I have a confession to make…I love me some fast food from time to time. Heck, I lived off Taco Bell in college and still crave it to this day. Also, the smell of McDonald’s French fries still makes my mouth water every time I catch a whiff. I also love to order secret menu items that aren’t on regular fast food menus, especially if they can save me some money. So with that in mind I present 8 fast food menu hacks that’ll make you look like an absolute genius and help you save some of your hard-earned cash.

Score a MUCH Cheaper Taco Bell Burrito Supreme

When ordering via the Taco Bell app, or Kiosk, order a Bean Burrito ($1.39) and add seasoned beef ($0.70) and tomatoes ($0.55).

You’ll come out with essentially a Burrito Supreme and ONLY pay $2.64 compared to $3.89…a significant savings.

See Also: Taco Bell Secret Menu Will Make You Run To the Border Burger

Get More Meat at Chipotle

Like to chow down on a Chipotle burrito bigger than your head? Yeah, me too.

When ordering next time, ask for 2 meats…like “half chicken, half steak”.

You’ll inevitable end up with more meat as most employees will give you a healthy “scoop” of each.

Maybe turn it into TWO meals.

Be aware that they may charge you for the more expensive protein so make sure there isn’t a large difference.

By the way, you can do the same thing with the beans (black and pinto) and rice (white and brown) and you’re bound to get a much BIGGER burrito out of it.

See Also: 4 Ways to Score a 86% Bigger Chipotle Burrito for Free

Get Twice As Many McNuggets for Only 31 Cents

I went onto the McDonald’s app and was clicking around and noticed something REALLY odd with their pricing on McNuggets.

You can buy the 10 piece for $4.69 or the 20 piece for $5.00, only 31 cents more for TWICE the nuggets.

Moral of the story: Always opt for the 20 piece and if you can’t eat them all you save them for later or maybe share them with friends.

Grab a Quasi Big Mac for Half Price

Craving a Big Mac? Yeah, me too.

The next time you visit McDonald’s for your Big Mac fix, order a McDouble instead and ask for it “Like a BigMac”.

For a fraction of the price, you’ll get a double burger (minus the center 3rd bun) with special sauce, lettuce, pickles, and cheese.

I’ve written about this clever Mickey D’s hack before along with other others menu values at McDonald’s.

Get a Fresh Egg at McDonald’s

Did you know that the only breakfast item at McDonald’s that comes with a fresh egg is the mighty Egg McMuffin.

So if you don’t want the fake egg stuff they put in their other breakfast sandwiches and meals, order a McMuffin and customize it exactly how you want it. 

Always Get Fresh Fries…at ANY Fast Food Joint

Do you like steaming hot French fries straight outta the fryer?

To make it happen at all fast food restaurants, just ask for fries with NO SALT and you’re guaranteed to get fresh fries.

Ask for salt and add it yourself if you like.

This is my favorite thing to order off the secret menu at In-N-Out.

Always Ask for Light Ice at Starbucks

This Starbucks trick is as old as time itself but it amazes me how many folks STILL don’t employ it.

Always order your iced coffee drinks with “Light Ice” and you’ll end up with 20% more actual coffee or specialty drink.

See Also: The 7 Starbucks Menu Hacks Guaranteed To Save You Money

Panera Soup Trick

Beware that a bowl of soup at Panera and cup of soup are quite close in size (ounces).

The cup of soup comes in at 8 ounces while the bowl is 12 ounces.

If you order a cup you pay a whopping $0.64/ounce and with a bowl you ONLY pay $0.52/ounce.

Order the bowl folks, it’s by far the BEST value at Panera.

See Also: Panera Secret Menu: 12 Yummy Ways to Order at Panera Bread

Bonus Hack: Burger King “Drink for Less”

When dining in-store at Burger King, ALWAYS order the “Value Sized” drink cup.

Not only will it save you a little bit of money, but it comes in at a generous 16 ounces.

The best part is you can still score FREE refills when dining in the restaurant.

Ask the Reader: What’s your favorite fast food hack that’s always guaranteed to save you some money?

By Kyle James

Kyle James( Owner/Founder )

I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)