20 Discontinued Fast Food Items We Wish Would Make A Comeback
The landscape of fast food is constantly shifting as brands frequently introduce new menu items to stay ahead of the competition. Meanwhile, fans are rewarded with an endless rotation of delicious experiments to taste test.
Some experiments capture the stomachs of many and are given the honor of permanent menu items. Others are redirected to the taxiway, having never taken flight. Sometimes, even fan-favorite fast food items get discontinued. History is wrought with fan-made petitions asking for the return of their favorites, so here is a list of some of the best fast food items that we’ll likely never see again. Fingers crossed that these make a comeback down the road.
Arby’s — Potato Cakes
DISCONTINUED: May 2021
In an attempt to present the best potato-based menu offering, Arby’s decided to nix its popular Potato Cakes for a double whammy of fries: Crinkles and Curlies. Arby’s cites “months of R&D and extensive market testing” as the determining factor. Crinkles were an undeniable hit as well, and there wasn’t enough space on the menu for three potato options. That said, Arby’s hasn’t completely closed the chapter on Potato Cakes and concluded a press release with, “…who’s to say they’re gone forever?” Until that day, you can sign this petition, which has nearly reached its goal of 7,500 signatures.
Wendy’s — Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich
DISCONTINUED: September 2022
Unless you’ve been on a sabbatical from eating out, there’s a good chance that you’re aware of the recent hot honey craze. Hoping to capitalize on it, Wendy’s introduced the Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich, which quickly attracted a fanbase. The excitement came to an abrupt halt just seven months later when Wendy’s decided to discontinue the Hot Honey sauce — which ultimately meant bye-bye to the Hot Honey Chicken sandwich as well. Without reason, customers suddenly found the sauce hard to come by as Wendy’s had quietly phased the sauce out.
McDonald’s — McPlant
DISCONTINUED: August 2022
In what seems like a blink of an eye, McDonald’s attempt at entering the plant-based market came and went. The McPlant was a good idea, and was simply a traditional McDonald’s cheeseburger with a Beyond meat patty. Sadly, the result didn’t live up to the promotional push and took shortcuts on quality. McPlant orders often arrived with sloppy, unappealing plant patties. The American public responded to it with a collective groan and McDonald’s foray into plant-based food ended. It also didn’t sell very well. Along with costing more than average, the demographic it was intended for simply doesn’t eat at McDonald’s — McPlant or not. What’s more, it was cooked in the same beef grease, which defeated the entire purpose of catering to a vegan base.
KFC — Potato Wedges
DISCONTINUED: July 2020
Another discontinuation that inspired a petition is KFC’s Potato Wedges. The reasoning is unclear, as it was a wildly popular menu item. It caused such an uproar that the petition made to demand its return now has 4,355 signatures — the goal is 5,000. Crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, KFC’s Potato Wedges were perfect. The fast food chain replaced it with what it considers a better permanent menu item: Secret Recipe Fries. Although they are seasoned with KFC’s secret recipe like the Potato Wedges, the soft starchy interior is definitely not the same.
Taco Bell — Beefy Crunch Burrito
DISCONTINUED: 2011
Taco Bell fans go nuts for their favorites, even to the point of creating a movement for them. Enter the Beefy Crunch Movement, a fandom that advocated hard for the return of the Beefy Crunch Burrito, which was first introduced in 2010 and phased out in 2011. The legend has appeared on the menu for limited-time releases in select markets, like Louisville, Kentucky in 2015, nationwide in 2016, and 2018. Taco Bell Rewards fans successfully voted in the Beefy Crunch Burrito’s return in 2023, though its appearance back on the menu was only for a limited time.
Pizza Hut — Triple Deckeroni
DISCONTINUED: Late 90s
Pizza Hut knows that there’s nothing wrong with loading up on cheese. With three layers of melty goodness, its Triple Deckeroni was an exercise in cheese mastery. The menu item was one of several adventurous ideas that Pizza Hut introduced in the 90s that became popular. As the 2000s began, the Triple Deckeroni mysteriously disappeared from nationwide menus, inspiring the formation of a loyal Facebook group which petitioned for its return. Sadly, it’s been relegated to simple nostalgia.
McDonald’s — Fried Apple Pies
DISCONTINUED: Sometime in 1992
Fries may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of McDonald’s, but the menu used to include another legendary fried item: Fried Apple Pies. Originally debuted in 1968, just like the Big Mac, they existed during a time before health became a popular pursuit. Fried Apple Pies were discontinued in 1992 as consumer tastes began to shift and was replaced with the baked version we know today. “Health concerns” were cited as the reason, yet when the ingredients were compared, baked apple pies weren’t much healthier. According to The Daily Meal, as of June 2023, only two locations still offer it: The oldest McDonald’s in Downey, California, and all Hawaiian-based chains.
SONIC — French Toaster
DISCONTINUED: Early 2015
SONIC’s was in its bag when it came up with the idea to make a breakfast sandwich made with slices of French toast. It was the perfect marriage of sweet and savory, featuring ham, sausage, egg, and melty cheddar cheese — in other words, a mouth-gasm. Released in 2015, the French Toaster was meant for a limited-time only anyway, which means that it’s not likely to return, unless by some miracle. SONIC chose to keep a similar menu item, the Breakfast Toaster, and the French Toaster disappeared shortly after its limited release.
McDonald’s — Szechuan Sauce
DISCONTINUED: 1998, 2017, 2018, & 2022
There are times when McDonald’s nails a new sauce flavor. The Szechuan Sauce was arguably the chain’s greatest condiment creation, managing to etch its name into pop culture, despite having a limited run. It was originally released in 1998 as a promotion for Disney’s “Mulan,” and seemingly garnered an underground following. One which surfaced to petition following its mention in an episode of “Rick and Morty.” Szechuan Sauce subsequently attained legendary-status thanks to the popular cartoon and McDonald’s was convinced to bring it back on October 27, 2017. Sadly, there were distribution limitations and fans had trouble finding the sauce — that didn’t go over so well. The sauce was again revived in 2018 and 2022 for another set of limited runs.
McDonald’s — Beef Tallow Fries
DISCONTINUED: 1990
As fire as McDonald’s fries are, can you believe that they used to taste even better? According to Atlas Obscura, the OG McDonald’s fries were fried using 93% beef fat tallow, which is another name for rendered fat and can be used as a flavorful substitute for butter or oil. Compared to the vegetable oil used today, beef tallow was a cheaper, albeit less healthy, option. It resulted in wonderfully meaty tasting French fries, which ultimately secured the fry throne for McDonald’s. The chain was forced to make a change in 1985 when its ingredients came under scrutiny. After being accused of contributing to heart disease, McDonald’s discontinued beef tallow fries in 1990.
Carl’s Jr. — Blueberry Muffin Buns
DISCONTINUED: 2016
Equally one of the wildest yet crave-worthy food items introduced, Carl’s Jr. Blueberry Muffin Buns were something from the mind of someone with serious munchies. Launched in 2016, you could stop by Carl’s Jr. and select blueberry muffins as the bread option in place of traditional rolls. The chain also tested cornbread bun option at the time, but the two sweet and savory experiments were only available throughout Southern California. Subsequently, neither passed the test phase and were discontinued.
Jack In The Box — Prime Rib Steak & Egg Burrito
DISCONTINUED: September 2015
Featuring flame-grilled steak, scrambled eggs, hash browns, pepper jack and cheddar cheese, and creamy Sriracha sauce all wrapped in a flour tortilla, Jack in the Box’s Prime Rib Steak & Egg Burrito was expected to be a thing of mouthwatering beauty. Disappointingly, while the idea sounded tasty, the actual experience left something to be desired. This admirable attempt at offering savory perfection was discontinued in only three short months.
Jack In The Box — Egg Nog Shake
DISCONTINUED: After the holiday season
Some seasonal offerings deserve to be available year-round. That’s especially true of the holiday season, which is when brands release special limited-time treats, only to tuck them away until Autumn rolls back around. Jack in the Box’s Eggnog Shake is one such seasonal delight that is long overdue for a permanent menu spot. Rich, thick, and satisfyingly sweet, the Eggnog Shake comes topped with whipped cream and a Maraschino cherry. It’s one of two yearly seasonal offerings, the Pumpkin Pie being the inferior choice. Unfortunately, eggnog is rarely, if ever, available year-round, so the chances of Jack in the Box offering it are slim.
McDonald’s — Mighty Wings
DISCONTINUED: 2004 & 2014
While McDonald’s is known for specializing in hamburgers, every now and again it ventures into new savory territory. Mighty Wings are one such experimental menu item that turned out to be fingerlicking good. Released in 1990, they were bone-in chicken wings flavored with a spicy breading and came in a three, five, or 10-piece meal options. A petition for their return is only a few signatures from reaching its goal of 10,00; a testament to how beloved Mighty Wings were and still are. Having a following didn’t prevent McDonald’s discontinuing them in 2004, before giving in to fan pressure and bringing them back in 2013. They were removed once more the following year.
Dunkin’ Donuts — Donut Fries
DISCONTINUED: Fall 2018
What do you get when you combine donuts with French fries? Dunkins’ not only answered that question, it delivered on it — all before subsequently taking it away. 2018 was the year in question, when Donut Fries were soft-launched in Massachusetts. As soon as word got out, donut fiends everywhere ran to the mountaintops to shout about it. Sadly, soon after, this delicious hybrid of churro and donut faded away into the fast food ether.
Taco Bell — Waffle Taco
DISCONTINUED: March 2015
Taco Bell rotates its menu so fast that at times it’s hard to keep up. During a time when the company had breakfast on its mind, Taco Bell released a slew of morning-ready tacos. One was the Waffle Taco, which came with a waffle in place of a tortilla, attracting customers as a quirky alternative to traditional menu items. Despite going viral, the fast food chain was apparently dissatisfied and decided to replace it with a newer breakfast option: the Biscuit Taco.
McDonald’s — Grimace Shake
DISCONTINUED: July 2022
One of the more recent hit McDonald’s food items was a milkshake made to commemorate Grimace’s birthday. To be clear, it wasn’t technically discontinued, but was released as a limited-time-only menu item. It’s just that it’s so good that it deserves a permanent place. The Grimace Shake even inspired an unlikely and bizarre viral trend that involved kids reacting wildly after drinking it. Despite the immediate success, Grimace’s birthday celebrations ended a few months later. All was not lost though, as Ohio was lucky to see its return last year, but oddly for one day only.
McDonald’s — Bucket O’ Fries
DISCONTINUED: Unknown
This pick is unique because proof that it actually existed is scarce. McDonald’s Bucket O’ Fries are like the Loch Ness monster — no one’s seen it, but enough people said they have to make it believable. Some accounts recall it coming inside of a large bucket, while others say that it was more like a super-sized drinking cup. A few folks have memories of sharing a bucket with their family growing up, while others have never heard of it at all. If McDonald’s Bucket O’ Fries existed, according to comments on AnandTech, it would have been in the early 2000s.
Popeyes — Chicken Waffle Tenders
First introduced in the summer of 2013, Popeyes’ Chicken Waffle Tenders rode the era’s chicken & waffles trend hard, as it featured deep-fried, waffle-battered boneless chicken strips that came with a honey maple dipping sauce. Truly, this was a streamlined version of chicken & waffles that made all the sense in the world and tasted phenomenal. The Chicken Waffle Tenders made a brief return in 2014 but were not seen back on the Popeyes menu since.
KFC — Double Down
This legend first made its way into our stomachs back in 2010, becoming an immediate smash. And it’s no wonder, since KFC woke up feeling wild back then and came up with a sandwich that replaced the bread with crunchy fried chicken. Though the Double Down made a triumphant, albeit, brief come back in 2014 and 2023, it just makes all the sense in the world to make it a permanent menu item.
