How To Order 'Cotton Candy' Sprite From McDonald's Secret Menu

McDonald's menu hacks are one of the best parts of having a meal there, and there's one drink hack that's definitely worth considering: Cotton Candy Sprite. Now, this is a drink that has to be assembled piece by piece with the ingredients available in the restaurant. If you simply order a "Cotton Candy Sprite," there's a chance that the cashier won't know what that is. So, instead, order a Sprite with two to three pumps of French vanilla syrup. The amount you want might change depending on drink size, but it won't change the fact that this combo tastes very similar to a cotton candy carnival treat. It should also be mentioned that this is an in-house menu hack, as the French vanilla syrup needed isn't available to order online.

Somehow, Sprite's sweet, citric notes mingle with the vanilla syrup in a way that results in a fizzy cotton candy soda. Sure, one could ask: "Why not order a Vanilla Sprite from a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine?" Well, besides taking all the fun out of the hack, the main factor at play is the difference between vanilla and French vanilla. French vanilla traditionally incorporates egg yolks into its recipe. This not only gives it a yellow tint when added to ice cream, but it also grants French vanilla its richer, fuller taste and more custard-like texture.  While egg yolks are not used for the syrup form, it still has French vanilla's distinct flavor profile. When mixed with Sprite, the rich French vanilla creates the cotton candy taste in a way that the standard Freestyle machine counterpart doesn't.  

There are always exciting ways to hack the McDonald's menu. Combining a standard cheeseburger with the Filet-O-Fish creates a surf-and-turf treat (a McSurf-And-Turf, if you will). This makes an ultra-savory sandwich that's a great value for the price. You can also make it extra drool-worthy by swapping tartar sauce for Big Mac sauce — the tangy, sweet notes elevate the sandwich nicely. You can even take that same hack to a whole new level with the land, air, and sea hack. When ordering the burger (land) and Filet-O-Fish (sea) needed, just make sure to add a McChicken (air) as well.  

One of the most innovative hacks mods your order into a one-handed meal. Here, open the burger or nugget box and slide the straw of your drink through the hole between the folds. If there's a side of fries, pour that into the empty side of the box. The final form has the drink cup doubling as a handle for your "box plate," allowing you to sip and nibble on the go. Anyone interested in the market for a sweet pick-me-up would love the McAffogato menu hack. For this one, simply order a vanilla shake and Americano from the menu and combine them. This may make the shake a little runny, but ordering a plain vanilla sundae to mix in will help thicken it up.