A&W Secret Menu Items You Can Actually Order (November 2025)
November 2025 update
A&W doesn’t publish an official “secret menu,” but crew veterans will tell you there are plenty of easy customizations regulars swear by. Availability varies by location (and by how busy the kitchen is), so be polite, specific, and flexible. Here are the actually orderable hacks—no weird ingredients, just smart tweaks to classics.
1) Low-Carb Lettuce-Wrap Burger (a.k.a. “Naked Teen/Papa”)
What it is: Any burger—no bun—wrapped in big lettuce leaves with extra pickles/onions for crunch.
How to order: “[Teen/Papa] Burger, lettuce-wrapped—mustard only, extra pickles/onions.”
Why fans love it: Same char + sauce vibes with a fraction of the bun calories.
2) Root Beer Float (Old-School Fountain)
What it is: A&W Root Beer topped with vanilla soft serve or a scoop of vanilla.
How to order: “Root beer with a scoop of vanilla—like a float, please.”
Why fans love it: Pure nostalgia; the creamy head is unbeatable.
3) Root Beer Freeze (Blended Float)
What it is: The float blended into a shake.
How to order: “Root beer freeze—blend the root beer with vanilla, please.”
Why fans love it: Sippable float you can take on the road. (Some stores call it a “freeze” or “blended float.”)
4) Onion-Ring Burger Stack
What it is: Onion rings inside your burger for crunch + sweet onion hit.
How to order: “[Teen/Papa] Burger—add 2 onion rings inside the sandwich.”
Pro tip: Ask for BBQ or chipotle mayo light for extra flavor without drowning the crunch.
5) Half-Fries / Half-Rings (One Basket)
What it is: A 50/50 split of fries and rings in one order.
How to order: “Small order half fries, half rings—same basket, please.”
Heads-up: Some locations ring it up as two small sides; others will split a medium.
6) Extra-Crispy Onion Rings
What it is: Rings cooked well-done for a deeper crunch.
How to order: “Onion rings extra crispy, please.”
Why fans love it: Stays crunchy longer—especially good if you’re taking them to go.
7) Breakfast-Meets-Burger (Egg on Top)
What it is: Add a freshly cooked egg (if your location has breakfast) to any burger.
How to order: “Add one egg on my [Teen/Papa] Burger, please.”
Why fans love it: Rich, diner-style patty melt energy; the yolk is the sauce.
8) Chili-Topped Fries (US) / Ring-Gravy Dip (Canada vibe)
What it is (US): Small chili poured over fries—DIY chili cheese fries if cheese is available.
How to order: “Small fries with a side of chili—please pour the chili on top.”
What it is (Canada): A side of gravy with rings or fries for dipping.
How to order: “Onion rings with a side of gravy for dipping, please.”
Note: Names/prices vary; staff will usually help you build it.
9) Creamsicle Float (When Orange Soda Is on Tap)
What it is: Orange soda with vanilla soft serve.
How to order: “Orange soda with a scoop of vanilla—like a float.”
Why fans love it: Citrus + cream = throwback dessert without committing to a full shake.
10) Double-Buddy / Triple-Stack Hack
What it is: Turn a smaller burger into a protein stack by adding extra patties.
How to order: “[Burger name]—add an extra patty (or two), hold extra sauce.”
Why fans love it: More bite, more protein, same handheld format.
Ordering Etiquette (so the hack actually happens)
Be specific and brief. One tweak at a time (“lettuce-wrapped,” “extra crispy,” “add two rings inside”).
Check the rush. If they’re slammed, keep it simple (lettuce-wrap > blended freeze).
Be flexible. Some stores can’t ring up unusual combos—happy to DIY at the table works wonders.
Say thanks. Custom builds take a minute—kindness travels.
Quick Copy/Paste Scripts 😎
“Teen Burger, lettuce-wrapped—mustard only, extra pickles/onions.”
“Root beer float—root beer with a scoop of vanilla.”
“Root beer freeze—blend the root beer with vanilla, please.”
“Onion rings extra crispy.”
“[Teen/Papa] Burger—add two onion rings inside.”
“Small fries + side of chili—please put the chili on top.”
“Onion rings with a side of gravy for dipping, please.”
“Orange soda float—orange with a scoop of vanilla.”
Last Bite: Real-World Hacks, Real-Nice Crews 🙌
A&W teams are pros, and these tweaks stay within what they already do—no weird asks, just simple adjustments. Start with one (lettuce-wrap, extra-crispy rings, or a float), then build your personal playbook. Got a regional specialty your local crew nails? Add it to your own “secret menu” and pass it on.
