Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a popular smoothie and food chain with over 900 locations across the United States. They are known for their wide variety of fruit smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, bowls, and more. But does Tropical Smoothie Cafe have a secret menu that goes beyond what’s listed on their regular menu boards?
The short answer is yes, Tropical Smoothie Cafe does have some secret menu items that regular customers have discovered over the years. While they don’t openly promote or advertise these secret offerings, you can sometimes find secret menu items at certain locations if you know what to ask for.
What is on the Tropical Smoothie Cafe secret menu?
Here are some of the most popular secret menu items that have been reported at various Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations over the years:
Secret Smoothies
- Fruity Pebbles – A blend of strawberries, bananas, and vanilla with Fruity Pebbles cereal blended in
- Orange Cream – Orange juice and vanilla soft serve ice cream
- Banana Split – Bananas, strawberries, pineapple, cherries, vanilla soft serve
- Smores – Chocolate, marshmallow, graham cracker crumbs
Secret Food Items
- Quesadilla – Grilled tortilla filled with cheese, chicken, and pico de gallo
- Burrito – Rice, beans, chicken, cheese, sour cream, wrapped in a tortilla
- Loaded Tater Tots – Tater tots topped with cheese, bacon, ranch dressing
- Nachos – Tortilla chips topped with cheese, chicken, peppers, onions, salsa
Secret Drinks
- Mint Condition – Mint, chocolate syrup, milk
- Cookies and Cream – Oreo cookies blended into a milkshake
- Funky Monkey – Peanut butter, banana, chocolate syrup, milk
- Strawberry Cheesecake – Strawberries, cream cheese, graham crackers
Why does Tropical Smoothie Cafe have a secret menu?
Tropical Smoothie Cafe doesn’t openly publicize their secret menu options. There are a few possible reasons for this:
- They want to maintain a streamlined menu that is easy for customers to understand.
- Secret menus create buzz and intrigue among loyal customers.
- It gives individual locations some flexibility to experiment with unique items.
- Secret menus encourage customers to customize orders.
While Tropical Smoothie Cafe likes to keep their official menu consistent across all locations, the secret menu allows for some versatility at the local level. Individual cafes can choose to offer certain secret items based on local demand and what ingredients they have on hand.
How do you order from the Tropical Smoothie Cafe secret menu?
Ordering secret menu items at Tropical Smoothie Cafe isn’t always straightforward. Here are some tips:
- Know the secret menu items you want to order ahead of time.
- Ask the cashier or manager if they have any “off-menu” or “secret” items.
- Be flexible – not all locations offer secret menu items.
- Special order custom smoothies and meals using secret ingredients.
- The Fruity Pebbles smoothie is the most universally available secret item.
Some Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations will have signs, posters or menus that showcase some of their secret options. But your best bet is to ask. The staff should be able to tell you what they have available beyond the regular menu offerings.
What’s the most popular secret menu item?
Of all the Tropical Smoothie Cafe secret menu choices, the Fruity Pebbles smoothie appears to be the most popular. It combines the fruit flavors that Tropical Smoothie is known for with the nostalgic cereal treat Fruity Pebbles. Most locations that have secret menu items will offer the Fruity Pebbles smoothie.
Fruity Pebbles Smoothie Recipe
Here’s one recipe for the famous off-menu Fruity Pebbles smoothie:
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1/2 cup Fruity Pebbles cereal
- 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2-3 ice cubes
Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. The cereal gives it a thick, grainy texture. You can also ask them to add extras like protein powder or granola.
What’s the most customizable secret menu item?
When it comes to secret menu choices that you can customize, the loaded tater tots seem to have endless possibilities. While the basic loaded tater tots come with cheese, bacon, and ranch dressing, people have crafted some over-the-top versions.
Some ways you could customize loaded tater tots include:
- Replace bacon with pulled pork, chicken, or chili
- Use different cheeses like cheddar, pepper jack, or bleu cheese
- Add sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms, or jalapenos
- Top with guacamole or pico de gallo
- Drizzle with barbecue sauce or buffalo sauce
- Swap in Greek yogurt ranch dressing
Let your imagination run wild to create the most decked-out loaded tater tots you can think up! The Tropical Smoothie cafe staff are usually happy to accommodate special requests.
What are the most popular customizations?
When secret menu items just aren’t enough, Tropical Smoothie Cafe encourages customers to further customize their orders. Here are some of the most popular customizations people request:
Smoothies
- Add an extra fruit or vegetable
- Add supplements like whey protein, collagen, or vitamins
- Use almond milk or yogurt instead of the base
- Blend in oats or granola for added texture
- Add peanut butter or nut butters
- Use lime instead of lemon for citrus
Food
- Grilled chicken instead of crispy chicken on wraps and sandwiches
- Add avocado or guacamole
- Substitute lettuce wrap instead of tortilla
- Add extra veggies like spinach, tomato, onion, etc.
- Use whole grain bread or tortillas
- Add pickled jalapenos for spice
Don’t be afraid to ask for a smoothie or food item made just the way you like it. The Tropical Smoothie Cafe team will do their best to customize your order.
What food and smoothies can you combine into a single order?
One of the best parts about Tropical Smoothie Cafe is that you can mix and match menu items to create the perfect combo meal. Some popular ways to combine food and smoothies include:
- Smoothie with a wrap – complement the flavors, like a Strawberry Whirl smoothie with a chicken Caesar wrap
- Sandwich with a refreshment – pair a classic BLT sandwich with a Strawberry Lemonade Refresher
- Food bowl with smoothie – get your drinkable greens with an Island Green smoothie and Tex Mex veggie bowl
- Oats and yogurt with smoothie – match a Peach Pleasure or Mango Magic smoothie with overnight oats or chia pudding
- Smoothie with snacks – blend in a smoothie booster and grab healthy snacks like fruit or granola
Mixing and matching is easy since everything on the Tropical Smoothie Cafe menu complements each other. Feel free to get creative with your own food and smoothie combinations!
Does Tropical Smoothie Cafe change its secret menu seasonally?
Unlike the regular menu which stays mostly consistent year-round, Tropical Smoothie Cafe does tend to rotate and introduce new limited time offerings seasonally. This includes new secret menu smoothies, food items, and customizations.
Here are some examples of secret menu items that may be available seasonally or for a limited time:
- Pumpkin smoothies with pumpkin pie spice in fall
- Peppermint smoothies made with candy canes in December
- Heart-shaped strawberry smoothies for Valentine’s Day
- Shamrock smoothies with mint for St. Patrick’s Day
- Caramel apple smoothies and harvest chicken wraps in autumn
- Fuzzy navels with orange juice and peach in summer
Around the holidays, they may offer festive cookies and cream or eggnog milkshakes. It never hurts to ask what seasonal specialties they have whip up beyond the regular menu.
What are the differences in secret menus across locations?
Since Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations are all independently owned and operated, there can be some variation in terms of secret menu availability across different shops. Here are some factors that come into play:
- Individual owner preferences – Owners choose whether to offer secret items
- Local customer demand – Popular requests influence secret menu options
- Store size and staffing – Larger cafes with more staff can accommodate more custom orders
- Ingredient availability – Supply chain affects what ingredients are on hand
- Regional tastes – Local tastes impact item popularity, like spice level preferences
While the core secret menu smoothies like Fruity Pebbles and S’mores are commonly available, options like quesadillas and loaded tots may only be found at certain locations. The range of customizable add-ins can also vary by location and season. Check with your local cafe to see what secrets they’re offering up.
Can you request menu items from one location at another location?
Generally, Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations will only offer the secret menu items that their own location has available and ingredients for. However, if you really have your heart set on a secret item that you know another location offers, it doesn’t hurt to make a special request.
The key is flexibility – the staff will likely not be able to replicate another location’s offerings exactly, but may be able to come up with something similar. Here are some tips for special requests:
- Have the name or description of the menu item you want to request. A picture on your phone is helpful.
- Be understanding if they aren’t able to replicate it exactly. Get suggestions for how they could put together something close to what you’re looking for.
- Order it at an off-peak time when they’re less busy and more able to accommodate custom orders.
- Offer to provide any ingredients needed that they may not have on hand already.
- Thank them for trying – these special requests require extra effort from the staff.
As long as your polite about special requests, Tropical Smoothie Cafe staff usually try their best to bring your dream secret menu item to life even if it originated at another location.
Should you tip at Tropical Smoothie Cafe?
Tropical Smoothie Cafe has a tip jar by the register, so tipping is appreciated by the staff but not required or expected. Here are some tips on tipping etiquette:
- Tip for excellent service, especially if you have a complicated order
- Tip a few dollars or 15-20% of your total order cost
- If paying by credit card, you can add tip when signing the receipt
- A couple dollars for quick counter service is fine. Tip more for dine-in table service
- Remember that tips are shared among all staff
Tips are certainly not obligatory, but always welcomed by the hard-working employees. Generous tipping can incentivize staff to go above and beyond in fulfilling special requests and secret menu orders.
Can you get free add-ins or extras at Tropical Smoothie Cafe?
Tropical Smoothie Cafe offers a good amount of latitude when it comes to customizing orders, but free add-ins are not guaranteed. Some tips for getting free extras:
- Ask politely, don’t demand. Say “Could I possibly get” not “Give me”
- Order extra ingredients separately on the side when possible
- Go at non-peak hours when staff isn’t as busy
- Get to know staff and become a regular
- Let them know it’s your birthday for a free boost-in
- Download their app for occasional free reward offers
While you may get lucky sometimes, in general you’ll have to pay for any significant extras or add-ins beyond the basic menu items. But it never hurts to ask politely, especially if you’re a regular. The staff may occasionally surprise you.
Conclusion
Tropical Smoothie Cafe does indeed have a “secret” menu that loyal customers have learned about over time through word-of-mouth and special ordering. While not openly advertised, these secret items like the Fruity Pebbles smoothie allow fans to customize their orders even further. Certain locations also offer exclusive seasonal specials. Customizing your meal by combining food and smoothies is also encouraged. So next time you visit, don’t be afraid to ask about special offerings beyond the posted menu. The friendly staff is usually happy to share the inside scoop on all the Tropical Smoothie Cafe secrets they have available.
