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KFC/McDonald's
1996-2000
$150 million evaporated on this failed McDonald’s burger for adults. The quarter-pound patty with Dijonnaise sauce and premium ingredients targeted sophisticated palates, but consumers rejected the price. It was one of McDonald’s largest marketing miscalculations ever. But some critics contend it was actually a good burger; it was just that the timing was off.
2016-2021
Molten cheese encased in crispy potato cylinders.
These tater tots were beloved during their five-year menu tenure. After their discontinuation, devotees organized a Facebook campaign titled “Bring Back the Cheesy Tots from Burger King,” eventually forcing multiple revivals, most notably a holiday resurrection in December 2023.
1985-2020
After 35 years on the menu, Mexican Pizza has disappeared. Taco Bell cited packaging waste concerns when retiring this dual-tortilla creation layered with beans, beef, tomatoes, and cheese.
Public reaction? Immediate and fierce.
A pressure campaign was fought. It worked. By September 2022, the Mexican Pizza made a comeback.
1998, limited returns in 2017, 2018, 2022
Originally created for Disney’s “Mulan” in 1998, this tangy condiment remained unremarkable until “Rick and Morty”referenced it in 2017. McDonald’s subsequent limited re-release triggered near-riots. Police intervention became necessary at multiple locations. Online resellers demanded hundreds per packet. No sauce in fast food history has generated a comparable frenzy.
2010, occasional returns
KFC eliminated bread entirely with a weird concoction.
Two fried chicken filets sandwich bacon, cheese, and sauce—a protein envelope that shocked nutritionists and excited carnivores. Announced on April Fool’s Day, many assumed it was a prank rather than a product. Ten million units sold in 30 days proved its appeal. But it was discontinued, only to return occasionally.
1985-1998
“Hot side hot, cool side cool.”
This burger was famous for its engineering—a divided Styrofoam container that kept the burger patty warm while preserving lettuce and tomato crispness. Environmental awakening doomed the non-biodegradable packaging, with the sandwich becoming collateral damage.
1989-2000
With eleven minutes to cook, this pizza violated McDonald’s operational model, which is built on speed. Thousands of locations installed special ovens as the chain attempted to become the next big pizza takeout chain. Operational bottlenecks eventually killed the initiative, though two rebellious locations (Orlando, FL, and Pomeroy, OH) continue to serve the McPizza to this day.
1962-1986
Born with the chain itself, this taco on a hamburger bun helped introduce Mexican flavors to Americans still unfamiliar with Mexican cuisine. Taco-seasoned ground beef, diced onions, lettuce, and mild sauce merged Mexican and American fast food traditions. Its redundancy grew as Taco Bell solidified its identity, eventually shelving the burger completely.
1988-1998
Unlimited food. Three stations. $3.59.
This salad bar transformed Wendy’s into part fast-food restaurant and part buffet destination. Garden Spot offered salads, Mexican Fiesta provided taco ingredients, and Pasta Pasta delivered Italian options. However, maintenance costs, health department concerns, and industry-wide drive-thru prioritization rendered the concept unsustainable. It remains a powerful 1990s nostalgia fuel.
1968-1974
Black Forest ham melted with American cheese and mayonnaise on a toasted submarine roll—the Yumbo was a simple sandwich that people loved. Despite disappearing after just six years, customer affection persisted for four decades, compelling a 2014 revival promotion.
1968-1992
Bubbled, crackling exterior. Tongue-scalding apple lava interior.
For 24 years, this dessert defined fast food indulgence before health trends forced baking rather than frying. Though the nutritional improvement proved marginal. Two locations still offer the original: Downey, California (the oldest McDonald’s) and all Hawaiian chains.
1980s-2020
For nearly 40 years, these thick-cut wedges carried KFC’s signature herbs and spices beyond chicken. Their 2020 replacement with generic crinkle-cut fries sparked a rebellion. Fans mourned the distinctive texture combination—crispy exterior yielding to fluffy potato center—that made them uniquely KFC.
1990s-2000s
Mornings smelled of cinnamon in thousands of Burger Kings when the Cini-Minis were launched.
These bite-sized treats—featuring warm dough spirals with sweet icing—became breakfast fixtures for a generation. Later, a 2018 Grubhub promotional revival only heightened demands for a permanent return.
1990s-2000s
Three crust layers. Cheese between each. Pepperoni crown. This became the Triple Deckeroni Pizza.
This monument to excess embodied Pizza Hut’s 1990s experimental era before operational streamlining eliminated menu complexity. Years later, thousands maintain a dedicated Facebook group petitioning for resurrection.
2014-2014
The Fritos Chicken Enchilada Melt was Subway's bold 2014 attempt to compete in the Mexican-American fast food mashup space, featuring pulled chicken in enchilada sauce topped with actual Fritos corn chips for $7.25. Despite its cult following, the premium sandwich was discontinued after its limited run due to rising Fritos prices.
2016
The Spicy Chicken Biscuit served as Chick-fil-A's breakfast flagship for three decades, combining Southern biscuit tradition with morning heat until corporate data analysis ended its national run in 2016.
Despite accounting for minimal sales, its passionate fanbase created an underground network across 95 remaining cities, transforming a discontinued menu item into a pilgrimage destination for spice seekers.
Limited Time
The Sour Patch Kids Blizzard, a limited-time Dairy Queen offering that combined tart candy with vanilla soft serve, proved that contrasting flavors could create unexpectedly popular desserts despite initial skepticism about the unusual pairing.
Discontinued: 2022
Fresh bananas served as Starbucks' most basic healthy option, positioned near registers as an affordable grab-and-go snack. The coffee chain eliminated them in 2022 after discovering that customers purchased only 1-2 bananas from each 24-piece display, creating unsustainable waste from the fruit's rapid spoilage.
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