Go into Subway and order a pizza sub, or McDonald’s and get a Neapolitan milkshake. These items are not found on the regularly displayed menu, but can still be ordered. Tons of restaurants offer sandwiches and drinks like this, and have transformed into a “Hidden Menu.”

Hidden menus at most restaurants act as more of a “recipe book.” Most of the items on this menu simply combine popular ingredients the restaurant sells in a way that most customers would not think of. One of the most famous restaurants with a “not-so secret menu” is In-n-Out Burger (not found in Missouri). This menu, easily found on their website, is not a secret at all, according to their website. It shows popular ways that some people like their burgers, like adding another beef patty, or two, or three.

While these hidden menus in other restaurants are unknown to many consumers, even some employees do not know about these items.

“If someone came up and ordered a Big McChicken, I would have no idea what they were talking about,” senior Greg Krause, who works at McDonalds, said.

Secret menus give customers more of an idea on different things to order, or interesting combinations to try. For example, a Starbucks hidden menu item is a Cake Batter Frappuccino. To order this, you would order a Vanilla Frappuccino and ask for pumps of both vanilla bean and almond syrup.

However, one restaurant rang in the New Year by offering a secret menu to a certain group of customers. Panera Bread, known locally as St. Louis Bread Company, sent out information via social media on a new “Hidden Menu” they are offering. These off-the-menu items give various healthy, protein-packed options for both breakfast and lunch. The kicker is that Panera only sent out information on the menu to its followers on social media outlets, such as Twitter and Facebook, and on the MyPanera rewards card website.

“I think the idea of a hidden menu is cool, but if no one knows about it, then it’s kind of a waste of time,” junior Casey Wilson said.

So before you eat your same-old #7 combo, try the Monster Mac at McDonalds or the Frito Pie at Sonic. For a list of restaurants with secret menus, click here.