The trend: Quick-service chains like Starbucks, Taco Bell, and Potbelly are leaning into secret menus as a low-risk, high-reward strategy to spark buzz, drive app engagement, and crowdsource product innovation.

The details:

• Starbucks last month rolled out a secret menu in its app’s “Offers” tab, featuring viral custom drinks inspired by social media hacks. To promote it, the brand launched a Secret Menu Contest offering $25,000 to customers whose drink creations get featured in the app.
• Taco Bell debuted Fan Style, an in-app feature that lets users customize and name their own creations. Rewards members can earn points when others order their item, and the most popular fan-made combos are eligible for a national menu spotlight.
• Potbelly, which has long had a secret menu for in-store customers who were in the know, formalized the offerings in its app a few years ago. It continues to add buzzworthy sandwiches as interest builds. Earlier this year, for example, it added the Barnyard, a meat-heavy mashup of the A Wreck with bacon and meatballs.

The strategy: Secret menus are a clever play that let QSRs accomplish three goals at once:

• Build buzz. Rather than creating TikTok trends, brands can ride them. Starbucks, for instance, surfaces viral custom drinks that fans are already posting. Taco Bell takes it a step further, rewarding users who share and promote their creations in the app.
• Boost app engagement. Making secret items app-exclusive gives consumers a reason to download, open, and explore brand apps, creating more opportunities for brands to upsell, cross-sell, and present personalized promotions.
• Outsource innovation. These menus effectively crowdsource marketing and R&D. Consumers generate craveable new items using existing ingredients, allowing chains to test interest and hype before investing in full-scale rollouts.

Our take: “Secret” is one of the most powerful words in the marketing playbook—it signals exclusivity, discovery, and insider access. For QSRs, secret menus turn that intrigue into action, gamifying loyalty, testing new flavors, and tapping into cultural trends—all without disrupting operations. By inviting fans to co-create, brands get viral traction and fresh product ideas, often using ingredients already in stock. It’s a low-lift, scalable strategy to boost visits and stay relevant in a crowded, fast-moving category.