Simply pour an espresso shot (or two) into a small vanilla thickshake and voilà… now you have a creamy coffee frappe!

Gluten-free breakfast ‘McMuffin’

Calling all our gluten-free friends, now there’s a way that you can enjoy some more things on the Maccas menu. One gluten-free Aussie TikToker Charley Carter orders a Bacon and Egg McMuffin with two eggs and no muffin. She uses the eggs as the ‘buns’ and sandwiches the slices of bacon and cheese in between. Clever.

The Macca’s vegan burger

So, pretty much every person has tried hacking your burger by adding a hash brown, but did you realise that you can easily make a vegan McDonald’s hamburger by taking out the patty and substituting it for a hash brown?

Giant McDonald’s apple pie dessert hack

We’re calling it, this is the hack of summer. TikTokers Janelle and Kate have come up with a genius way to turn 6 soft serve cones, 2 apple pies and some caramel sauce into a group dessert. In their video they smash up the soft serve (cones included for an extra crunch and extra fun), then they mix in the apple pies before drizzling caramel over the top. They even brought their own rainbow sprinkles!

McDonald’s French fries + soft serve = the best combo

Who hasn’t tried dipping fries into your soft serve? Some people swear by it, while others are happier enjoying the two menu favourites separately. For those who love the sweet and salty combo though, we’ve found something else for you! Spoon your soft serve or McFlurry onto a hashbrown and top it off with another one to create a sandwich! Many TikToK users have tried this, with Bec Hardgrave saying “it’s 10x better” than the original fries and soft serve combo.

Extra crispy nuggets AND giant nuggets?

That’s right, we’re offering two McNugget hacks for the price of one:

1. Asking for “well-done” nuggets makes them extra crispy and extra delicious

2. Apparently the batter used on McChicken patties is the same as McNuggets, so some people have started ordering a couple of patties by themselves instead of McNuggets because it ends up being cheaper too!

We thought to ourselves, ‘what if we ordered “well-done” McChicken patties?’. That way you get the best of both of these McNugget hacks!

McDonalds Big Mac Menu isolated on white studio shot

The best Macca’s sauce hacks

Last on our list is the incredible number of sauce combinations that McDonald’s fans have come up with. Here are a few of our favourites:

In her video about “well-done” nuggets (see above) Bec Hardgrave says that mixing McChicken sauce and sweet and sour sauce is actually a better hack than the well done nuggets.

Another TikTok user @aims.lc tried the extra-crispy nugget hack, but she paired it with a combo of sweet and sour sauce and Big Mac sauce

We also saw Kelly Arvan from the Arvan Family invent a ‘Maccas cheese platter’ recently and she used a combo of McChicken sauce and golden syrup!

What a list…