It's astounding how imaginative people can be when it comes to fast-food. But a rumbling belly obviously gets the creative juices flowing. To get you in the mood for food, Bored Panda has collected some of the most imaginative McDonald's hacks that people have shared online.

Check out the creative ‘McHacks' that people have come up with, upvote your favorites, and share the ones that you personally know in the comments, dear Pandas. From delicious (and surprising) food combos to tips on how to eat without creating a mess and how to save a bit of money, hopefully, these hacks will make your next trip to a Golden Arches restaurant more (ful)filling.

Bored Panda spoke about McDonald’s hacks and how to save on food costs when you're craving takeaways with Jake Butler from 'Save the Student,' a British organization that advises students on how to make their money go further. Scroll down for our interview with him.

#1 If You're Craving Something Sweet With Your Coffee, Try Adding Espresso In A Vanilla Milkshake

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#2 This Isn't Very Nice To Do, But Cold Fries Are Icky. (I've Never Done It Myself) ??? #mcdonalds #fries #coldfries #hotfries #mcdonaldshack #notverynice #coldfriesareyucky #followme #yeah #lifehacks #lifehaks #hacklife #haklife #newaccount #new #follow #followforfollow #follow4follow #life #hak #haks #myeditgivecredit

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#3 Eating A Big Mac (Or Any Burger, Really) Inside Of A Fries Container Ensures That Any Slippage Will Be Successfully Caught

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Jake from Save the Student told us that, in his opinion, the best McDonald’s hack would be to create your own Big Mac for £1.49.

“All you need to do is go to the self-service kiosk and find the £1.49 Double Cheeseburger. Then customize it by adding shredded lettuce, onions, pickles, mustard, and mayonnaise. It isn't too far off the taste of a big mac. As an extra tip, make sure you save the receipt and follow the instructions to fill out a survey. This will give you a voucher for a big mac and fries for £1.99 the next time you eat at McDonald’s.”

However, Bored Panda wanted to find out about homecooked alternatives to fast-food in order to save money. While it might sound obvious, the best way to save on fast-food and takeaways is simply not to buy them, said Jake. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to resolve to live a life of just healthy and nutritious food from now on.

#4 Instead Of Ordering A Sausage Egg Mcmuffin, Order A Normal Sausage Mcmuffin And Add An Egg To Save Some Dollars.

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#5 Create Your Own Mcbrunch By Ordering Hotcakes And A Kid's Meal Fruit Bag To Make Your Own "Crepes!"

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#6 If You're On The Go, You Can Use This Little Trick To Eat One-Handed

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“The good news is that you can easily recreate your favorites at home for a fraction of the price. It's much healthier this way too. Google is definitely your friend here as you can find fakeaway recipes from a number of sites. During the lockdown, McDonald’s even released instructions on how to make their famous breakfast egg McMuffin at home,” he said.

“The good news is that the ingredients for most of these recipes aren't too pricey and you can still hunt for bargains to make the dish cheaper. Buying in bulk is always a winner too when it comes to saving money so it's a great idea to get together with friends and maybe take it in turns to make your favorite fakeaways.”

Jake pointed out that seasoning is essential when creating a fake takeaway. “Salt and pepper won't break the bank, but they can make or break a meal. Don't forget that sugar can take a dish to the next level too.”

#7 An Order Of Soft Baked Cookies + An Oreo Mcflurry = Perfect Ice Cream Sandwiches

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#8 You Can Get A Burger That Tastes Just Like A Big Mac (And Save $$$) When You Order A Mcdouble With Fewer Condiments, But Add Big Mac Sauce

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#9 Double Vanilla Iced Coffee #mcdonaldshack @mcdoph #lovekoto ?

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It's always cheaper and healthier to cook at home when you're on a tight budget. However, you sometimes get a craving for fast-food that you just can't ignore. So you head on over to your local Mickey D's (or Macca's, or McDo).

We're sure that fast-food restaurant employees do their best to make sure that the food's high quality and fresh. But let's be realists—fast-food is fast-food and you shouldn't expect Michelin-star level nosh when you order a cheeseburger at 5 in the morning on a Sunday. However, there are some things that you can do to ensure that the food is as fresh and tasty as possible.

#10 A Double Cheeseburger, Mcchicken With Mack Sauce, Remove Bottom Buns, And Smush Together. Extra Cheese Optional. #mcdonalds #mcdonaldshack #gluttony #delicious #noregrets

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#11 Make Your Apple Pie A Little Bit Fancier By Adding Some Soft Serve On The Side

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#12 #mcdonaldshack ?? Side Caesar With 2 Grilled Chicken Breasts. I Order On The Touch Screen Menu And Customize The Side Caesar. Comes Out To $8

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One hack that a lot of you Hungry Pandas out there know is to ask for french fries (or chips if you're on the British side of the Atlantic pond) without any salt. That way, you should get a fresh and hot serving of fries, especially for you.

You can achieve the same result when you ask for a burger without an ingredient. Say, without pickles. You'll get a fresh burger made by the chef and not one that's been sitting there for a few minutes, waiting to be eaten by the next ravenous customer.

If you're feeling especially courageous, you can always be upfront and simply ask for a fresh batch of fries or a new burger without any mind games. Sometimes, the best hack is straight-up honesty.

#13 Add A Soft Serve Cone On Top Of A Frozen Coke Or Root Beer To Make A Float

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#14 And Since Breakfast Is Served All Day, You Can Absolutely Add An Egg To That Burger

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#15 Little Tip From An Ex-Mcworker: Order A Double Espresso With A Mocha Frappé For An Extra Kick. Have Them Pour It In Just Before Mixing. ??? @mcdonalds #mcdonalds #mochafrappe #mocha #frappe #doubleespresso #coffee #coffeelover #coffeeaddict #mcdonaldshack #tip

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#16 Animal-Style Fries? Psh. Try Ordering Fries With Big Mac Special Sauce On Top!

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#17 McDonald's Hack ---> Chicken Parm Sandwhich = Plain Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwhich Add 3 Mozzarella Cheese Sicks And A Container Of Mariana Sauce On Top...enjoy! #mcdonaldshack #mcdonaldshacks #mcdonalds #mcdonald

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#18 #mcdonaldshacks #mcdonaldshack Nasi Lemak Burger Is Back And One Hack I Learnt From A Colleague Is To Ask Them For Special Order Of Extra Sambal! So You Need To Order This Over The Counter Instead Of The Kiosk. And The $9.40 Set Includes The Banana Pie. Without It Is Just $8. And You Can Change The Fries For Cup Of Corn Instead #foc. I Love Sambal And The Extra Sauce Makes This Juicier... Don’t Worry, Their Sambal Isn’t Spicy At All But This Can Get Messy So Make Sure You Have A Box Of Wet Wipes Handy ?: @wijayahendry #sgfoodie #foodie #foodstagram #sgigfoodies #foodgasm #foodporn #sgfoodporn #sgfoodies #instafood #instafoodsg #instafoodporn #sgeats #foodieat #singaporefoodie #sgfoodtrend #sgfood #fastfood #americanfood #nasilemak

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#19 Mcdonald’s Hack - Hash Browns Instead Of English Muffin #travelling #earlymorningbreakfast #mcmuffinwithoutthemuffin #hashbrowns #glutenfree #mcdonaldsbreakfast #mcdonaldshack #desperatetimes

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#20 Just Created Of The Double Chocolate Pie Mcflurry. @mcdonaldscanada You're More Than Welcome To Add This To Your Menu. I Will Also Gladly Take A Penny Of Each Sold As My Payment For Discovering Such Deliciousness. @mcdonalds #mcflurry #doublechocolate #pie #icecream #softserve #mcdonaldshack #mcdonaldssecretmenu #secretmenu

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#21 Getting To Mcdonald’s For Bang On 10:30 For A Double Cheeseburger With Hash Brown ?

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#22 McDonald's Secret Menu Hack!

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#23 Mcdonalds Life Hacks

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#24 Mcdonalds-Menu-Hacks-Genius

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#25 Mcdonalds-Menu-Hacks-Genius

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#26 Instead Of Ordering A Regular Chicken Biscuit, Get It With Mcgriddle Bread Instead

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#27 And Adding Chicken Nuggets To Your Own Bed Of Lettuce Makes For A Great Chicken Salad

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#28 Need A Sauce Holder While Driving? A Mcflurry Lid Will Come In Handy Here.

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#29 Secret Mcdonalds Keto Hack!⁠ here Is A Great Quick Keto Breakfast On The Go At Mc Donald’s ☀️order 2 Sausage Patties, 2 Slices Of Cheese And 2 Round Eggs On A Plate. that's It!! Enjoy! @mcdonalds #mcdonaldshack #ketomcdonalds #ketocoach #glutenfreeandketo #ketoandglutenfree #ketomoms #glutenfreemoms #momswithceliac #momswhoareketo #momswhoareglutenfree #lowcarbmoms #livingthatlowcarblife #livingthatglutenfreelife #livingthatketolife

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#30 I Tell You One Thing I Really Do Miss Is A Dirty Sausage And Egg Mcmuffin After An Even Dirtier Set Of Night Shifts ? However, I Found My New Alternative By Getting The Muffin With Only Cheese And Banging A Hashbrown In The Middle ??‍??? God It Is The Most Divine Thing Your Lips Have Tasted After Finishing A Night Shift And You’re Hungry And You’re Tired And.... ??? . . tip: They Tried Charging Me Full Whack For The Muffin And Cheese Until I Questionned It And The Manager Advised To Put It Through As Dips ??‍♀️ Make Sure You’re Double Checking The Price When You’re Getting Maccies Baps Without The Meat ?? . . ? Egg And Cheese Mcmuffin Without The Egg, 2 Hashbrowns And Hot Chocolate ✅ Lacto-Vegetarian ? Broadwalk Retail Park, Bescot Crescent, Walsall, Ws1 4sb . @mcdonaldsuk . #veggieexplorer #whatvegetarianseat #vegetariansofig #meatfree #crueltyfree #foodie #foodlover #foodblogger #vegetarianfoodshare #foodporn #foodgasm #instafood #instadaily #foodstagram #foodaholic #vegetarian #vegetarianbreakfast #vegetarianbreakfastideas #veggiebrekkie #mcveggie #veggieoptions #breakfast #breakfastideas #veggietips #mcdonaldshack

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#31 ? McDonald's Hack No.135: Just Add Bacon ?? . . . #justaddbacon #bacon #baconlovers #burger #mcdonalds #mcdonaldshack #lifehack #food #foodporn #forkyeah #instafood #yummy #foodie #fastfood #delicious #foodgasm #junkfood #love #instagood #foodstagram #tasty #eat #fitness #fat #yum #dinner #breakfast #lunch #brunch #meat

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#32 Hardcore Craving? #suamisegak #mcdonaldshack

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#33 #mcdonaldshack

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#34 It's Pure Filth I Know. Been Fancying One Ever Since Going Meat Free. @mcdonalds Hack! Sausage And Egg Muffin! With @quorn_uk

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#35 This Is A Good Life Hack From Mcdonalds