the varsity secret menu guide below covers every off-menu order regulars actually use, from the famous glorified burger with pimento cheese to the lingo that gets your order right the first time. Read what each secret order costs in 2026 and how to say it at the register.
The Varsity Secret Menu Guide 2026
So, is The Varsity secret menu real? Sort of. There is no printed secret menu, but regulars have been ordering off-menu combos like the Glorified Burger with pimento cheese for decades. Here is what to order, the exact words to use, and what it costs at any of The Varsity’s eight Atlanta-area locations.
The Varsity is not like other fast food chains. It has been doing its own thing in Atlanta since 1928, when Frank Gordy opened what would become the world’s largest drive-in at 61 North Avenue. If you have never been, check The Varsity menu with prices first so you know the lay of the land. Then come back here for the stuff locals order but tourists never figure out.
Honestly, the whole “secret menu” thing at The Varsity is less about hidden items and more about a language. The staff have been taking orders in a rapid-fire shorthand for nearly a century, and if you know the words, you can build combinations that never appear on the board. Here’s the thing: most of these are not secrets at all to anyone who grew up in Georgia. They are just second nature.
Does The Varsity Have a Secret Menu?
No. The Varsity does not print a secret menu, and the staff will not hand you one if you ask. But between the ordering lingo and the à la carte toppings, regulars have built an unofficial one anyway, and it works at all eight locations in the greater Atlanta area.
The reason The Varsity works this way is speed. The flagship moves thousands of orders a day, and the famous “What’ll ya have? What’ll ya have?” is the cashier’s way of keeping the line flying. Over the decades, that need for speed created a code. Order in the code and the crew knows exactly what you want. Order like a tourist and you get the standard build, which is still great, but you miss the fun.
How to Order From The Varsity Secret Menu
Say this when the cashier asks what you’ll have: “Glorified burger with pimento.” That is the whole trick, and it is the single best-known order on The Varsity secret menu.
Here is why it works. A pimento cheeseburger at The Varsity normally arrives with a big, gooey glob of pimento cheese and nothing else. A glorified burger comes with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Put the two together and you get the crunch of the lettuce, the cool of the tomato and mayo, and all that creamy, tangy pimento cheese. Regulars in Atlanta have called this the best thing on the menu for years, and it is not even on the menu.
And the best part? You are not asking for anything weird. Pimento cheese is an official à la carte topping on the current menu at 80 cents. So your glorified burger ($3.70) plus pimento ($0.80) comes out to $4.50 for what many locals consider the peak Varsity experience. I looked into this, and yes, they will absolutely understand the order. Cashiers hear it all the time.
The Varsity Lingo Cheat Sheet: Order Like a Regular
The Varsity staff speak a shorthand, and using it gets your order right the first time. This is the real secret menu at The Varsity: the words, not the food.
| What You Say | What It Means |
|---|---|
| What’ll ya have? | The famous greeting and order call. Have your order ready before you reach the register. |
| Steak All the Way | Burger with ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions (“Steak” is Varsity-speak for a hamburger). |
| Glorified | Adds lettuce, tomato and mayo to any burger. |
| Strings | French fries. “Steak and strings” is a burger with fries. |
| F.O. | Frosted Orange, the legendary orange-vanilla shake. Say “F.O.” like a regular. |
| Naked Dog All the Way | Plain hot dog with onions. |
| Heavyweight | Hot dog with extra chili. Chili is the famous scratch-made recipe. |
| Yankee Dog | Plain hot dog with mustard. |
| Walk | Your order is to go. |
| Bag of Rags | A side of potato chips. Ask for it when you walk. |
A couple of honest warnings. First, do not try to rattle off a whole sentence of lingo on your first visit if you are nervous. It is fine to order in plain English. Second, the old-timers’ “P.C.” (plain chocolate milk served over ice) was taken off the menu after decades, so do not be surprised if a newer cashier blanks on it. Times change, even at The Varsity.
More Insider Orders Regulars Swear By
Beyond the pimento move, here is what experienced Varsity hands actually order:
The Combo Customizations
The numbered combos (#1 through #9) are the real workhorses. #1 is two chili dogs with fries or rings and a drink, and #3 is the triple stack bacon cheeseburger combo. The insider trick is that any combo drink can become a Frosted Orange, which turns an ordinary lunch into a Georgia event. Prices run $7.69 to $14.59 depending on the combo.
Stack It Your Way
Double and triple stacks are on the menu, but plenty of people do not realize you can mix the stacks: a double chili cheeseburger ($5.75) or the triple bacon cheeseburger ($9.85) are the heavy-hitters. This is not exactly secret, but it is the kind of thing first-timers never think to try.
The Dessert Run
The fried apple and peach pies ($3.55) are made from scratch and barely advertised, which makes them secret-menu-adjacent in my book. The seasonal sweet potato pie shows up on the group voucher list, so keep an eye out in fall. And the brownie ($3.95) is the quiet sleeper of the dessert case.
Take-Home Chili
Ask for a can of Varsity chili to take home ($8.29). It is not on the big menu board, and most out-of-towners have no idea it exists. Stock up if you are driving out of town, because this is the closest thing to bottling the secret chili recipe.
What Do the Secret Orders Cost?
The good news: secret-style orders cost the same as regular items. You are not paying a markup for knowing the lingo.
| Secret Order | How to Say It | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Glorified Burger | “Glorified burger” | $3.70 |
| Add Pimento Cheese | “With pimento” (official à la carte topping) | $0.80 |
| Triple Bacon Cheeseburger | “Triple stack bacon cheese” | $9.85 |
| Double Chili Cheeseburger | “Double chili cheese” | $6.45 |
| Chili Cheese Slaw Dog | “Chili cheese slaw dog” | $5.25 |
| Frosted Orange (S / M / L) | “F.O.” (small, medium or large) | $3.85 / $4.85 / $5.15 |
| Fried Pies (Apple or Peach) | Ask at the register | $3.55 |
| Canned Chili (take home) | Ask for a can of Varsity chili | $8.29 |
Prices last verified: October 16, 2026. Source of truth: The Varsity official menu page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Varsity have a secret menu?
Not officially. There is no printed secret menu and staff will not hand you one. But regulars have an unofficial one built from the ordering lingo and à la carte toppings, with the glorified burger with pimento cheese as the star.
How do I order the Varsity pimento cheeseburger?
Walk up and say “glorified burger with pimento.” You will get a burger with lettuce, tomato, mayo and a generous glob of pimento cheese for $4.50 ($3.70 glorified burger plus the $0.80 pimento topping).
What does F.O. mean at The Varsity?
F.O. is short for Frosted Orange, the signature orange-and-vanilla shake that has been a Varsity icon for decades. It comes in small ($3.85), medium ($4.85) and large ($5.15).
Can I order the secret menu items at any Varsity location?
Yes. The lingo, the toppings and the combos work at all eight greater-Atlanta locations, from the downtown flagship to Gwinnett, Kennesaw, Dawsonville, Winder, Lakepoint, Rome and Watkinsville. These are system-wide menu mechanics, not location-specific tricks.
So that is The Varsity secret menu in full: less a hidden list and more a way of ordering. Learn three phrases (“glorified with pimento,” “steak all the way with strings,” “walk it with an F.O.”), and you will order like someone who has been coming since childhood. For the complete regular-priced lineup, see The Varsity menu with prices before your next visit.
Related Reading
Keep exploring The Varsity: see our other guides below, or browse more in the Burgers menu category.
