Get The Best McDonald's Burger Using These 5 Ordering Tips

Most people think of fast food chains as simply the easiest way to get moderately-priced, mid-quality food on the go. What they may not realize is that if you use the right ordering tricks, you can end up with a restaurant-quality burger for much less. And if you're looking to strike a delicate balance between cost and flavor, you don't need to look any further than Mickey D's.

Die-hard fans know that you can use McDonald's hacks to save a few bucks or create a perfectly customized, gourmet-style burger. From doubling (or even quadrupling) your burger patty to adding custom sauce creations, upgrading your burger with unhinged extras, and swapping buns and toppings, here are five ordering tips that will help you get the best McDonald's burger of your life. However, we do have to add the disclaimer that your mileage may vary when testing these tricks out for yourself.

Some should work in person, and when ordering online via the McDonald's app or DoorDash. Others can't be used online and may only succeed when placing an order in person — that is, if your cashier plays along or the restaurant you visit has specific products in stock. It doesn't hurt to try using these easy McDonald's ordering tricks to transform your sandwich, but always be polite to employees, especially when asking for something that might take more time or effort to provide.

It's no secret that not all fast food burgers are created equal, and our ultimate ranking of every McDonald's burger found that one of the most disappointing options offered by the chain is the Double Hamburger. Luckily, there's an affordable way to turn even the cheapest burger on the menu into something more palatable. You can add another patty to your sandwich for around $1.69 to $2.39, depending on the burger and your location. This trick works for the Big Mac, Big Arch, Quarter Pounder, Double Quarter Pounder, McDouble, and Double Cheeseburger when ordering via the app and in person. And if you're hitting up McDonald's for its breakfast menu, you can upgrade your Sausage McMuffin or Sausage McGriddle with an extra sausage patty as well for around $3.69.

You can also add another patty to the Triple Cheeseburger to create a mega quadruple burger; however, when adding a patty to a double burger, you may actually end up with four patties if you're lucky. On a post made to the subreddit r/McDonalds, folks have shared that they added a patty to a double burger and ended up with a quadruple instead. One customer commented on Reddit, "More than a few times I've cranked a Big Mac to three patties in the app, only to get four. Seems to be a trend where the already double sandwiches get a 'double the double' treatment in the kitchen."

You may be familiar with the 'no salt' McDonald's fry hack that supposedly gets you fresh fries every time. Customers say that if you ask for your fries without salt, the restaurant will have to make you a fresh batch that is perfectly hot and crispy. You can then just add the salt yourself after ordering. This trick may help you get the freshest McDonald's burger possible as well.

According to popular food influencer and TikToker, Chef Mike Haracz, you can score a fresh McDonald's burger every time with a simple ordering trick. He explains that most of the chain's fast food burgers are pre-seasoned with salt and pepper before they are put in the universal holding cabinet (UHC), and requesting changes to toppings or buns won't result in a freshly made burger. However, if you ask for it unseasoned or without salt and pepper, you know it will be made-to-order. You can choose 'no salt' when ordering on the app, but just be aware that waiting for your food to be delivered may then counteract any benefits you would get from this hack. If you're ordering in person, you can also just let the cashier know that you're willing to wait for a freshly made burger.

One of the reasons the Filet-O-Fish sandwich is so dreamy is because it's served on a delightfully soft steamed bun. You can get your burger that way, too, with a simple request. To turn any McDonald's bun into a cloud, ask the cashier for a steamed bun. You'll get a perfectly soft, spongy bun that creates the ideal texture contrast to your crispy burger patties. This trick likely only works if you order in person and the cashier is willing to oblige. However, you may be able to pull it off when ordering via DoorDash if you make your request in the special instructions field of your order.

You can also try other bun hacks to upgrade your burger. If your McDonald's has artisan potato rolls on hand (these are typically used for the chain's deluxe chicken sandwiches), ask to sub it for the regular bun that is used on the chain's cheaper burgers. You can also request a poppy and sesame bun, which is used for the Big Arch burgers, or a sesame seed or Big Mac bun. Because this isn't a standard customization offered on the menu, it will probably only work in person, and if your cashier is willing. We aren't sure how much it costs, and if the cashier can't find an approved way to charge you for the sub, they may tell you it's not possible.

We all know that the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish tastes 10 times better when you add hash browns, and that trick works for the burgers as well. If you order at just the right time, you can get hash browns and the burger of your choice. Then simply plop the hash brown patty on top of the beef for a crispy, salty delight. Hitting the drive-thru window at that sweet spot between breakfast and lunch also makes it easy to get a DIY breakfast burger. Order a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, hash browns, and a classic hamburger along with a side of mayonnaise. Then build your own hearty, gourmet breakfast burger for around $10.

If you love surf and turf, you can combine the Filet-O-Fish patty and a burger for the ultimate feast. Order either the burger or fish sandwich without a bun, and then integrate both proteins into one monstrous creation. You can also use other menu items and sides to come up with your own custom sandwich. Add Chicken McNuggets or McCrispy strips to a basic burger for a protein-rich, crunchy, and savory mega-sandwich. Rather than spend $12 or more on a Big Arch burger, ask if you can add crispy or slivered onions or white cheddar cheese to a cheaper burger on the menu. Note that while the other options can be requested online or in-app, this one may only work if you order in person. If the cashier can't figure out how to charge you for those extras, they probably won't let you order them.

If you think some McDonald's burgers simply aren't worth the splurge, you may feel differently after you try one with a custom sauce. Some burgers come with a specific sauce included, like the Big Mac and Big Arch. Big Mac sauce is creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet and is made from a combo of mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, paprika, onion and garlic powders, and white wine vinegar. The Big Arch sauce includes tomato puree, vinegar, egg yolk, lemon juice, and mustard. Both sauces can instantly improve the flavor of any less expensive McDonald's burger without significantly increasing the price.

Other cheap burgers can also be easily upgraded by creating your own sauce by mixing a few different McDonald's dipping sauces together. Because these sauces are sold on the side for around 49 cents a pop, it's a cheap way to make your fast food burger taste better. For instance, try adding McDonald's Spicy Buffalo sauce to a standard burger or cheeseburger to give it a bit of a peppery punch. Create your own sweet and spicy mustard sauce by combining a side of honey with hot mustard or Creamy Chili McCrisp sauce, then slather it on your McDouble to elevate it to restaurant-quality status. Mix sides of BBQ and ranch together for a creamy, smoky, and tangy sauce that will totally transform a classic McDonald's hamburger. Take McDonald's Sweet N Sour dipping sauce to the next level by adding a bit of hot picante salsa.