McDonald's has done it yet again. Influenced by Tik Tok's ever-growing fascination with unlikely food mashups, the OG fast food innovator released an official selection of McDonald's Menu Hacks on January 31, 2022. I like to think of these new items as mini digestible art projects. Here's how it works: Order these menu hacks by name (Surf+Turf, Crunchy Double, Hash Brown McMuffin, or Land, Air & Sea), and you'll receive the components separately. Put the pieces together, and voila! To satisfy my own innate culinary curiosity, I tried all four.
Videos by Wide Open Country
McDonald's Menu Hacks
Hash Brown McMuffin
Britt Spruill
The most practical and functional McDonald's Menu Hack is also the simplest: a Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McMuffin plus one hash brown. Flavor-wise, the deep-fried potato patty doesn't add much to the McMuffin; however, combining the two items is an efficient way to have an on-the-go breakfast.
Crunchy McDouble
Britt Spruill
Consisting of a McDouble, Chicken McNuggets, and delectable Tangy BBQ Sauce, this McDonald's Menu Hack certainly lives up to its name. The crispiness of the chicken nuggets adds a satisfying mouthfeel to the McDouble. Although the BBQ sauce makes the sandwich a little messy, it's definitely necessary to tie the sandwich together.
Surf+Turf
Britt Spruill
This is the part where I learn exactly how difficult it is to split two beef patties apart and shove three quarters of a Filet-O-Fish in the middle. The square seafood brick is my least favorite item on the McDonald's Menu, so I was a little concerned about my ability to give the Surf+Turf a fair shake. I actually had nothing to worry about because it gets completely lost in the Surf+Turf. The tartar sauce is overpowering, but the creaminess actually adds a nice balance to the acidity of the pickles.
This menu item is only available on the app!
Land, Air, and Sea
Britt Spruill
Remember those tangram puzzles you used to do in elementary school? Putting together the Land, Air, & Sea was very reminiscent of solving one of those. Once I managed to correctly assemble this McDonald's Menu Hack, I literally gasped in awe. This must be how Dr. Frankenstein felt when he saw his creation come to life for the first time. Even though you've got a McChicken, Big Mac, and a Filet-o-Fish, none of the components blend, and it's just one weird competition of flavors. The Mac sauce dominates everything, and it was somehow very salty overall. I would only order this hack if I were competing in a drunken late-night dare.
