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16 Discontinued Fast Food Menu Items We Desperately Need Back

Remember the Taco Bell Beefer?

Headshot of Rheanna O'Neil BellomoBy Rheanna O'Neil Bellomo
discontinued fast food menu items
KFC

Fast food is like fashion. The trends come and go, and sometimes we're left wondering why we liked what we did all those years ago–but it's important to remember that at the time, it felt right. Every so often, however, there are things that come along, whether it be a foodie trend or a piece of clothing, and it just holds a special place in our nostalgia-loving hearts. For one reason or another, these fast food menu items didn't manage to last forever, but we didn't forget about them. Everyone loves to reminisce about their favorite childhood treats (and even breakfast cereals), so we decided to take a trip down a very fast food–fueled memory lane, and pay our respects to these 16 discontinued fast food menu items.

1

Burger King Cini-Minis

discontinued fast food items burger king cini minis
Burger King/Youtube

The late-'90s introduced the world to Burger King's Cini-Minis. These miniature cinnamon rolls were warm and oh, so flaky. Not to mention, the center was perfectly chewy and each order came with a side of icing to top it all off. They were discontinued in the early aughts, but came back for a brief moment in 2018. We're still holding out hope that they'll regain their rightful place as a permanent menu item sometime in the near future.

2

KFC Potato Wedges

discontinued kfc potato wedges
Courtesy of KFC

This one still hurts because it's a fresh wound. KFC ditched their deliciously hearty potato wedges in June 2020 in favor of selling their herb dusted fries. And while the new fries are good, they're just not the same.

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3

KFC Double Down

discontinued fast food menu items kfc double down
KFC

What do you get when you slap bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, and special sauce between two deep-fried chicken filets? The answer is simple. You get the world's most unhealthy sandwich. So it's no wonder that it didn't last very long after debuting in 201o. The sandwich has remerged for limited-time offerings in the decade since it's official end, which means that someone out there likes it.

4

Wendy's Pita

discontinued fast food menu item wendy's pita
Wendy's/Youtube

Wendy's offered a variety of fresh stuffed pitas in the late-'90s – from the Garden Ranch Chicken Pita to the Veggie Pita, and even the Greek Pita. But it was the Chicken Caesar Pita that garnered such a cult following that it inspired many recipes online to try and duplicate the magic, and there's even an online petition to bring it back.

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5

Burger King Apple Pie

discontinued fast food items burger king apple pie
Burger King

As of July 2020, Burger King shared the news that they would be discontinuing their apple pie. What made BK's apple pie stand out from other fast food dessert offerings was that it was an actual slice of delicious, crumbly, gooey apple pie – gone too soon.

6

McDonald's Onion Nuggets

Ingredient, Produce, Food, Font, Natural foods, Fried food, Fruit, Junk food, Recipe, Finger food,

Forget rings—McDonald's wanted to be very, very different in the '70s and decided to turn onions into McNugget-like form. We're not sure who would order these but they must bring back memories for some of you.

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7

Wendy's Super Bar

In the late '80s, Wendy's created a buffet that had a little bit of everything—from burgers and salads to tacos and fettuccine. Too bad it didn't pan out because you only had to cough up $3 for a plate with seconds on the house.

8

McDonald's Big 33

Larry Bird's trademark burger was pretty huge—plus it was topped with cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce, pickles, and onions. It was modeled after the fact that the basketball star would order three quarter-pound burgers because he "is a pretty big guy."

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9

McDonald's Fajitas

The '90s brought us rolled-up fajitas at McDonald's, which included both a egg-filled breakfast variety and a standard chicken option. I guess they decided to leave Tex-Mex to Taco Bell after all.

10

McDonald's Fried Apple Pie

Food, Cuisine, Ingredient, Dish, Baked goods, Snack, Comfort food, Recipe, Box, Packaging and labeling,
Flickr Creative Commons

Sure, you can still get a hand-held apple pastry at McDonald's, but it's not the same as the original fried version, which was discontinued back in 1992. That extra crispy, flaky pie was definitely horrible for you but it just felt so right.

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11

Pizza Hut Triple Decker

What's better than not one but three layers of crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings? Pizza Hut's mid-'90s creation was a lot to handle but that didn't stop any of us from digging right in.

12

Taco Bell Cinnamon Crispas

Ingredient, Cuisine, Recipe, Poster, Picture frame, Comfort food, Advertising, Sweetness, Peach, Dessert,

Tortilla chips dusted with cinnamon and sugar instead of salt garnered a cult following, leading some people to demand Taco Bell bring them back to this day.

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13

Taco Bell Beefer

Food, Ingredient, Cuisine, Vegetable, Leaf vegetable, Dish, Finger food, Produce, Baked goods, Recipe,
Taco Bell

Better than a Sloppy Joe, Taco Bell's Beefer was a play at the burger market—tossing seasoned taco meat with cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a pillowy bun.

14

McDonald's Pizza

Back in the day, after 4 p.m., McDonald's used to whip up pizzas with red sauce, mozzarella, pepperonis, and sausage. Oh what a time to be alive.

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15

Burger King Burger Shots

Bread, Finger food, Ingredient, Food, Cuisine, Bun, Baked goods, Tan, Snack, Dish,

BK tried not once, not twice, but three times to make mini burgers a thing at its restaurants. A direct play at White Castle's famously small patties, they came in sets of six. Burger King's most recent effort was in 2009 but they've been discontinued since then.

16

McDonald's McSalad Shakers

Food, Cuisine, Leaf vegetable, Ingredient, Produce, Vegetable, Recipe, Vegan nutrition, Dish, Cruciferous vegetables,

The early aughts brought us a lot of kitschy things—marabou hair ties, tattoo choker necklaces—but one of the most fun things we miss are McDonald's shake-able salads. Pour on your dressing, pop the top on, and go to town. Too bad they were cut from menus in 2003.

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