Change Up Your Favorite McDonald's Hamburgers With One Simple Bun Swap

McDonald's burgers are already an iconic fast-food staple, but simple changes can make this American favorite even better. Sometimes that change can be as minimal as swapping the bun. Trading out a standard McDonald's bun for a pillowy potato bun adds flavor, texture, and a more satisfying bite that turns a burger from ordinary to extraordinary.

Most McDonald's burgers come with one of two buns depending on what you order: a plain bun or a sesame seed bun. Potato buns are currently used on items like the McCrispy sandwiches and can be easily swapped to add a softer bite and a touch of sweetness. Not only are potato buns soft, but they're structurally sound and can absorb burger juices and condiments without a burger falling apart. Their soft texture can add a pleasing mouthfeel and they're slightly sweet, adding a little something to balance the savory flavors of the burger without stepping on them.

So how do you order a burger with a potato bun? You can simply order your favorite burger and ask for the bun to be swapped for a potato bun. The caveat is this only works if potato buns already appear somewhere on the menu at your local McDonald's. The chain famously used them for the Arch Deluxe in the late '90s, and still uses them for the aforementioned McCrispy, which is permanently available from select locations. So keep your eyes peeled for a limited-time or location-dependent offering that features a potato bun.

Ordering a potato bun for your burger is easy enough. But if your location can't/won't swap the buns, you can order a McCrispy sandwich (if it's available at your local) or another limited-time potato bun burger, along with your favorite burger, and make a DIY McGangBang out of the two — even if this is a fast food secret menu item we recommend avoiding. But the potato bun isn't the only way to customize the bread element of your McDonald's burger.

McDonald's famously uses a steamed bun only for its Filet-O-Fish sandwich, but ordering a steamed bun swap for your favorite burger will turn the McDonald's bun into a pillowy soft cloud. It's an easy swap to make, but it's also one that you have to order in person. Similarly, mid-morning McDonald's customers can change up their burgers by swapping a standard bun for an English muffin. If you can get to McDonald's between 10:30 and 11 a.m., you can take advantage of your lateness for breakfast by custom ordering the McBrunch Burger, or simply ask an employee to swap the buns on your burger order for an English muffin. This will lead to a crispier, crunchier eating experience.

Burgers these days don't have to be boring. With a simple request for a potato bun (or another bun swap), you can turn a McDonald's burger into a meal of your dreams: one that can quickly remind you why your favorite McDonald's burger is indeed your favorite.