The Filet-O-Fish Secret Menu Order At McDonald's That No One Really Likes

Secret menu orders have gotten a bit out of control, and one of the wildest abominations you can create features McDonald's Filet-O-Fish. While "secret" menus from fast food spots go back decades, especially some of the famous secret menu items from In-N-Out, the idea has taken off in the last decade, as social media has made spreading the gospel of unknown orders that much easier. Despite the name, most secret menu items are not really secret at all; they are just customizations that chains like Starbucks and Taco Bell have been offering for years, but which create some unique experiences and flavors. McDonald's fans, however, have gone one step further, creating some items you can't order at all, but which you have to Frankenstein yourself out of different sandwiches. And maybe the most famous is the Land, Air, and Sea burger.

The Land, Air, and Sea "burger" is a combination of McDonald's Big Mac, the Filet-O-Fish, and a McChicken. This is not something you can customize in the app (except during a brief promotion in 2022), and you definitely shouldn't be asking anyone at the chain to make it for you. Instead, you order all three sandwiches and then add the fish and chicken patties to the Big Mac. Adding the buns from the other sandwiches is considered optional, but at this point, why not? Then just try to fit this behemoth into your mouth. 

Opinions on this McDonald's hack, or dare, or whatever you want to call it, are understandably quite mixed, although not everybody hates it. It's more of a novelty than something people return to. Animal-style Double-Double the Land, Air, and Sea ain't.

The first complaint many people have about the Land, Air, and Sea is the rather obvious issue you'll have the second it's assembled: this thing is a mess. It's a leaning tower of beef, chicken, and fish that's hard to eat and prone to falling apart into an inedible mess within a few bites. It's also not a surprise that reviewers find the flavors don't meld very well. The Filet-O-Fish patty in particular really seems to be a problem and throws off the balance, as the fish has an overwhelming flavor, and the tartar sauce doesn't meld well with the other sandwiches.

A review thread on Reddit sums up fan feelings about McDonald's Land, Air, and Sea burger pretty well. The title itself states: "Didn't taste that horrible but I felt like I was going to die lol," and that sentiment is echoed by other commenters. One unhappy person says, "I guess if you're a fast food aficionado then it's worth it. For those who see fast food as merely an occasional affair because you ran out of time to cook at home...this is awful." One slightly more generous review sums up the flavor even for those who aren't grossed out, saying, "I ate this the other day and my wife asked me what it tasted like. I just said 'It tastes like McDonald's' – that's the best description I can give it." 

So if you are into food dares or need some social media fodder, go for it, but if you're looking for a good meal, the Land, Air, and Sea burger probably isn't for you.