For A Heartier McDonald's Meal, Order The Monster Mac

If you're contemplating a Golden Arches run for a quick fill-me-up, you can give your McDonald's burger extra protein (like, a lot) and make it a much heartier meal by ordering a mammoth secret menu item called the Monster Mac — a gargantuan sandwich that lives up to its name. Various ordering tips can create a better Big Mac, and this one piles on the beef patties for a crazy-meaty burger that, frankly, is a bit difficult to get your mouth around — but it's well worth the effort.

The sandwich has three buns, which is the same as a standard Big Mac, but where things get interesting is in the meat department. This secret menu stunner doesn't just have two patties but a whopping eight pieces of beef to sink (and sink and sink) your teeth into. And, of course, all that meat needs to be properly balanced, so it's highly recommended that you add eight slices of cheese for good measure — one for each patty.

For me, personally, that tangy-sweet Big Mac Sauce is where it's at, which, despite widespread supposition, is not simply Thousand Island dressing. If you're already requesting a custom order to get all that beef (more about that in a moment), you may as well ask for extra Mac Sauce while you're at it (in for a penny, in for a pound — of delicious sauce!). This can be done in the app or in person, for an upcharge. For proper symmetry and to retain that Big Mac flavor purity, it's also advisable to ask your server for extra pickles, lettuce, and onion to balance out all the beef — a customization you can also request in the app for no extra cost.

Many secret menu items must be requested in person, as online ordering interfaces don't even begin to accommodate the needed customizations. Explaining what you want to a server can get dicey and even irritating if it's overly complicated. However, the Monster Mac doesn't fall into this category ... necessarily. There's a caveat.

Believe it or not, the needed elements for this amazing feat of burger-building can be ordered right in the McDonald's app. Just purchase two Double Big Macs, which come with four beef patties instead of two, and do some DIY to combine them (casting off the extra, unneeded buns). The "but" that comes into play, though, is that not every Mickey D's offers the Double Big Mac. If yours doesn't, you can still get the ordering job done via the app, with some extra steps.

Another option is buying two regular Big Macs and then, in the customization screen, increasing the included meat to four patties each, which incurs an upcharge. Assemble the elements and cast off the unwanted bread. If you'd rather not throw anything out (food waste is a huge problem, after all), it's possible to order the extra patties with melted cheese as standalone items. The cost varies from McDonald's to McDonald's, and you'll have to make the request in person. Since it's a nonstandard order requiring more time for employees, you should request it outside of peak hours — and be polite about it.

If self-assembly doesn't appeal, one more option is asking the kitchen to create the Monster Mac for you. You'll need to explain the concept and all the needed extras, and, again, an order like this is more labor-intensive and should be placed when the restaurant isn't busy.