17 Fast-Food Experiments That Were Quietly Removed from the Menu
In an effort to draw clients and create excitement, fast-food businesses are always experimenting with new menu items. Some of these inventions go on to become legendary mainstays, while others vanish so fast you may question whether you ever dreamed of them. There are many innovative initiatives in the fast-food graveyard that either failed to catch on with consumers or were too difficult to manufacture on a large scale.
These 17 fast-food innovations disappeared from menus, frequently with little notice or justification.
McDonald’s Arch Deluxe
McDonald’s spent an estimated $300 million in 1996 marketing the Arch Deluxe, a burger specifically designed for adult tastes. It featured a quarter-pound beef patty on a bakery-style roll with lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup, and a secret mustard-mayonnaise sauce.
Despite the massive promotional campaign, customers weren’t willing to pay premium prices for a slightly upscale McDonald’s burger, which was discontinued by 1998.
Taco Bell’s Waffle Taco
Taco Bell made a bold move into the breakfast market with the Waffle Taco in 2014. This morning creation consisted of a folded waffle wrapped around a sausage patty and scrambled eggs, served with a side of syrup.
While innovative, the awkward eating experience and questionable taste combination led to its replacement by the more practical Breakfast Biscuit Taco barely a year after its debut.
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Pizza Hut’s The Priazzo
In the mid-1980s, Pizza Hut attempted to introduce America to a deep-dish, double-crusted pizza called the Priazzo. Inspired by Italian stuffed pizzas, it came in several varieties loaded with ingredients between two layers of crust.
The Priazzo was actually popular with customers but took too long to prepare compared to standard pizzas, creating kitchen bottlenecks during busy periods. Management quietly removed it after determining the prep time wasn’t practical for fast-food operations.
Burger King’s Satisfries
Burger King tried to appeal to health-conscious customers in 2013 with Satisfries, crinkle-cut french fries designed to absorb less oil during cooking. The company claimed that these fries contained 40% less fat and 30% fewer calories than their regular counterparts.
Despite the health benefits, customers weren’t satisfied with the taste difference and higher price point, leading to their disappearance from most locations within a year.
Wendy’s Superbar
Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, many Wendy’s locations featured the Superbar, an all-you-can-eat buffet with pasta, Mexican food, and salad options. For around $2.99, customers could enjoy unlimited trips to this buffet wonderland.
The concept was beloved by value-hungry customers but proved to be a money-losing proposition for the company. Food costs, maintenance, and staffing made the Superbar unsustainable, and it was phased out by 1998.
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McDonald’s McLean Deluxe
In 1991, McDonald’s introduced the McLean Deluxe, marketed as a healthier burger option containing only 9% fat compared to the 20% in regular burgers. The reduced fat came from replacing much of the beef fat with water, held together by a seaweed extract called carrageenan.
Customers mockingly called it the ‘McFloatie’ because of its unusual texture and taste. The burger disappeared from menus by 1996 after failing to attract health-conscious customers.
KFC’s Double Down Dog
In 2015, KFC Philippines created the Double Down Dog in response to the contentious success of the bunless Double Down sandwich. With a hot dog inside and cheese sauce on top, this unusual invention was made out of a fried chicken fillet that was utilized as a hot dog bun.
Only a few locations carried the limited-edition item, which resulted in long lineups and raised concerns among medical professionals. Its high calorie content and unfeasible eating experience probably prevented it from ever becoming a permanent menu item.
Dairy Queen’s Breeze
In the 1990s, Dairy Queen attempted to capitalize on the frozen yogurt trend with the Breeze, essentially a Blizzard made with frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. Though intended as a healthier alternative, the Breeze never achieved the popularity of its ice cream counterpart.
The frozen yogurt itself was more expensive and complicated to store than ice cream, and with minimal difference in calorie content, customers typically chose the original Blizzard for its creamier taste. The Breeze quietly disappeared from menus by 2000.
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McDonald’s Pizza
In the late 1980s, McDonald’s made an ambitious move to compete with pizza chains by adding personal-sized pizzas to their menu. The pizzas actually received decent reviews for taste, but they created major operational issues.
The cooking time (around 11 minutes) was far too long for a fast-food restaurant, causing traffic jams in the kitchen and at the drive-thru. By the early 1990s, McDonald’s had pulled pizzas from most locations, though a few restaurants continued serving them until as recently as 2017.
Burger King’s Enormous Omelet Sandwich
Burger King’s Enormous Omelet Sandwich lived up to its name when it debuted in 2005. It contained two eggs, three cheese slices, four bacon strips, and a sausage patty on a sesame-seed bun.
Nutritionists quickly pointed out that the sandwich packed 730 calories and 47 grams of fat—more than half of an entire day’s recommended fat intake. The over-the-top breakfast offering disappeared from regular menus after about a year, though it occasionally returns for limited runs.
Wendy’s Fresh Stuffed Pitas
Wendy’s launched a line of Fresh Stuffed Pitas in the late 1990s in an effort to appeal to health-conscious patrons. There were several types of these pocket sandwiches, including Garden Ranch, Classic Greek, and Chicken Caesar.
The pitas were praised for their flavor and freshness, but they were too difficult to put together swiftly at a fast-food restaurant. Despite having a devoted customer base, the additional prep time caused operational issues that finally resulted in its termination by 2000.
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McDonald’s Hula Burger
Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s, created the Hula Burger in the 1960s to give Catholic customers who abstained from meat on Fridays during Lent a meatless alternative. The Hula Burger was a grilled pineapple slice with cheese on a bun in place of a beef patty.
It was in direct competition with the Filet-O-Fish, which was developed for the same reason by a franchisee. The Hula Burger was permanently dropped from McDonald’s menu when the Filet-O-Fish significantly outsold it.
Taco Bell’s Bell Beefer
Before focusing exclusively on Mexican-inspired foods, Taco Bell offered the Bell Beefer, essentially a taco in sandwich form. The item featured taco meat, lettuce, diced onions, and mild sauce on a hamburger bun.
This oddity from the 1970s and 1980s had a dedicated fan base. However, the Bell Beefer was phased out as Taco Bell refined its brand identity and streamlined operations toward Mexican-style items. Decades later, nostalgic customers still petition for its return.
Jack in the Box’s Frings
Jack in the Box briefly offered an innovation called Frings in the early 2000s—a combination order of half french fries and half onion rings in the same container. The concept made sense for indecisive customers who couldn’t choose between the two sides.
Despite the practical appeal, Frings disappeared from the menu, likely due to operational complications of maintaining separate fryer vats and serving challenges. The concept lives on through customers who simply order both sides separately.
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McDonald’s McSalad Shakers
In 2000, McDonald’s introduced McSalad Shakers, salads served in large, clear cups designed to make eating salad on-the-go more convenient. Customers would add dressing, replace the lid, and shake the cup to distribute the dressing evenly.
While innovative in concept, the execution left much to be desired, as ingredients often didn’t mix well and the format made eating awkward. By 2003, McDonald’s had replaced them with Premium Salads served in more traditional bowls.
Sonic’s Pickle-O’s
Sonic Drive-In once featured Pickle-O’s, battered and deep-fried dill pickle slices served as a side. The tangy, crunchy snack had a devoted following in certain regions, particularly in southern states where fried pickles are a cultural staple.
Despite their popularity with some customers, Pickle-O’s required separate preparation steps and ingredients that complicated kitchen operations. They were eventually removed from the national menu, though they occasionally reappear as limited-time offerings in select markets.
Burger King’s Burger Buddies
In the 1980s, Burger King tried to compete with White Castle by introducing Burger Buddies (later renamed Burger Bundles). These mini-burgers came in groups of three or six small patties on connected rolls that could be pulled apart.
While popular, especially with kids, they presented significant operational problems. The tiny patties fell through the slats on standard broiler equipment, creating maintenance issues and inconsistent cooking.
After several failed revival attempts under different names, Burger King eventually abandoned the concept.
When Experiments Become Memories
Fast-food innovation comes with inherent risks, and not every creative idea can become a menu mainstay. These discontinued items represent millions in research and development costs and countless hours of market testing.
While they might not have lasted, they’ve become part of fast-food folklore, occasionally sparking revival campaigns from dedicated fans who refuse to forget their favorite limited-time indulgences.
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