Anyone had a crappy meal at a cheap joint lately?

[Rome]

Stacy Conradt

The Quick 10: 10 Secret Menu Items

by Stacy Conradt

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to seek out covert items at fast food chains around the country. Be warned, this mission includes very real dangers such as hardening arteries and skyrocketing cholesterol. We've compiled a list to get you started.

100x1001. In-N-Out Burger's "secret menu" isn't so secret these days – in fact, they've posted it on their website. But in case you're not in the habit of surfing fast food sites, here's the skinny on the rather un-skinny items: ordering something "Animal Style" at In-N-Out means you're going to get it with lettuce, tomato, a mustard-cooked beef patty, pickles, extra spread (it's sort of Thousand-Islandy) and grilled onions. You can even get your fries Animal Style. "Protein Style" is a burger wrapped in a lettuce leaf instead of a bun. A Grilled Cheese is two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato and spread on a bun (grilled onions if you so choose). And you can get just about any combo of meat and cheese that you want if you order it like you're ordering lumber: 3×3 gets you three beef patties and three slices of cheese, 4×4 gets you four of each, and so on. It doesn't stop there – one gluttonous patron requested a 100×100 at an Las Vegas store a couple of years ago. One item not listed on the website secret menu: the Flying Dutchman, which is two slices of cheese sandwiched between two patties, hold the bun.

2. If you're at Starbucks and in need of just a little caffeine, don't worry – there's a tiny option for you. It's the Short size, and they don't advertise it. It's like a little baby cup of coffee. It also comes in handy when you're scrounging for change and don't have enough for a tall... not that that has ever happened to me.

3. It's a good thing we don't have Jamba Juice here in Iowa, because I would be all over candy-based smoothies. Because it's considered a health-food chain, Jamba Juice doesn't officially list these on their in-store menus, but Mighty Foods assures us that the secret flavors exist. The ones they confirmed with the company's headquarters include Strawberry Shortcake, White Gummy Bear, PB&J, Various flavors of Starbursts, Fruity Pebbles, Push-Up Pops, and Skittles. Other tantalizing flavors that are rumored to exist: Chocolate Gummi Bear, Apple Pie, Sourpatch Kid, Tootsie Roll, Chocolate-covered strawberries, and Now and Later.

4. Chipotle has a whole secret menu that is limited only by your imagination – they have a store policy that says that if they have the item available, they will make it for you. Things that have been tested include nachos, quesadillas, taco salads and single tacos. Some stores are testing out quesadillas as a regular menu item, however, so maybe someday soon you won't need a super-secret handshake to order one.

5. If you're at Wendy's and you're really hungry – like, three-patties-just-won't-cut-it hungry – go ahead and order the Grand Slam, which is four patties stacked on a bun. It's also known as the Meat Cube. Gross.

neapolitan6. Several places, including McDonald's and In-N-Out, will serve you the Neapolitan milkshake. It's just what it sounds like – chocolate, vanilla and strawberry shakes layered in a cup. This gives me a great idea... I wonder if they would make me a mint-chocolate shake when they have the Shamrock Shake in March. Hmmm.

7. Feeling a little health-conscious at Popeye's? If you are, you really should have gone somewhere else. But there's a little hope for you – ordering "naked chicken" will get you breading-free poultry. The word is that this is on the menu at some Popeye's, but not all of them, although it is an option at all of them.

8. Like Chipotle, Taco Bell will make you just about anything within reason as long as they have the ingredients for it. Since most of the food at Taco Bell is made out of the same basic items, that means you can probably ask for most discontinued items and get them. One "secret," though, is that they have a not-advertised green chili sauce at most locations, and apparently it's excellent.

9. Some Subways will still make you the popular pizza sub from the '90s. Once the chain decided to make their focus healthy eating, the pizza sub disappeared from the menu in most places (the word is that Canadian and Mexican Subways still offer them on a regular basis). But if you ask, lots of places will still make it for you. Be warned, though – Jared would not approve of the nine slices of pepperoni and copious amounts of cheese slathered in marinara sauce.

10. This one might be my favorite. At Fatburger, you can order a Hypocrite – a veggie burger topped with crispy strips of bacon.  

lol @ the last one.

[ice grillin you]

ten worst restaurant meals in the country

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slide/worst-omelet#title

[Rome]

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slide/worst-pasta-dish#title

I've had that and it is delicious.

[Sgt PSN]

ten worst restaurant meals in the country

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slide/worst-omelet#title

it's actually the 20 worst.  but it's kind of hard to pick up on because the title is a bit misleading. 

[ice grillin you]

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slide/worst-pasta-dish#title

I've had that and it is delicious.

unpossible

[Rome]

ate at a place in deland, florida last night called emmy's tavern.  they serve german food like the weiner schnitzel above and also steaks & seafood.  i had the prime rib king cut below... jesus christ it was good.

[BigEd76]

those Big Mac wraps don't look any better than the sandwich

[SunMo]

had a Primanti Bros sandwhich yesterday.  not a huge fan.

[QB Eagles]

had a Primanti Bros sandwhich yesterday.  not a huge fan.

ive been there probably over 50 times all told (when you're out in pitt it sort of just happens), and i had a famous fries/slaw sandwich the first time i went and never again. ever since, i've only dealt with the periphery of their menu, where the stuff is neither great nor horrible.

[ice grillin you]

yeah primanti bros sucks...but somehow everytime i go to that craphole of a city i still get one

[Sgt PSN]

went to some local chain out here called claim jumpers last night and had a sandwich called "the motherload."  bacon, smoked turkey, tri tip, ham, 2 or 3 different cheeses, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion.  damn thing ended up being at least 8" tall.  i was barely able to eat half of it.  but it was delicious.  still is actually as i'm eating the rest for lunch right now.   

[BigEd76]

major news for fast food lovers

Heinz redesigned their packets to hold more ketchup and allow you to dip fries

[Rome]

easy being easy...

[Sgt PSN]

wow. 

[Sgt PSN]

my sqaudron had a chili cook off today and my savage lady friend took first place.  for all of her hard work, my commanding officer awarded me a day off.  farging eh!