Chances are you've seen buzzworthy headlines about secret menus that restaurants nefariously hide from customers, keeping their most delicious items to themselves for reasons known only to them. In-N-Out and Starbucks, for example, are famous for having secret menus.
Want to know the real secret?
Most restaurants don’t actually have a “secret menu.” This trendy phenomenon of requesting secret menu items can instead be a nuisance to the hardworking employees of the restaurant industry.
Here, we'll explore why you should avoid ordering secret menu items and what to do if you absolutely can't resist.
6 Reasons Not to Order off a “Secret Menu”
Other than the fact that a secret menu probably doesn't exist, there are six big reasons not to order off of a restaurant's secret menu.
1. The Employees May Have No Idea What You're Talking About
When you walk up to the counter to place a food order and blurt out an item you’ve read about on social media, you may be met with a perplexed look. Unless the person behind the counter has read the same headline as you, chances are they don't know about those supposedly hidden menu items or recipes.
If you are attempting to order a “secret” menu item and encounter a confused employee, it’s your duty as a customer to refrain from responding with frustration. A restaurant can’t always comply with every odd menu request from its patrons.
2. You May End up Seriously Disappointed
If you do convince a worker to accept your order for a Double Unicorn Burger with Extra Sparkle (or whatever your secret menu item is called), you may be disappointed with the result.
Usually, the person taking a patron’s order is not the one preparing it. The person who does prepare it will do their best to ensure that the food is to the customer’s specifications. But a customer should not be annoyed if their unorthodox order comes out different than expected, especially if the item is not on the restaurant’s regular menu.
3. Secret Menu Items Slow Everything Down
If you've ever worked in a quick-service restaurant, chances are you could step behind the counter and get back into the groove. That's because coffee shops and fast-service eateries follow patterns. Employees memorize recipes and communicate efficiently, allowing everyone to get their meals or drinks quickly and correctly every time.
Alterations are no big deal. Adding extra ketchup or changing from whole milk to almond milk are easy fixes. But when someone orders an item the staff has never made, the workers have to interrupt the flow to accommodate the strange request. This unquestionably slows them down, could cause other processes to be hindered, and risks getting them yelled at by your fellow customers for taking too long.
You may end up holding up the line while the staff tries to figure out what you want. This may irritate other customers who are waiting to order an actual menu item.
4. It Can Be Expensive
Restaurants have set menu prices. If you ask for a totally custom order you heard was on a “secret menu,” restaurant workers likely won't have a standardized way to charge you for it. So you may end up being charged ingredient by ingredient.
No matter what a person online says they were charged, it’s not reasonable to assume that you'll be charged the same amount. In some cases, items simply cost different amounts in different parts of the country. In other situations, the workers may enter your order differently because you ordered something they had to price to the best of their ability.
5. You Could Get the Workers in Trouble
If a restaurant worker says, “I can't make that,” chances are, they're telling the truth. It's not that they don't want to help you; it's that helping you is not worth losing their job.
For example, if you order extra ice in a blended drink and tell them to “just put it in the next size cup,” they may either need to charge you for the larger cup or give you the size drink you ordered. This is because the store may do inventory based on the actual number of cups used compared to the number of orders, and giving you a large cup for a medium blended drink with extra ice can be enough to get an employee written up (or worse).
6. Not Available for Online Ordering
In today’s world, the convenience of ordering food online cannot be beaten. Ordering from a restaurant’s website provides a smooth customer experience. Although Menufy’s mobile and desktop ordering allows patrons to edit and customize items, it doesn’t offer the option to create completely off-menu meals.
It’s safe to assume that if an item doesn’t appear on a restaurant’s online menu, a customer shouldn’t try to order it.
Simply Must Try This Secret Menu Item?
If you found a “secret menu” item that sounded completely irresistible, there are a few things you can do to make ordering it a bit easier on the workers, your fellow customers, and yourself.
First, choose the right time to go, that is when they're not busy. If the restaurant has a drive-thru, make sure both the drive-thru and the interior don’t have long lines.
Second, go inside even if they do have a drive-thru. Special orders take longer to make, so if you go through the drive-thru, you could end up holding up a lot of cars or forcing a worker to run your order out to you in a parking spot.
Third, don't assume they know the name of the secret menu item. Say the order itself, not just the name, and ask if they can make it. If they say no, believe them, and order something else.
Finally, be kind (as always!). Restaurant workers may never have made this item before, so they may need explicit ingredient instructions. If the item doesn't come out as you dreamed it would or if you end up paying more than expected, remember that this isn't a standard-issue order, and they're doing their best.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa Dimmitt, Marketing Communications Coordinator
Melissa began her digital marketing career nearly a decade ago at a restaurant group. She worked with restaurant managers and executive chefs while coordinating seasonal menu releases, executing photoshoots, and creating fresh digital content.