For nearly every exciting new item added to a fast food menu, there is another item removed. While some of the discontinued dishes may be flops or poor sellers, others are beloved classics with a loyal fan base. (Read about 21 fast food chicken sandwiches, ranked worst to best.)
To determine 20 fast food items that deserve a comeback, 24/7 Tempo scoured through Reddit posts and Change.org petitions to find out which menu items everyday customers are the most vocal about missing. We also referred to news and food sites including Mashed and The Daily Meal. Years that the items were discontinued may not be accurate for every location, and some items have returned since then for limited runs.
McDonald’s and Taco Bell have the most items on the list, with some leaving menus in the late ’90s, including the Arch Deluxe, McDonald’s ahead-of-its-time attempt at making a gourmet burger. Beloved menu items from Wendy’s, Popeyes, Carl’s Jr., KFC, Arby’s, Pizza Hut, and Burger King are also featured, with a few of them being desserts that had a cult following. (These are popular discontinued snack foods we really miss.)
Here are 20 fast food items that deserve a comeback:
Angus Third Pounder
- From: McDonald’s
- Discontinued: 2013
Introduced in 2009, Angus Third Pounders failed the create the demand that would have kept them on the menu – likely due to their price point compared to the popular Quarter Pounder.
Arch Deluxe
- From: McDonald’s
- Discontinued: 2000
A misguided attempt at attracting an urban adult clientele, the Arch Deluxe was marketed as a sophisticated burger, and included a sauce that was a mixture of mayonnaise and mustard. Unfortunately, this burger was ahead of its time, and it was phased out of all U.S. restaurants by 2000.
Bacon and Blue Burger
- From: Wendy’s
- Discontinued: 2010
This gourmet burger was topped with applewood smoked bacon, blue cheese crumbles, sautéed onions, and steakhouse sauce. It would have been a hit if it wasn’t for the mess. Customers complained that the cheese crumbles made the burger impossible to eat in the car.
Bacon Smokehouse Burger
(Double Bacon Smokehouse Burger)
- From: McDonald’s
- Discontinued: 2019
A quarter pound burger topped with applewood smoked bacon, fried onion strings, white cheddar, bacon onion jam, and sweet mustard, the Bacon Smokehouse Burger certainly won hearts. The love of a few, however, was not enough to keep this smoky gem alive.
Beef fat fries
- From: McDonald’s
- Discontinued: 1990
For decades, McDonald’s was known for their perfectly crispy french fries. The secret? They were fried in 93% beef tallow. However, in 1990, the company moved to vegetable oil and beef flavoring, due to mounting public concerns about eating saturated fat.
Big Easy Chicken Bowl
- From: Popeyes
- Discontinued: 2015
Popeyes is known for their red beans and rice, and the Big Easy Chicken Bowl piled white meat chicken onto the flavorful side dish, along with shredded cheese, sour cream, and spicy Cajun gravy.
Breakfast Waffle Taco
- From: Taco Bell
- Discontinued: 2015
Introduced in 2014, this breakfast taco used a waffle instead of a tortilla. It was filled with sausage or bacon and scrambled eggs with cheese, and came with a side of syrup. The messiness of the dripping syrup was a minor inconvenience compared to the salty-sweet perfection of each bite.
Choco Taco
- From: Taco Bell
- Discontinued: 2015
Through no fault of Taco Bell’s, this beloved frozen dessert was pulled from menus as Klondike, the maker of Choco Taco, discontinued the item due to lower demand compared to their other products.
Cini Minis
- From: Burger King
- Discontinued: 2016
Released in the ’90s as a collaboration with Pillsbury, Cini Minis had a long run but were discontinued in 2016. Burger King brought them back for a short time in 2018, but many customers continue to demand a permanent revival.
Classic Greek Fresh Stuffed Pita
- From: Wendy’s
- Discontinued: 2000
In 1997, during the rise of the wrap as a health food option, Wendy’s introduced the Fresh Stuffed Pita line. It included Chicken Caesar, Garden Veggie, and a customer favorite – the Classic Greek with feta.
Fried Apple Pie
- From: McDonald’s
- Discontinued: 1992
Amidst health concerns, McDonald’s stopped deep-frying and began baking their famous apple pies in 1992, much to the chagrin of many customers.
Grilled Stuft Nacho
- From: Taco Bell
- Discontinued: 2014
This crunchy, cheesy grilled tortilla was the stuff of dreams. Filled with seasoned beef, nacho cheese, spicy jalapeño sauce, sour cream, and crispy tortilla strips, the Grilled Stuft Nacho amassed quite a fan base during its short run.
McSalad Shakers
- From: McDonald’s
- Discontinued: 2003
In 2000, McDonald’s added a health food option to their menu that was easy to eat on the go: a salad in a to-go cup that could be shaken to distribute the dressing. Another menu item that may have simply been ahead of its time, it’s hard to imagine the McSalad Shaker not being wildly popular today.
Meximelt
- From: Taco Bell
- Discontinued: 2019
Somewhere between a soft taco and a quesadilla, Taco Bell’s Meximelt was filled with seasoned beef, melted cheese, and pico de gallo. Its removal from the menu happened quietly in 2019, much to the chagrin of customers.
P’Zone
- From: Pizza Hut
- Discontinued: 2021
Invented in 2002, these calzones made in a toasted parmesan crust were crammed full of pizza toppings and came with a side of marinara. They developed a cult following before they were discontinued in 2012.
Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwich
- From: Carl’s Jr.
- Discontinued: 2013
Born out of a cross-promotion with Kellogg’s, the Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwich went viral and was at one point available for free with the purchase of a Super Bacon Cheeseburger combo.
Potato Cakes
- From: Arby’s
- Discontinued: 2023
After introducing Crinkle Fries to the menu, Arby’s discontinued their classic potato side dish, the Potato Cake, despite outrage from loyal enthusiasts. The item, which had been on the menu since the ’60s, reportedly wasn’t selling as well as it used to.
Potato Wedges
- From: KFC
- Discontinued: 2020
In 2019, KFC announced that it was finally developing a french fry recipe after over eight decades in business. Unfortunately, their beloved spiced potato wedges were soon axed in favor of the new fries.
Santa Fe Chalupa
Chalupa
- From: Taco Bell
- Discontinued: 1999
Taco Bell’s Santa Fe Chalupa featured beans, corn, and a creamy, spicy Santa Fe sauce. It was the first chalupa to leave the menu, mere months after it was introduced.
Szechuan Sauce
- From: McDonald’s
- Discontinued: 1998
Released as a promotion for Disney’s “Mulan” in 1998, McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce had a short run. However, after it was featured in an episode of “Rick and Morty” in 2017, McDonald’s brought the sauce back for a few limited releases.