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Top 10 Discontinued Fast Food Items We Want Brought Back NOW (Part 3)
In the world of fast-food, to say that change is common is quite an understatement. People may come, and people may go, but so do some of our favorite menu items. Yes, sometimes it’s for the best, but we can’t help but long for the ones that left us way too soon. Here are some more of the Top 10 Discontinued Fast Food Items We Want Brought Back NOW (Part 3).
10. Popeye’s Cookie Dough Chicken Tenders
Wait, what? “Chicken tenders” and “cookie dough” do not seem like two terms you would put together in a sentence. It sounds like a pretty wacky and absurd combination that would send any dietitian running for the hills. It was a weird and yet kind of intriguing creation, which is why it only lasted a month on Popeye’s menu. The Sweet & Crunchy Tenders, released in 2017, featured marinated chicken breast tenders that were coated in a sweet shortbread cookie breading, to give a sweet taste and crunchy texture. While this may sound like a not-so-sober late-night hunger experiment, these little sweet tenders were not half-bad – if not delicious. They had a thicker, crunchier shell than regular chicken tenders and had just a little hint of sweetness to them, making the dish still on the savory side, without getting overpowered by the sugary breading. While it may not have been a chicken full-on covered in a layer of chocolate chip cookie batter, the shortbread still fulfilled its duty of creating a subtle sweetness to be paired with the hot, crispy chicken. Obviously, people skeptical at first. It was, after all, chicken coated in cookie dough, but it ultimately won people over. Most people said that this heavenly concoction reminded them of chicken and waffles, minus the maple syrup and that they were pleasantly surprised by how these outcasts turned out. And that’s why we want it back. The ultimate meal/dessert hybrid that just sounds too darn good.
9. Taco Bell Volcano Burrito
Have you ever taken a bite out of something spicy and realized, it wasn’t only spicy, but extremely delicious? So much in fact that you couldn’t stop taking bite after bite, even though everything inside of you screamed for you to stop? Well, that’s how most people felt when they tried the Volcano Burrito at Taco Bell. This fiery burrito was introduced in May 2009 and was piggy-backing on the success of Taco Bell’s Volcano Taco, back in 2008. People were immediately hooked, all thanks to the very peppery Lava sauce. Not only was it spicier than other Taco Bell sauces, but it just had that lil’ something extra you can’t quite put your finger on. Actually, you could put your finger on it, it was due to the 50% more capsaicin it had in it. But still. The Volcano Burrito was stuffed with a double portion of deliciously seasoned ground beef, a scoop of Mexican rice, a sprinkle of crunchy red tortilla strips for texture, sour cream, and cheddar cheese to balance it out, all in a nice and cozy 12-inch flour tortilla. It was a hit! A real winner! Which is why its discontinuation sent a lot of people into a state of confusion and sadness. Everybody was asking the same question: why? Why oh why would they get rid of such a tasty burrito? Letters were written, petitions were started, but the beloved Volcano Burrito never came back – and neither did the Lava sauce. It’s not something we want, it’s something we need!
8. McDonald’s Fish McBites
Chicken nuggets are a staple of American food. Those tiny little fried bites are perfect as a side or a meal. So, with the tremendous success the chicken McNuggets had, it was only logical for McDonald’s to try and recreate that hype all over again with a brand new product: the Fish McBites. The Fish McBites were added as a Happy Meal option in 2013. Initially a seasonal item to coincide with Lent, it ended up on the menu a little longer due to unexpected popularity. Who wouldn’t want a bite-sized, poppable version of a Filet-O-Fish to dip in tartar sauce? Despite its seemingly bursting popularity, they were cast out that very same year. People lost interest. But why? These were literally every fish and chicken nuggets lover’s dreams combined! Maybe people in 2013 weren’t ready to welcome such a fusion into their lives. It’s okay, we are! We’ll take ’em! There’s even a petition online to bring back these little McBites of fun – but Mickey D’s doesn’t seem to be listening to the outcry. For now, the Filet-O-Fish and Chicken McNuggets are reigning over the McDonald’s kingdom, but hopefully, one day, the Fish McBites will make a triumphant return from sea to be a part of McDonald’s official menu.
7. Burger King Whopperito
Everyone deserves to experience what a good burrito tastes like. And everyone deserves to experience what a famous BK Whopper tastes like. That was the inspiration for Burger King to create one of the most iconic fast-food fusions ever: the Whopperito. It was, yes you guessed it, a burrito and a Whopper combined to create an absolutely delicious single menu item. The Whopperito had basically all the regular Whopper ingredients such as beef – although it was ground beef instead of a patty, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, and pickles, but, with a twist – it was all wrapped inside a soft and warm flour tortilla. Instead of the traditional ketchup and mayo, a sumptuous queso sauce was the star of the show and gave the final Tex-Mex touch to this innovative burrito. Introduced in 2016 as a limited-time offer, the Whopperito didn’t exactly bring unity to avid Whopper fans. While some agreed that Burger King’s creative take on a burrito was ingenious and inventive, while others did not share the same opinion. To some, a Whopper should stay in its original shape and bun and a burrito should stay a burrito – period. But, honestly, where’s the fun in that? Why not try something fun and new to mix things up once in a while? The Whopperito is literally the perfect example of just that, without straying too far off the beaten track.
6. Pizza Hut Sicilian Lasagna Pizza
Lasagna, and pizza. Two beloved and delicious Italian food staples. You’ve probably found yourself in a situation in which you had to make the heartbreaking decision of choosing between pizza and lasagna. Oh, how ever will you choose? It seems like an impossible choice to make, yes, which is why Pizza Hut made your life easy back in 2006 and came up with a Sicilian Lasagna Pizza. This hybrid was the perfect balance between a pizza and a lasagna and would bring joy to whoever was lucky enough to enjoy one during the brief period it was available. It was like a noodle-less lasagna made with ground beef, parmesan, and ricotta cheese, and zesty marinara sauce all layered onto a nice Sicilian crust. People claimed it reminded them of a Chicago deep-dish pizza and described it as being very rich and hearty – the perfect late night comfort food. Some other people claimed they were duped by false advertisement because the Sicilian Lasagna Pizza wasn’t an actual lasagna on a pizza. Well, duh! Who would want long noodles laid on their already full-of-carbs crust? We don’t need all the extra glucose, folks, just the extra warm taste of a lasagna. It sounds like a minor complaint when it comes to an otherwise delicious concoction. However, it disappeared and was never seen again. And now, we all have to go back to choosing between pizza and lasagna again. How sad.
5. Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Nacho
Judgging by past complaints, I think we can all agree that people usually go bonkers when you mix two iconic foods together. But sometimes, one delicious food is not enough, and you just need to match it up with another tasty treat. Cue the Grilled Stuft Nachos from Taco Bell. It resembled a giant nacho and contained all of the hearty and tasty ingredients of a good burrito. The flour tortilla was shaped like a triangle – much like the shape of a nacho chi p- and was stuffed with seasoned beef, flour cheesy jalapeño sauce, sour cream, and crunchy red strips, to again, recall the crunch of the nachos. It was simply exquisite – and not only because of the taste, but because of the look, too. How could a one-person-only-no-sharing plate of tacos not be appealing? You get all the contentment of eating nachos and you get the satisfaction of eating it all by yourself, without sharing. Over were the days you had to reluctantly accept someone poking at your hot nacho plate. Now, it was all in a giant tortilla you could enjoy on the go and not feel guilty about keeping it all to yourself. Sadly though, the specialty item was discontinued in 2015 and we had to go back to playing nice and sharing our nachos. You can still order it off the secret menu, but it just doesn’t quite feel the same.
4. Wendy’s Fresh Stuffed Pitas
Wendy’s is a magical place where square burgers and Frostys rule. They’re basically what the chain is most known for and what they do best. But, what most people might not be aware of is that Wendy’s was once the home of some other not-so-successful items, like the Fresh Stuffed Pitas. All the way back in 1997, Wendy’s decided to get in on the “wrap-craze” that was taking over the fast-food industry at the time. They were marketed as “something different” and new for those who grew tired of the regular lunch options. It was basically a salad in a tortilla: shredded lettuce mixed with whatever salad ingredients you wanted. The most popular pita was the Chicken Ceasar Pita, which was filled with Wendy’s low-fat Caesar dressing, cheese, chicken breasts, and a whole lot of tasty veggies. While this very original Stuffed Pita is no longer available – and hasn’t been in a long, long time, Wendy’s still offers a small side Ceasar salad, so all you would have to do is order one of these and stuff it in a pita. Of course, it would never be exactly the same as the “real deal” but hey, close enough. At the time, Wendy’s decided to focus their energy on the core of their business – the burgers and the Frostys. But what if they had kept the pitas for a little while longer? Who knows, maybe it would’ve dethroned the iconic Baconator… Naaah, that could never happen.
3. Burger King Ribs
Burger King seemed to have wanted its own baby back ribs when they came out with a very successful limited-time menu item: the very delicious pork ribs. Needless to say, they were a huge hit. And how could they not have been? People go crazy over Burger King and over ribs. So, what do you get when you mix those two together? Paradise. Or at least a very lucrative menu item. So lucrative, in fact, that Burger King actually ran out a week before the 2010 promotion was supposed to end. The chain sold over 10 million ribs. Isn’t that a big enough sign that people loved these and that they should be brought back? What more does BK need, a giant sign that says “I LOVE RIBS”? Then maybe that’s what we should do then. These very elite and rather expensive ribs – more than $7 per order – were glazed to perfection with just enough sauce to satiate any McRib fans who felt neglected by its departure. While some people argued that they were just a tad too salty and, let’s face it, kind of expensive, Burger King ribs still deserve kudos for being completely tasty and should have a spot on the regular menu. Just stock more of the ribs this time, BK. If you make them, they will come.
2. Pizza Hut Taco Pizza
Another combination that left practically everyone in love was when Pizza Hut adopted a Taco Pizza. You like pizza and you like tacos? Well, 1979 was the perfect year for you as it was the year this iconic clash took place. Honestly, the only acceptable answer when it comes to taco pizza should be: “OMG, yes please and thank you.” It’s just common sense. At least for the die-hard fans of these two delicious dishes. It was a pizza-looking, taco-tasting pizza type of deal and had all of your favorite features of both items. All the good fixings from a classic taco: lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, and ground beef laid out on a good old pizza crust. Pizza Hut covered both bases to bring out the best of both worlds. Yes, it was a bit tricky to eat since the toppings seemed to want to be anywhere but in your mouth, but hey, that’s the same with every taco, on a pizza or not. You take some and lose some in life, and a messy meal seemed like a pretty reasonable price to pay to enjoy such an iconic Pizza meets Taco fusion. The real question though is this: will Taco Bell ever release a pizza taco? That is something we should keep an eye open for – the circle would finally be complete.
1. McDonald’s Big ‘N Tasty
The fierce competition and on-going feud between McDonald’s and Burger King didn’t start yesterday. Since the beginning of both fast-food chains, they have been competing for the ultimate best burger title. When one comes up with a new menu item, it’s not long before the other follows the lead and brings out a whole new product, strangely bearing resemblances. And this is exactly what happened with the Big’N Tasty by McDonald’s. This beast was created – allegedly – in response to Burger King’s attempt to copy the Big Mac with its very original Big King. The Big ‘N Tasty was supposed to mimic a Whopper and had all the “basic” ingredients as well: 1/4 lb beef meat patty with ketchup, mayonnaise, slivered onions, two dill pickle slices, leaf lettuce, and one tomato slice on a sesame seed bun. And, it was the same size as a Whopper, too. Even though it was a bit of a mess to eat, it was actually very tasty and very cheap. It used to sell for only 99 cents. But as time passed, it got smaller and more pricey, which all lead to the Big ‘ N Tasty’s demise. If McDonald’s was to bring back this tasty burger to the menu and keep it in its original size, we would be more than grateful, but we can’t exactly the same for Burger King…
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