Upgrade Dunkin's Glazed Donut With One Extra Menu Item

Oh, how folks love a menu hack. For the uninitiated, that's where an enterprising individual plays mad genius-cum-chef by combining two or more fast food menu items to create a chimeric and hopefully delicious new creation. There are more than a few at Chick-fil-A. You can even get creative at sit-down establishments like Texas Roadhouse. Maybe this is because of the power and control it affords in a regimented space. Or, maybe still, people are hungry for novelty. No matter the reason, menu hacks make a limited selection seem almost infinite. Take Dunkin', a place that seems to have a rather limited menu of donuts, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, sides, and beverages. At first pass, there isn't much to play around with, but think outside the box and the possibilities come alive with secret menu items.

A good old glazed donut is hard to improve upon, which might just be why people try. This austere sweet treat forms the perfect middle-of-the-road base for menu hack experimentation. In its lack of extraneous ingredients and outlandish ornamentation, the glazed donut can be pulled in many directions. But the easiest requires only one added ingredient: bacon. Dunkin' offers a side of Maple Snackin' Bacon for those who need a protein boost. Order this and a glazed donut, bisect the pastry, and insert the bacon for a DIY breakfast sandwich that is sweet and savory. It's a combination so good, Dunkin' even tried its own version — with a fried egg — back in 2013.

Of course, Maple Snackin' Bacon isn't married to the glazed donut. Dunkin' has a galaxy of donuts that would pair well with strips of rich pork. Depending on where you are ordering from, there are several maple-tinged treats the store offers that can up the ante when paired with the bacon. There's the classic maple frosted donut that can be stuffed with bacon like a sandwich or — if you're willing to get your hands dirty — have crumbled bacon sprinkled atop the frosting. The maple long john almost begs to be opened like a hot dog bun to hold the bacon strips. More varieties include the maple crème donut, the maple crème stick, and the maple vanilla crème donut, but you can also pair your bacon strips with an apple streusel or cinnamon donut.

The power of the Maple Snackin' Bacon at Dunkin' doesn't end with the sweet side of things. As any denizen of the chain knows, it also offers a range of bagels. The idea is the same; open the bagel, spread on cream cheese if you want, and layer on the bacon for a breakfast sandwich that is luscious and meaty. The same can be done with the croissant if you want a lighter, flakier pastry to contain all that bacon goodness.