20 Fast Food Items That Were Discontinued Due to Public Backlash
Fast food chains are known for innovating and experimenting with new menu items to keep customers returning for more. However, not every new creation is a hit, and some items have faced the public’s wrath, leading to their untimely demise. Here are 20 fast food items that were discontinued due to public outcry.
This post may contain affiliate links meaning I get commissions for purchases made in this post. Read my disclosure policy here.
McDonald’s McDLT
Introduced in the 1980s, the McDLT was a burger featuring hot beef patties on one side and cool lettuce, tomato, and mayo on the other. Despite its innovative packaging designed to keep the hot and cold ingredients separate until consumed, the excessive use of polystyrene foam in its container drew criticism for its environmental impact. Concerns over waste and sustainability led to its discontinuation, despite its popularity with some customers who appreciated keeping ingredients fresh until assembly.
Burger King’s Enormous Omelet Sandwich
This breakfast behemoth featured a combination of eggs, cheese, bacon, and sausage sandwiched between two bun slices. Marketed as a hearty morning meal option, the Enormous Omelet Sandwich faced backlash for its high calorie and fat content, particularly amidst increasing consumer health consciousness.
KFC’s Double Down
The Double Down made headlines for its unconventional take on the traditional sandwich. It replaced the bread with two fried chicken filets, sandwiching bacon, cheese, and a special sauce. While some customers praised its bold flavor and indulgent nature, others criticized its high calorie and sodium content, labeling it as a symbol of unhealthy fast food excess. Health concerns and public outcry over its extreme composition led to its discontinuation.
Taco Bell’s Beefy Crunch Burrito
This menu featured seasoned beef, Flamin’ Hot Fritos, rice, nacho cheese sauce, and sour cream wrapped in a warm tortilla. Initially popular among customers craving a spicy and crunchy twist on Taco Bell’s classic offerings, the Beefy Crunch Burrito faced backlash when it was removed from the menu. A passionate fan base rallied behind it, launching petitions and social media campaigns to bring it back. Despite their efforts, Taco Bell ultimately discontinued the item.
Wendy’s Frescata Sandwiches
Introduced as a premium sandwich line, Frescata sandwiches featured artisan bread, deli meats, cheeses, and fresh vegetables. Despite initial excitement over Wendy’s venture into higher-end sandwich options, the Frescata line struggled to gain traction among customers. Issues with consistency, perceived value, and competition from established sandwich chains hindered its success, and Wendy’s discontinued it.
McDonald’s Arch Deluxe
Marketed as a sophisticated burger for adults, the Arch Deluxe featured a quarter-pound beef patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup, and a secret mustard-mayo sauce on a sesame seed bun. Despite extensive marketing efforts, the Arch Deluxe’s high price point, perceived as too extravagant for a fast food burger, and its departure from McDonald’s core offerings contributed to its demise.
Burger King’s Satisfries
Introduced as a healthier alternative to traditional French fries, Satisfries boasted 30% fewer calories and 40% less fat than Burger King’s regular fries. Despite initial optimism surrounding the product’s potential to cater to health-conscious consumers, Satisfries failed to gain widespread popularity. Issues with taste, texture, and the perception that they were still unhealthy deterred customers from embracing the new option.
Taco Bell’s Waffle Taco
As part of its breakfast menu expansion, Taco Bell introduced the Waffle Taco, featuring scrambled eggs, cheese, and sausage or bacon folded inside a waffle shell. While the novelty of a taco-shaped waffle garnered initial interest, the Waffle Taco faced criticism for its greasy and soggy texture and messy eating experience.
McDonald’s Mighty Wings
McDonald’s ventured into the realm of chicken wings by introducing Mighty Wings, seasoned and fried chicken wing pieces available in various portion sizes. Despite high hopes for the product, Mighty Wings failed to meet sales expectations and faced criticism for their high price point compared to other fast food chicken options. The limited-time offering coincided with rising chicken wing prices, further impacting its profitability. McDonald’s ultimately discontinued Mighty Wings.
Wendy’s Superbar
The Wendy’s Superbar was an innovative buffet-style offering featuring a variety of salad ingredients, pasta, and toppings, allowing customers to create their customized meals. Initially popular in the 1980s and early 1990s for its value and variety, the Superbar faced declining sales and operational challenges over time. Issues with food safety, cleanliness, and the complexity of maintaining the self-service setup led Wendy’s to phase out the Superbar.
Burger King’s Mac n’ Cheetos
Combining two beloved snack foods, Mac n’ Cheetos featured deep-fried macaroni and cheese coated in a Cheetos-flavored crust. However, criticism soon emerged regarding its high calorie and sodium content and its perceived lack of nutritional value. Despite its initial popularity, Burger King eventually discontinued Mac n’ Cheetos.
Taco Bell’s Black Jack Taco
The Black Jack Taco was a limited-time offering from Taco Bell, featuring a black-tinted taco shell filled with seasoned beef, Baja sauce, lettuce, and three cheese blends. It was marketed as a Halloween-themed item, but concerns arose regarding the safety of the food coloring used to create the black shell, leading to speculation and consumer apprehension. While Taco Bell did not officially cite health concerns as the reason for discontinuing the Black Jack Taco, its disappearance from the menu suggests that public perception played a role in its fate.
McDonald’s McHotDog
McDonald’s attempted to expand its menu by introducing the McHotDog, featuring a grilled beef hot dog served in a bun with optional toppings like ketchup, mustard, and relish. Despite the popularity of hot dogs as a quintessential American fast food staple, the McHotDog failed to gain traction with McDonald’s customers. Criticism centered around concerns over the quality and taste of the hot dog compared to offerings from dedicated hot dog vendors, and it was discontinued.
Burger King’s Chicken Fries Rings
Burger King experimented with its popular Chicken Fries by introducing Chicken Fries Rings, a ring-shaped variation of the original. Despite initial excitement over the novel shape and familiar flavor, Chicken Fries rings were criticized for their smaller size and higher price than traditional Chicken Fries. Some customers also found the ring shape less convenient for dipping in sauces.
Taco Bell’s Seafood Salad
Taco Bell’s Seafood Salad was a departure from its usual Mexican-inspired menu. It features a mixture of shrimp, whitefish, lettuce, and taco toppings served in a taco salad shell. It could have resonated with customers. Concerns over the quality and freshness of seafood ingredients and its departure from Taco Bell’s signature flavors contributed to its lackluster performance and removal from the menu.
McDonald’s McLean Deluxe
Marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional burgers, the McLean Deluxe featured a beef patty with a lower fat content, achieved by replacing some of the beef fat with water and carrageenan. Despite McDonald’s efforts to appeal to health-conscious consumers, the McLean Deluxe faced criticism for its lack of flavor and dry texture compared to the chain’s other offerings.
KFC’s Double Down Dog
Building on the success of the original Double Down sandwich, KFC introduced the Double Down Dog, featuring a hot dog wrapped in a fried chicken filet instead of a traditional bun. While the Double Down had been well-received by customers seeking indulgent and unconventional fast food options, the Double Down Dog-faced criticism for its extreme composition and excessive calorie count. Health concerns and public outcry over its perceived unhealthiness led KFC to discontinue the Double Down Dog shortly after its release.
Burger King’s Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
Burger King attempted to capture the flavors of Italian cuisine with its Chicken Parmesan Sandwich. The Chicken Parmesan Sandwich faced criticism for its lackluster execution. Some customers found the chicken patty dry and lacking in flavor, while others felt that the sandwich failed to capture the essence of traditional Chicken Parmesan dishes. Poor sales and consumer feedback led to its discontinuation from the menu.
Taco Bell’s Bell Beefer
The Bell Beefer was a taco-inspired sandwich offered by Taco Bell in the 1970s and 1980s. While it enjoyed popularity during its time on the menu, it eventually fell out of favor with customers as tastes evolved and Taco Bell shifted its focus to other menu items.
McDonald’s Salad Shakers
McDonald’s introduced Salad Shakers as a portable and convenient option for customers looking for a lighter meal. The Salad Shakers featured a variety of salad ingredients, including lettuce, vegetables, and protein, served in a plastic cup with a resealable lid. While initially popular, Salad Shakers faced criticism for their high price point and perceived lack of value. Poor sales and changing consumer preferences led McDonald’s to discontinue Salad Shakers.
