Started in 2004 in Manhattan, Shake Shack has grown to over 100 locations spread out over the entire United States. From tasty burgers, hot dogs, fries, milkshakes, custards, and even beer and wine, they have something for almost everyone. But the goodness doesn’t stop at their regular menu, the Shake Shack secret menu takes the yumminess one step further. Here’s how their secret menu currently breaks down.

The Shake Shack Secret Menu:

Interestingly, there isn’t a milkshake to be found on it. Here you go:

Beer Float

While their Root Beer Float has been a menu staple for years, many don’t know about their “Beer Float”.

This is because you can currently only get it at the Shake Shack located on the Strip in Las Vegas.

From Zagat, the float is a “Seasonal dark beer topped with vanilla frozen custard” and sells for a steep $7.95.

See Also: Five Guys Secret Menu: Burgers and Fries That’ll Blow Your Mind

Cheese Dog

Tired of the plain old hot dog? Try ordering a “Cheese Dog” off the Shake Shake secret menu.

You’ll get their tasty Vienna dog topped with their deliciously gooey and yummy melted cheese.

Throw on some peppers and it’s the best “tube steak” you’ll ever eat.

Extra Shack Sauce

Shack Sauce has reached legendary status over the years.

According to loyal connoisseurs, the sauce consists of “mayo, ketchup, a little yellow mustard, a hint of garlic and paprika, perhaps a touch of cayenne pepper”.

Did you know that you can ask for extra Shake Sauce, either on your burger or on the side?

Well, now you do. Enjoy.

Grilled Cheese

Shake Shack ups the ante on their grilled cheese by flipping the buns inside-out before grilling them up. Takes on a bit of a “Texas toast” feel and is flat-out delicious.

Up the game a little further and consider adding bacon to your grilled cheese for a more heavenly experience.

Ice Cream Sandwich

This variant of the classic ice cream sandwich has become a legendary Shake Shack secret menu item.

To make it happen, simply order grilled buns and a frozen custard and build this bad boy yourself. Bon appetit.

Peanut Butter & Bacon ShackBurger

I once had a bacon Jiffy burger at a local burger joint and it was one of the best burgers I ever had.

So when I heard that the Shake Shack secret menu included a peanut butter and bacon burger I was intrigued to say the least.

I was not disappointed by this beauty which had an excellent mix of sweet, sour, and spice and was a pure explosion of flavors in my mouth.

Protein Burger

This is a Shake Shack burger without the bun for those watching their carb intake or are on a gluten free diet.

Word to the wise, you might want to eat this with a knife and fork as it’s a bit hard to pick up and eat with your hands.

Quad Burger

Similar to the 4×4 from the In-N-Out Secret Menu, the Quad burger is 4 patties and 4 slices of cheese.

I’m guessing most of these were eaten by folks on a dare from their buddies. I think I could have easily handled one of these in college but those days are long gone.

Nowadays a Quad burger would be tasty on my lips, but would spend a lifetime on my hips.

Shack-Cago Burger

This is their popular Shack-cago hot dog toppings thrown on any burger.

Order it by name and you’ll get a burger with the following toppings: “Rick’s Picks Shack relish, onion, cucumber, pickle, tomato, sport pepper, celery salt and mustard.”

Never had it, but it’s suppose to be awesome. Let me know if you’ve tried it.

See Also: McDonald’s Secret Menu: Mickey D’s in a Whole New Light

Shandy

I love myself a Summer Shandy on a hot August day.

Now you can order one off the Shake Shack secret menu all year long.

All a Shandy consists of is lemonade and a beer of your choice. Yes, Shake Shack serves beer.

Smoke Shack Quad Burger

This is simply the Quad Burger (from above) with smoked bacon added to it.

Because hey, 4 patties and 4 slices of cheese is simply not enough calories. Let’s add bacon to it too.

Sport Pepper Cheese Fries

While not nearly as catchy as the “Animal Style” fries from In-N-Out Burger, the Sport Pepper Cheese Fries from Shake Shack still sounds pretty darn tasty.

They start with their Cheese Fries (made with a blend of cheddar and American cheese sauce) and top them with chopped Sport Peppers.

In case you were wondering, sport peppers are considered a medium-hot pepper and provide a fair amount of spicy crunch for their small size.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever indulged from an item off the Shake Shack secret menu? Or maybe you have a new menu item for me to add, let me know in the comments section below.

By Kyle James

Photo by Mike Mozart.

A good return policy is a beautiful thing. It let’s you shop freely without worrying about getting stuck with something you don’t need or want. So when I recently discovered the Trader Joe’s “Risk-Free” return policy, with NO time limit, I knew I had to write about it as it seemed to good to be true. Here is everything you need to know about their liberal policy.

1. The Trader Joe’s Return Policy is Risk-Free

From the Trader Joe’s site, “Try it. We think you’ll like it. If you don’t, bring it back for a full refund.”

Awesomely, Trader Joe’s is totally cool with you buying any food or drink and taking it home to give it a try.

Don’t like it? Simply bring back whatever you have left and you’ll get a full refund, no questions asked.

Half-eaten box of chips or a frozen entrée, it doesn’t matter, they’ll take it all back.

Trader Joe’s wants you to buy stuff and try it completely risk-free because they know 90% of  the time you’ll like it.

See Also: The Best Buys at Trader Joe’s According to Employees

PRO TIP: NO NEED TO BRING FOOD ITEMS BACK

When returning food items, you don’t need to bring the actual food items back with you when returning it. Once it leaves the store, Trader Joe’s cannot resell it due to health department regulations, even if it’s unopened.

So before you throw the food away, cut off the barcode or take a picture of it and show that to the employee. Bring your receipt to make it easier, but it isn’t required. If you’re returning a non-food item, you’ll need to bring the product back with you.

2. You Can Return Alcohol to Trader Joe’s (Even If It’s Open)

There is some debate on this question.

Some places like Costco will often not let you return alcohol, but Trader Joe’s will take back all wine, beer, and liquor.

It can even be opened and half empty, they’ll still take it back, no questions asked.

Some state laws require Trader Joe’s to NOT offer a cash refund on alcohol, but rather an exchange for a different bottle of wine or 6-pack of beer.

Their policy makes for a great way to “taste test” wine and beer at home and return it for an exchange if you don’t like it.

PRO TIP: SOME STATES PROHIBIT ALCOHOL RETURNS

While Trader Joe’s is fine with you returning alcohol, some states have laws in place that prevent alcohol returns.

Here are the states that have such laws in place:

• California – You can only return alcohol if it’s spoiled or unfit for consumption.
• Georgia – No alcohol returns are permitted.
• Kansas – You only have 24 hours to return alcohol.
• Maine – Alcohol must be returned within 10 days of the purchase date, with a receipt.
• Michigan – You can only return alcohol if it’s damaged or spoiled.
• New Hampshire – You’re stuck with it in the “Live Free or Die” state.
• Utah – Returns are only allowed if the booze is spoiled or contaminated.

3. No Receipt is Required

No receipt is required for a Trader Joe’s return.

This is because many of the items at Trader Joe’s are made specifically for the store and have the TJ name right on them.

In other words, it’s pretty obvious to the employee that you’re returning something you bought from them.

If it’s a more expensive item like vitamins or alcohol, you should definitely hold on to your receipt as it will make your return go much smoother.

See Also: 8 Brilliant Trader Joe’s Shopping Tips (Shop Smart and Save)

PRO TIP: BEWARE OF THE “OVERBOUGHT” GAME

If you make excessive returns to Trader Joe’s of unopened products and use the excuse that you “overbought”, employees will take note and possibly ban you from future returns.

I had an employee tell me that this especially the case when returning expensive meats and produce that they have to throw away. How many returns determines “excessive” is up to the manager, but keep this in mind when returning unopened food products.

4. TJ’s Return Policy…the Fine Print

Like any return policy, there is some fine print you need to understand.

Here is what you need to know:

Returning Item With Receipt:

When returning items to Trader Joe’s with your receipt, you’ll get back the full purchase price to whatever form of payment you originally used.

Returning Item Without Receipt:

When returning items without a receipt, you’ll get back the lowest advertised price. Your refund will then be issued as a store credit to a Trader Joe’s gift card.

See Also: Safeway’s Return Policy is a Mystery…Until Now

Important Note: Always provide honest feedback when returning stuff to Trader Joe’s. They actually listen to why you’re returning items and use that feedback to make their product selection better.

PRO TIP: DON’T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP

I recently bought the Trader Joe’s Hummus which I absolutely love for dipping. When I got it home, it smelt really odd like it was old and starting to go bad, so I just tossed it in the trash without thinking twice.

On a whim, the next time I was at Trader Joe’s, I told the cashier about it when she was checking me out. She said without hesitation, “Go grab another one, it’s on us.” I was super impressed and thanked her at least three times as I left the store with my hummus.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever taken advantage of Trader Joe’s return policy? If so, was it an easy process?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Eric Fischer.

While Chipotle Mexican Grill works to reestablish their reputation as a safe, yummy, and “cool” place to eat, they’re providing many ways for you to score free chow in an attempt to get you back in the door. So I figured it was time to document all the clever the ways to get free burritos, burrito bowls, salads, and tacos.

Who doesn’t love free (or cheap) burritos? Here are a few clever ways to make it happen.

Gift Card Deal

Several times a year, typically around Christmas and graduation season, Chipotle offers gift card deals where you can score a free burrito, bowl, salad, or tacos when you buy a $25 or $30 gift card.

It’s a pretty cool way to give the gift of Chipotle and get a free burrito out of the deal.

PRO TIP: TIPS TO GET A BIGGER BURRITO

If you can’t get free food, here are a few clever ways to get more chow added to your next meal at Chipotle.

Become a “Halfer” – For example, ask for half chicken and half steak and you’ll inevitable end up with a little more meat on your burrito at no extra cost. This is especially true if you’re polite and chat up the employee a little bit.

Order Both Types of Rice or Beans – Politely ask for a both pinto and black beans, or both white and brown rice. This will definitely get you a bigger meal, especially with a burrito bowl.

Don’t Ignore the Veggies – Don’t skip over the fajita veggies and corn salsa. Ask for both and you’ll get way more bang for your buck at Chipotle.

Chipotle Rewards

Join their rewards program for free and get FREE chips and guacamole after your 1st purchase as a member.

After that you’ll earn 10 points for every dollar spent and get a FREE entrée after you earn 1,250 points.

Boorito Deal on Halloween

Every October 31st, Chipotle rewards those who wear a costume into any of their locations.

Just come in sporting your costume and you’ll get a burrito, burrito bowl, order of tacos, or salad for only $3.

Teacher Appreciation Day in 2025

In 2025, teacher appreciation week is May 5th – 9th. On one of these days, look for ALL teachers to got free Chipotle from 3pm to close.

Keep an eye out for it every year.

Free Chipotle Coupons

Here are a couple clever ways to score free coupons for Chipotle that’ll get you a heavily discounted meal.

1. Matching-Game called “Love Story” – If you want free burrito coupons at Chipotle, you gotta play this fun matching game called Love Story.

After you play, you’ll be prompted to fill out a form to get a “Buy one Entrée, get 1 FREE” coupon. Two HUGE burritos or burrito bowls for about $7.75, sounds good to me.

2. Text Message Alerts – Sign-up for free Chipotle text alerts and you’ll get a bunch of exclusive deals and coupons.

These often included a BOGO coupon which’ll score you a free entree when you buy one.

See Also: The Ultimate Chipotle Secret Menu is Awesomely Delicious

Ask the Reader: How do you get free Chipotle, or at the very least, discounted burritos and burrito bowls?

By Kyle James

Photo by Mike Mozart.