One thing is certain: Mickey Dee’s Secret Menu is, at the very least, pure marketing genius.

It seems the items are not difficult to make. They just take existing components from their kitchen, flip them around in different combinations or proportions, and boom! A new viral craze is born.

Since the items are “secret,” it appears they are not marketed at all. That means plenty of buzz sans expenses for the golden arches. Word of mouth is what is boosting the popularity of these items.

We tried three of the Secret Menu items to see if they are more than just hype.

Triple Cheeseburger.

Three patties in one bun, all with a tell-tale sliver of cheese dangling over each of them them.

The taste is familiar. Who hasn’t had a cheeseburger at McDo? But the explosion of beefy goodness in your mouth is incredible. Suddenly a single pattie will never suffice. This one just gives you so much meaty goodness. The tangy layers of cheese only add to the protein party, along with the tartness of the pickle and onions.

It helps that the patties are just so darn juicy. This is a moist and satisfying sandwich if there ever was one.

At P149 ala carte, it’s also a screaming deal. There might not be a better fix for the protein junkie out there. As a meal it ranges from P179 to P216.

Side note: we washed this down with McDo’s Frozen Dalandan shake. What a great drink. We think Dalandan is to oranges what dark chocolate is to chocolate. Not so sweet, a little tangy, and perhaps a bit more grown up.

Double McChicken.

The experience with this sandwich is similar with that of the Triple C. There is a that familiar flavor with that ever-so-exotic-tasting mix of spices in the batter. But instead of one pattie, two.

Again, it’s the novelty of having an extra dollop of filling in your sandwich. Like the Triple C it also sells for P149 a la carte and P179 for a small meal.

For those of us who forswear red meat but must have some fast and flavorful protein, this is your choice.

Surf ‘N Turf.

This beef-and-fish Frankenstein is basically a rejiggered Big Mac. It even comes in a tall Big Mac box.

Essentially it is a Big Mac with its lower pattie switched into a Filet-O-Fish pattie. There is some sauce in both levels of the sandwich but it’s not clear if it’s the legendary special sauce of the Big Mac.

More than anything else, the SNT redeems the Filet-O-Fish, which might as well be renamed “The McDo Sandwich People Only Eat During Lent.”

The flavor is unusual indeed. Beefy goodness on one side, and that familiar taste of Alaskan Pollock on the other. But the combination works.

We even thought of trying the Surf ‘N Turf upside down. What if you taste the fish first before the beef? Sadly we thought of this only after the meal had gone down the hatch. It was only afterwards that we realized how stupid that idea sounded.

The sandwich costs only P159 a la carte, or only ten bucks dearer than the previous two offerings. That’s pretty good, considering you get a wee bit more carbs with the extra slice of bread, and a pinch more fiber too with the extra lettuce. As a small meal the SNT starts at P179.

We didn’t get to try the Double Quarter Pounder but that might follow. For now, let us suggest some other Secret Menu delights.

• Double Burger McDo. A super-sized version of McDo’s Pinoy-sized burger is sure to be a hit!

• Sausage McMuffin Big Mac. The best way to take care of leftover Sausage patties from the breakfast shift. Turn them into a double decker treat for the rest of the day.

• Surf and Sqwak. A McChicken pattie in place of a beef one in the Surf and Turf. Just the thought of it has us salivating!

• Apple Pie A La Mode. McDo’s legendary apple pie served with a hot fudge sundae. Can anyone resist this?

You’re welcome in advance, McDo. If you do indeed trot out these items, you can be sure that your secret’s safe with us. Sort of.

What would you like to see in McDonald’s Secret Menu? Let us know in the comments section.