The Fast Food Etiquette Rule To Follow When Ordering A Secret Menu Item

Ordering off the secret menu at any restaurant has its allure. If you see something praised as a "must try" floating around on TikTok, or just feel as though there is something very intimate about being "in the know" when it comes to a restaurant, you may be inclined to try a secret menu creation. However, ordering off of these menus during peak hours of service — especially when the order is highly customized — can be an etiquette faux pas. 

Think, for example, about Dunkin's lineup of secret menu drinks, which some TikTokers like to share with their followers. How would you like to be the person who is five cars back, just trying to get a simple black coffee on your way to work, when someone orders a secret menu item that involves adding one pump of this, three pumps of that, and seemingly every syrup on the menu? And heaven forbid the employee messes up the order (which can happen) and has to remake it! Not only does this cause a hectic situation for staff, but it can also delay everyone else's orders, regardless of whether you're getting something inside the restaurant or from the drive-thru window. 

This situation isn't just specific to fast food restaurants, either. Numerous staff members in the food service industry have taken to social media to share horror stories of entitled customers trying to place secret menu items during busy hours, only to the frustration of staff members and management. 

There are a few things you need to know about ordering secret menu items like a pro. The first and most obvious one? Read the room. "I guess I should also add that if you come in during the busiest hours and want super customized stuff, that's kind of a [d**k] move," said one user on Reddit. If you've tried to ask for the same secret menu item, and staff have repeatedly told you that they can't make that happen (for whatever reason), you should also respect that. Similarly, be prepared to pay any sort of customization upcharge associated with ordering secret menu items. 

You may also want to consider what exactly you're ordering. For one, staff members may not know the newest secret menu item — it is a secret menu, after all — so if you try to order an off-menu Frappuccino, you may get puzzled looks from employees. "Don't show up at the counter and ask for a rainbow mermaid frappe and then get belligerent when the 16 year old barista has no idea what you're talking about," said another Redditor. If you are going to order something secret menu-adjacent, know exactly what it contains and how it should be made, rather than relying on a name alone.