More special than the elusive Krabby Patty formula, these “off-menu” items offer a unique twist to standard dishes. They require a “you get what you ask for” attitude, including a possible additional charge.The next time you visit one of these fast-food chains, try one of these little-known pleasures. Feel free to order in a hushed voice, but expect unwanted attention if you show up in a ski mask.

IKE'S PLACE

One ordinary day during lunch, Ike Shedhadeh was experimenting with his own little creation. He called it the Backstabber. He was in pure ecstasy with every bite of his grilled-to-perfection marinated chicken, crunchy artichoke hearts, creamy Caesar dressing and provolone cheese sandwich. Envious, his coworkers and friends asked him to make them lunches, too, bringing on the start of secret menu items. At first Shedhadeh used these innovative sandwiches as promotional items that would disappear after a month, but once customers were intrigued, Shedhadeh decided to put them on the secret menu so they were always available for people. “I like having these items mainly because the number of sandwiches can overwhelm customers,” Shedhadeh said. “Secret menu items are also a good way to make people feel special because only a few people know about it.” You can gain access to this largess when you create an “Ike’s Place” account and accumulate enough points, by typing in the code of their review card each time they buy a sandwich, writing your own sandwich review, following “Ike’s Place” on Twitter and Facebook, and/or answering random yet fun questions.

Vegan Reuben: Vegans, are you tired of tofu? Nonvegans, want to try a tangy sandwich, or just want to try something new? Then order the Vegan Reuben. Concocted of tasty vegan turkey, freshly made vegan coleslaw, creamy dressing, soy cheese and any requested vegetable condiments, anyone, even non-vegans, will be satisfied. I tried it and found this choice flavorful yet unique, which I attribute to its vegan cheesy sauce.

49ers: You don’t need to be as tough as a 49er to take on this spicy sandwich. Consisting of tender chicken, sweet honey mustard, mildly spicy buffalo wing sauce, cheddar spicy sauce and requested vegetable condiments, this sandwich is definitely the meal to keep you as fired-up as a high-scoring National Football League (NFL) player. I found that it tasted like Costco chicken wings — a compliment!

JAMBA JUICE

Hard-core Jamba Juicers not only know every ingredient in a Caribbean Passion smoothie, but can also recite the catchy names of thirty-plus smoothies off the secret menu. These recipes are kept hidden for a reason, however. Blended with more sorbet, sherbet and juice than real fruit, the calorie count of these smoothies would scare off any health-conscious customer. “These are ‘secret smoothies’ because they contain more sugar and I don’t think they are as healthy as standard Jamba Juice menu items,” a shift manager who chose to remain anonymous said. “It’s nice for smoothies to have a little edge and taste a little different than usual, though.” While creative Jamba Juice workers sometimes try to concoct winning smoothie recipes, only the tastiest ones make the secret menu.

Some popular favorites:

White Gummy: Bored of Strawberries Wild and looking for something sweeter? White Gummy Bear blends a rainbow of lime, pineapple, orange, and raspberry sherbets with frozen mango, giving you that sugar ride off into the sunset.

Fruity Pebbles: This mouth-watering smoothie beats anything you’d find in your cupboard. Containing soymilk and orange and pineapple sherbet, plus blueberries and raspberries, the Fruity Pebbles smoothie gives a cool twist and extra tang, a take-off on the classic cereal.

Strawberry Shortcake: Ever had cake in a shake? Try Strawberry Shortcake, which contains strawberries, soymilk and pineapple juice, liquefied with vanilla frozen yogurt and pineapple sherbet. The simple creaminess of this blend will leave you wanting dessert before dinner!

*Note: For a complete list, search “Jamba Juice secret menu items” online for the titles of over 30 tasty treats. Watch out for inappropriate or just plain silly names such as “Dirty Orgasm” and "Hello Jesus,” which are seemingly made up by online pranksters, according to the shift manager.

IN-N-OUT

With a menu that’s remained unchanged since the 1950s, frequent customers of In-N-Out may find the meal options too limited. In fact, rebellious customers created In-N-Out’s secret menu. “Customers actually thought of these items themselves and word just spread,” an employee in the In-NOut customer services office said. This sudden demand for eccentric eats encouraged president Mark Taylor to expand the company’s shopping list for additional ingredients. Animal-Style Burger: Upgrade your Double- Double by topping it with In-N-Out’s famous animal sauce and grilled onions. Animal-style burgers feature an extra smothering of their Thousand Island dressing with chopped pickles added for extra zest. Grilled onions give this monster sandwich a gourmet touch.

Animal-Style Fries: “These are super cheesy but taste so good,” junior Enders Ng said as he gobbled another forkful. “It’s pure bliss in your mouth.” Heaped with melted cheese and grilled onions, these fries are best eaten with a multitude of napkins.

Protein Style: Watching those carbs? You can enjoy the same burger with the same condiments, but without the bun! Swap the bread for fresh lettuce to help hold your juicy burger together.

Grilled Cheese: Being a meat-oriented restaurant, but wanting to accommodate vegetarians, In-N-Out decided to also offer this classic. If non-meat-eaters want more than just fries for lunch, the grilled cheese makes for the perfect compromise. Everything’s there except the beef!

*Note: The availability of secret menu items varies depending on location.

A version of this article first appeared in the Sept. 9, 2011 print edition of The Lowell.

Illustrations by Vivian Tong.