Starting the year off with a bang, McDonald’s has launched a ‘Secret Menu’, engineered to bring tried-and-tested food ‘hacks’ to the masses.
The campaign launched, officially launched on 5 January, celebrates the ‘urban legend’ of the McDonald’s so-called ‘secret menu’, according to Ben Fox, Senior Vice President, CMO, McDonald’s UK & Ireland.
“By tapping into a discussion that’s been brewing for years, we’ve got social media buzzing with campaign elements that have been shrouded in secrecy, officially bringing The Secret Menu to life, with weirdly good products built by the fans for the fans,” he added.
The limited-edition roster features a Chicken cheeseburger (£3.89) - a creation consisting of a beef patty topped with a crispy coated chicken patty, layered with a slice of cheese, onions, mustard, and ketchup - and the return of the cult-favourite Chicken Big Mac (£5.59).
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The fast-food giant is also serving a mini McFlurry with caramel sauce alongside a warm Apple Pie (£2.99) and the TikTok favourite Espresso Milkshake (£3.69).
Both of these items come with the components separately. This means you can either chase the espresso shot down with the vanilla milkshake, or you can tip it in, swirl, and enjoy the flavour sensation.
The same goes for the Apple Pie and McFlurry. We recommend dunking your pastry into the thick ice cream, but that’s up to you!
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The final item that has been added to the McDonald’s 2026 Secret Menu is a ‘Surf N’ Turf’ burger.
Now, this item has really divided the internet, with some Redditor's calling it ‘weird and lazy’ yet ‘incredible’.
If you’re constantly torn between choosing a Cheeseburger or a Filet-O-Fish, then the Surf N’ Turf has arrived to answer your prayers.
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This £4.39 burger features a crispy white Alaskan Pollock fish fillet patty underneath two British & Irish beef patties topped with cheese, onions, pickles, mustard, and ketchup.
Reddit users have had their say on the Secret Menu item, with one typing: “This sounds like an April Fools joke that they've released 3 months early.”
Another retorted: “Oh so we can have this monstrosity but we can't have the Triple Cheeseburger back because it mogged the Quarter Pounder too hard.”
“Each to their own but that’s disgusting,” a third replied.
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Some are positioning themselves as major fans of the controversial menu item.
“Seems like an unpopular opinion but I f*n love this. Even down to the espresso milkshake. FK YES,” commented one Redditor.
A second remarked: “Yeah that was quite a surprise when I ordered it. Weird, lazy. Tastes incredible though.”
“Just had it and I was really nice, the fish fillet made it crunchy,” someone else wrote.
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“Can't wait until we get the McLand Air & Sea burger!” reported a fourth.
The latter comment refers to a legendary fast-food hack that some McDonald’s lovers have made themselves in the past.
The DIY creation combines a Big Mac with a McChicken and a Filet-O-Fish.
These are stacked together to create the ultimate, calorie-dense burger.
And although it’s not an official product, the new McDonald’s Secret Menu has proven that there’s always the chance we could see it at a later date.
Not interested in the Surf N’ Turf, Chicken Cheeseburger, Apple Pie Mini McFlurry, or the Espresso Milkshake?
Well, good news - there are some additional bites and sweet treats that are new to the menu.
These include a Fajita Chicken wrap, Galaxy Smooth Caramel McFlurry, Chilli Cheese Bites, and The Big Arch.
The latter, said to bring ‘maximum McDonald’s flavour’ consists of two Quarter Pounder beef patties, signature Big Arch sauce squeezed over the top and bottom of a toasted poppy seed bun.
The burger is loaded with three slices of white cheddar, crispy onions, slivered raw onions, shredded lettuce, and pickles.
All items are available now. Get them while they are hot!
Ella Scott