Smoothie King is a popular smoothie chain with over 900 locations across the United States and internationally. Like many food chains, Smoothie King has a regular menu with their main smoothie offerings like the Angel Food, Strawberry Kiwi Breeze, and Hulk smoothies. However, many customers wonder if Smoothie King has a secret menu with undisclosed options and customization possibilities. This article will explore what is known and speculated about a potential Smoothie King secret menu.
What is the Smoothie King secret menu?
Smoothie King has never officially confirmed or published a “secret menu.” However, there are certain customized options that customers have discovered they can request to change up the standard smoothie recipes. Some of these off-menu options have become popular through word of mouth, food blogs, and customer experimentation in stores.
While Smoothie King employees are able to make tweaks to existing recipes upon request, there are no firm guidelines or a printed secret menu provided to staff. The options available vary by location and employee. However, there are some common customizations that have developed into a unofficial secret menu of sorts.
Popular secret menu items
Some of the most well-known and commonly requested “secret” Smoothie King smoothies include:
- Peanut butter smoothies – Adding peanut butter to any smoothie recipe
- Coffee smoothies – Adding a shot of espresso to chocolate or vanilla smoothies
- Green tea smoothies – Substituting green tea instead of water or juice
- Extra protein – Adding extra scoops of whey protein, soy protein, or other protein powders
- Additional supplements – Adding supplements like wheatgrass, collagen, vitamins, etc.
- Lavender smoothies – Adding lavender syrup or extract for a floral flavor
Smoothie King staff have shared that customizations they see frequently include adding chia seeds, flaxseed, avocado, coconut, and extra spinach or kale to smoothies. Popular add-ons for kids’ smoothies include vanilla yogurt, chocolate syrup, and fresh bananas.
What’s on the full Smoothie King secret menu?
While Smoothie King has no definitive printed secret menu, some fan-curated lists have been created and circulated online detailing popular customization options. These include:
Bases
- Almond milk
- Soy milk
- Lactose-free milk
- Rice milk
- Coconut water
- Unsweetened almond milk
Fruits
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Banana
Vegetables
- Spinach
- Kale
- Carrots
- Beets
- Sweet potato
- Ginger
Boosts & Mix-ins
- Chia seeds
- Flaxseed
- Nut butter
- Protein powder
- Collagen
- Hemp seeds
- Cocoa powder
- Coffee
- Coconut
- Lavender
Again, Smoothie King has not endorsed these as official “secret” options. But they give a good overview of popular customizations that customers have come to request over the years. Specific availability can vary.
How to order from the Smoothie King secret menu
Since there is no formal secret menu, the process for ordering customized options depends on each individual location and employee. Here are some tips for trying to order “secret” smoothie options:
- Ask politely – Treating staff with courtesy when asking for secret menu tweaks or unique smoothie creations.
- Go when it’s not too busy – Custom orders may not be possible when stores are slammed.
- Stick to simple additions – Requesting 1-2 extra ingredients is easier than 5 modifications.
- Tip generously – Tipping can incentivize staff to accommodate special requests when able.
- Offer substitutions – Ask if you can sub almond milk instead of changing the whole recipe.
- Mobile order – The Smoothie King app may allow some base, fruit and boost add-ons.
- Try different locations – Some staff and franchises are more flexible than others.
Starting with a simple smoothie recipe and asking politely for 1-2 ingredient tweaks is generally the best approach for custom “secret” orders at Smoothie King.
Why doesn’t Smoothie King publicize a secret menu?
Smoothie King likely chooses not to publish or draw attention to a secret menu for a few key reasons:
- Consistency – Keeping recipes consistent across all locations is easier without customized options.
- Operations – Secret menus can slow down service and complicate staff training.
- Marketing – Smoothie King focuses promotion on their core, branded smoothies.
- Ingredients – Not all locations are guaranteed to have niche ingredients on hand.
- Secrecy – Part of the appeal is that it’s an “off-menu” item that customers discover.
For a chain as large as Smoothie King with hundreds of stores, maintaining consistency and efficiency with their core menu offerings takes priority over publicizing customizable options. They likely tolerate some degree of secret menu customization as a way to boost customer satisfaction when possible.
Should you try the Smoothie King secret menu?
Trying custom smoothie orders from the unofficial Smoothie King secret menu can be an exciting way for smoothie lovers to mix up the standard recipes. While not every location will accommodate requests for substitutions or additions, the secret menu gives inspiration for customers to try their own unique twists.
Potential benefits of trying the secret menu include:
- Exploring new flavors and combinations
- Customizing smoothies to your dietary needs
- Feeling like you’re “in the know” as a Smoothie King customer
- Trying limited time or regional options
- Satisfaction of discovering menu “hacks”
Downsides to keep in mind include:
- No guarantee your location will fulfill requests
- Chance of upcharges for extra ingredients
- Custom orders can complicate quick service
- Your smoothie may not turn out as expected
- Secret menu is not officially advertised or endorsed
For customers seeking new smoothie ideas that are off the beaten path, it can be worth politely asking about secret menu modifications. Just keep expectations realistic, as results will vary by location and staffing.
Examples of popular secret menu smoothies
Some documented examples of Smoothie King secret menu smoothies that customers have successfully ordered include:
Peanut Butter Cup
Based on the Chocolate Peanut Butter smoothie but with additions of:
- Extra peanut butter
- Chocolate chips
- Chocolate drizzle inside cup
Green Tea Tropical
Modification on the Island Green smoothie:
- Substitute green tea instead of water
- Add pineapple
- Add coconut milk
Lavender Chill
An original lavender and vanilla smoothie creation with:
- Vanilla yogurt base
- Frozen vanilla yogurt cubes
- Lavender extract
- Honey
Arnold Palmer
Iced tea lemonade smoothie hybrid:
- Nonfat lemon yogurt base
- Fresh lemon juice
- Brewed black tea
- Liquid honey or sweetener
These demonstrate some of the creative options Smoothie King customers have come up with through the “secret menu” over the years!
Secret menu smoothies to avoid
While the Smoothie King secret menu can produce some tasty unadvertised smoothies, there are certain requests better avoided. Some examples include:
Excessive modifications
Asking to substitute or add 5+ ingredients generally won’t turn out well. Keep changes simple for best results.
Off-brand ingredients
Don’t expect staff to add branded products or ingredients from other companies.
Calorie bombs
Loading smoothies with cookies, candy, fatty extras can create overly rich or sugary drinks.
Allergens
Don’t add ingredients you’re allergic too. Cross-contamination is high risk.
Oddball combos
Weird ingredient mixes like tuna, pickles, or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos often disappoint.
Keeping secret menu smoothies simple and sticking to real fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and basic flavor additions leads to the best results.
Best Smoothie King “secret menu” hacks
Through customer experiments and reviews, some favorite Smoothie King secret menu “hacks” have emerged over time. Try these proven tips for customizing standard smoothies:
- Add peanut butter – Goes well in chocolate, vanilla, and banana smoothies
- Coconut milk base – Sub for a dairy-free creaminess
- Extra spinach – Packs nutrition without altering taste
- Chia seeds – Thickens texture for added fiber
- Scoop of vanilla – Makes fruit smoothies creamier
- Double berries – Blueberries and strawberries are crowd-pleasers
- Fresh ginger – Spicy kick complements greens
- Cinnamon – Warming spice for fall drinks
- Mint extract – Adds refreshing twist to fruit flavors
Don’t overcomplicate orders, and you can come up with some delicious Smoothie King smoothie hacks!
Conclusion
Smoothie King does not have an official secret menu, but allows some room for staff to customize orders. Trying popular add-ons like peanut butter, coconut milk, spinach, and chia seeds can give standard smoothies a fun twist. Just keep orders simple, be polite, tip well, and adjust expectations as not all locations will accommodate secret menu requests.
While Smoothie King wants to maintain consistency with their core menu, they seem tolerant of the secret menu since it adds to customer engagement and satisfaction. For smoothie fans who want to mix things up, it’s worth experimenting with some responsible customizations. But the odds of getting a crazy 10-ingredient smoothie filled with candy, cookies, and branded ingredients is low. Focusing on real fruits, vegetables, nutritious boosts, and subtle flavor additions lead to the tastiest secret menu smoothie hacks.
