If you think you know everything about the McDonald's menu, think again. A recent ultra-exclusive event in London offered a tantalising glimpse into a world of 'secret, secret' items that you will never find in a restaurant across the UK or Ireland.
Inside the Exclusive London Pop-Up Event
Lifestyle journalist Shania King-Soyza was among the select few invited to this clandestine tasting on 19 January 2026. The venue was a mysterious pop-up location in the capital, where the commitment to secrecy was immediately apparent. Guests were met by security personnel who demanded a password and checked entry requirements before granting access.
Inside, the atmosphere was deliberately shadowy, lit by flashing stage lights. The walls featured covert McDonald's branding, and a large screen played a looping presentation. Attendees were given a buzzer and a drinks voucher, enjoying a DJ set with beverages like a unique passion fruit martini while they waited for the main event.
What Was Actually on the Ultra-Secret Menu?
The buzzers eventually signalled it was time to eat. The food was served from a truck, and the offering was surprisingly simple: a double cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, hash browns, and an Oreo McFlurry. The 'secret' part lay in how guests were instructed to combine them.
The first creation was a double cheeseburger stuffed with nuggets and slathered in barbecue sauce. King-Soyza reported this was tastier than it sounded, with the nuggets providing a meatier, crispier texture that she felt surpassed the chain's standard Chicken Cheeseburger.
The second, more peculiar item was a hash brown sandwich filled with ice cream. Given that hash browns are typically a breakfast item, this felt exclusive. The journalist noted the odd but not entirely unpleasant combination of sweet and savoury, comparing it to dipping hash browns in maple syrup, though the ice cream made the potato soggy if not eaten quickly.
The Final Three-Word Verdict
After sampling every item, the overall experience could be summed up in three simple words: "Just okay, really." The journalist concluded that the clandestine menu did not live up to its considerable hype. In fact, she believes the new 'secret' items recently made available to the general public—such as the Surf 'n' Turf and Chicken Cheeseburger—are far more impressive than what was kept under wraps at this exclusive event.
For curious fans, the journalist suggested that the secret burger creation could easily be recreated at home by purchasing the component parts separately. As for the hash brown and ice cream combo, it was deemed an interesting but not must-try experiment. The veil of secrecy, it seems, was more exciting than the food it concealed.
