Top 10 Fast Food Items That Don't Exist Anymore
#10: McDonald’s Arch Deluxe
Top 30 McDonald's Menu Item FAILS
The Arch Deluxe was a deluxe flop. McDonald’s had been growing a reputation as a restaurant for children, and they created the Arch Deluxe to combat this notion. Made specifically for adults, it contained a quarter-pound burger with all the typical toppings, plus a special sauce mixed from mustard and mayonnaise. The chain launched a massive marketing campaign to promote the burger and released it nationwide in the spring of 1996. Unfortunately, it proved an enormous bomb owing to its premium price and high caloric count. After $300 million spent in research, development, and marketing, McDonald’s discontinued the Arch Deluxe in August of 2000.
#9: McRib
It’s unfair to say that the McRib doesn’t exist anymore. Rather, it’s been made a seasonal favorite in the vein of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte. Invented by René Arend, the same man who made Chicken McNuggets, the McRib was introduced as a limited-time item in 1981. Unfortunately, it suffered a few years of disappointing sales and was permanently taken off the menu four years later. It was nationally revived in 1994 as a tie-in promotion with the “Flintstones” movie and has remained a seasonal item ever since. It is typically brought back in the fall, with some theorizing that its return coincides with the seasonally low price of pork.
#8: Shake ‘Em Up Fries
It’s amazing what fast food companies will do to capture the attention of children. Take some standard fries, add a packet of flavoring, bam - “Shake ‘Em Up Fries.” Thanks for your money. Back in 2002, Burger King introduced this item, which was essentially fries with a packet of cheese powder that allowed kids to make so-called cheesy fries. It was a fun little novelty, but not much else. And like most novelties, the fun quickly wore off, and the shake ‘em up fries were discontinued as quick as they appeared. They now exist in the nostalgic recesses of ‘90s kids everywhere.
#7: The Dairy Queen Breeze
Top 10 Best Fast Food Items of All Time
The Blizzard is a Dairy Queen mainstay and has remained as such since its introduction in 1985. The company sold 100 million Blizzards in its first year alone, and people continuously flock to the chain to get their hands on the soft-serve treat. Five years after its inception, Dairy Queen attempted a low-calorie frozen yogurt alternative called the Breeze, which was said to have 10 less calories per ounce. The Breeze lasted over a decade but never reached the cultural heights of its denser predecessor and was discontinued in 2001 owing to a lack of demand.
#6: Volcano Burrito
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Introduced in 1995 as a tie-in to the movie “Congo,” the Volcano Burrito came equipped with the standard ground beef, shredded cheese, rice, red tortilla strips, and a special “Lava sauce.” It disappeared following the promotion but was brought back in the spring of 2009, where it was placed on the so-called Volcano Menu alongside the Volcano Taco. It was a very popular item, and even to this day, people are trying to replicate the delicious Lava sauce at home. Unfortunately, the Volcano Menu was scrapped in 2012, and the Volcano Burrito disappeared the following year. That said, it can reportedly still be found in Britain, South Korea, and Iceland.
#5: Bell Beefer
Top 10 Taco Bell Menu Items You Can't Order Anymore
Serving as Taco Bell’s answer to hamburger joints, the Bell Beefer was a Sloppy Joe-like burger with ground beef, onions, lettuce, and a special sauce. Nothing fancy, but it certainly got the job done. Introduced in the ‘60s as the Chiliburger, the Bell Beefer enjoyed initial success but quickly fell by the wayside. It just sort of stuck around for a while, not popular enough to be a bestseller but not poor enough to be cut from the menu. But when Taco Bell transitioned to the Tex-Mex style in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the Bell Beefer finally got the boot. It made a brief resurgence in 2012 as part of the dollar menu, but this too has disappeared.
#4: Waffle Taco
Taco Bell wanted to get in on the breakfast market, and their first order of business was the Waffle Taco. Consisting of a folded waffle, bacon or sausage, scrambled eggs, and a drizzle of syrup, the Waffle Taco was a truly bizarre concoction, even for those used to silly fast food novelties. Unfortunately, it didn’t look good from the outset, with Chief Marketing Officer Chris Brandt ambiguously stating, “Some of the things on our menu might run out of gas.” That proved to be the case, as the Waffle Taco was discontinued just one year after its inception, having been replaced with the Biscuit Taco.
#3: Enchirito
The source of Taco Bell’s Enchirito remains disputed, with various franchise owners - and even a high school student from Montebello - receiving credit. The Enchirito appeared in the ‘60s, when one could buy an Enchirito, a taco, and a drink for 89 cents - about $7 today. It was composed of a tortilla, ground beef, beans, onions, and cheese. It was officially discontinued in 1993 but brought back later that decade following intense demand. Unfortunately, it was once again taken off the menu in 2013 and has remained off ever since. With that said, customers can reportedly still order one owing to its traditional ingredients and easy construction.
#2: Burger King Ribs
Top 20 Best Burger King Menu Items
Ribs were the last thing that people expected from a fast food joint like Burger King, and it was this novelty that made them a phenomenon. Back in May of 2010, Burger King introduced racks of ribs to their menu, charging customers $8.99 to get their hands on the smokey goodness. And while some balked at the premium price, others flocked to their local franchise to give them a try. In fact, the promotion proved so successful that they were forced to cut it short owing to a lack of product. Ravenous customers had eaten their entire supply, but despite the obvious demand, the ribs have never been brought back.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Onion Nuggets
A Bizarre Mix Between a Chicken McNugget & an Onion Ring
McSalad Shaker
Salad in a Cup from McDonald’s
Fresh Stuffed Pitas
Wendy’s Made Pitas During the Pita Craze of the Late ‘90s
Bacon Sundae
Burger King Made a Bacon Sundae in the Summer of 2012
#1: McPizza
There once was a time when you could order pizza from an everyday McDonald’s. Introduced in the ‘80s, the McPizza (as it was creatively called) was instantly mocked by consumers and competitors alike, with Pizza Hut even calling it the “McFrozen.” And while it proved a somewhat popular novelty item, it was never really able to shed its reputation, and it was permanently pulled from the menu in the late ‘90s. McDonald’s claims that the McPizza was discontinued owing to its long cook times, as each pizza took upwards of ten minutes to make. Talk about a drive-thru clogger. However, those willing to make a trip to Orlando, Florida will find the last McDonald’s in the world still serving the McPizza.
