McDonald's has an unofficial secret menu, according to legends told by fans and employees.

I tried to order nine items from the secret menu but ended up having to put most of them together myself.

I then taste-tested each and found that some were definitely better than others.

The McDonald's I went to also refused to make most of the items for me. It turns out the legend of the secret menu is more hype than substance.

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Secrets — everybody has them.

McDonald's secret menu has become the stuff of urban legend. There are the classic cheap workarounds like the scrappy Poor Man's Big Mac, but also the whimsical Land, Sea, and Air Burger, as well as the mythological Monster Mac.

Diehard fans have circulated online rumors of the secret menu's existence for years, and a UK McDonald's manager even confirmed the existence of certain items on social media in 2015. However, McDonald's officially denies the existence of a secret menu.

I decided to investigate the rumors and maybe even taste the truth.

After some online research and unfruitful attempts to reach out to McDonald's about its secret menu, I compiled a list of secret menu items widely agreed upon by fans online. Many of them are do-it-yourself combinations, although some online have reported that franchise locations will put them together for you.

I took my list to the McDonald's location across the street from Business Insider's New York City offices and went up to the counter. As soon as the words "secret menu" left my mouth, the cashier left and returned with her manager, who took my order instead.

The manager was even more confused than the original cashier. As I ordered each item, I saw no sign of recognition from any of the employees working at the counter. I had to break down the components of each item, which resulted in a lot of confusion. The manager also refused to put any of the items together. She told me to do it myself.

In the end, I walked out with about $70 and what felt like 10 pounds' worth of special menu components in two brown bags. Taking everything out of the bags was cathartic but very, very confusing. I realized that the manager hadn't quite gotten everything right.

Never mind that — the truth waits for no one. But even my hardcore dedication to the truth couldn't prepare my stomach for the task ahead.