15 Discontinued Chicken Items From Fast Food Chains We Want Back

When defending fast food's eternal appeal, most people first think of the word "convenient." It's undoubtedly true that the industry is rooted in the idea of getting a hot, delicious meal in just a few minutes for a few dollars. But that's only one piece of the puzzle. Another important word when describing fast food is "comforting." Each location of every fast-food chain serves the same food, making your favorite order accessible. Once people find their favorite order at a restaurant chain, they stick with that, which is why having your favorite order removed from the menu can feel so devastating.

While the fast-food industry was originally all about burgers, chicken has entered the spotlight alongside beef. Countless chicken sandwiches, wraps, tenders, and salads have been released. Unfortunately, countless chicken options have also been removed. The pain of having your favorite menu item taken away sometimes never quite leaves, which is why so many people still take to the internet to beg for it back. Sometimes, it even works; lots of sorely missed fast-food items actually made a comeback. Let's hope these now-gone favorites also come back soon.

This ... "creative" item was introduced by Taco Bell in 2017, and was met by a combination of curiosity and confusion. It was like some reconstructed, modernist interpretation of a taco; instead of a taco shell, fried chicken served as the crispy vehicle for the fillings, including avocado ranch sauce, tomatoes, and lettuce. As strange as it seems, the Naked Chicken Chalupa was a result of the late 2010s "chicken sandwich wars," when fast-food companies were competing to win over consumers with their chicken sandwich innovations. Even Taco Bell threw its hat in the ring.

While the product sounds like a bit of an abomination (was anyone really asking for a meaty taco shell?), many became reluctant fans. It turns out, it may have been an atrocity, but it was a pretty tasty one. It was only on the menu for two months, leaving many without their new favorite Taco Bell order upon its removal. It was brought back in 2018 and 2021 for equally brief runs, leaving consumers with more questions. Why does the Naked Chicken Chalupa never stick around? Why is it "Naked"?

When Burger King debuted the BK Broiler in 1990, it was advertised as a healthier alternative to some of its other, deep-fried offerings. The chicken patties were flame-broiled instead, which, in addition to being served on an oat-topped bun, spelled "nutrition" to consumers. At the time, almost all fast food chains' chicken products were deep-fried. There was a gap in the market, and Burger King took a risk to seize the opportunity with the BK broiler. Turns out that people really, really liked it. A month after appearing on menus, Burger King was selling over a million BK Broilers a day. It was one of the most successful chain restaurant product launches in history.

Eventually, the sandwich was reformulated and ultimately discontinued, to be replaced with the Chicken Whopper. Despite loyal fans repeatedly calling for its reinstatement on the BK menu, it looks like the legendary broiler is gone for good.

The Big Easy Cajun Chicken Bowl from Popeyes was a combo of pulled chicken, Cajun gravy, cheese, rice, and red beans. It was also topped with a refreshing sprinkle of fresh parsley. Optionally, you could get Louisiana hot sauce and sour cream on the side. From the time it was first announced as an upcoming menu item, the bowl became an instant fan favorite. Not only was it tasty, but it was steeped in the flavors of New Orleans, making it unique and distinctly Southern. Consumers also found it to be especially filling and convenient, and an excellent value for the cost; it was offered in stores for only $3.49. 

The bowl premiered on menus in 2008, and despite everything the dish had going for it, it faded away around 2015. There is no current indication that it will ever return, and unlike some fast-food items with easy copycat recipes, you would be hard-pressed to replicate all the components of the Big Easy Chicken Bowl at home.

Wendy's release of the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich in 1991 was more of a personal decision than a business-minded move. After Wendy's founder Dave Thomas's daughter asked for more distinct and unique items on the menu, he acquiesced. After all, he'd named the restaurant after her and used her likeness as the face of the brand — it's no surprise that he'd take her suggestions seriously.

The result of this push for unique menu items was a sandwich inspired by the legendary French dish. It was stacked with breaded chicken, ham, Swiss cheese, mayo, and Grey Poupon Dijon mustard. Despite being a popular item, it was a limited-time offer and was removed from menus in 1992. Perhaps the ingredients were too expensive to keep the sandwich on the menu permanently, or the production process was too inefficient. Whatever the reason, it's been long enough that one can safely assume that Wendy's customers have seen the last of the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich.

In 2013, Popeyes announced a new, exciting limited-run menu item: Chicken Waffle Tenders. A waffle-like batter, paired with a honey-maple dipping sauce, was meant to evoke the classic Southern combination of chicken and waffles. The company claimed that the inspiration for the offering was consumer interest in food combos like chicken and waffles; it was also meant to pay homage to 1940s jazz musicians. This historic reference didn't necessarily come through in the product, but the Chicken Waffle Tenders were delicious.

Not everyone was a fan of the tenders; some people just don't like sweet and savory together, and not everyone thought that the maple sauce was well-balanced. But plenty of people absolutely loved them, and the idea alone had made a big splash in the fast food world. The novelty had everyone talking about it, and a lot of people were trying it. It became Popeyes' most successful limited-time release of all time (at that time). So it made sense when Popeyes brought them back the next year. But after 2014, the tenders disappeared, and everything stopped making sense.

At first blush, the removal of a mini chicken quesadilla variant from Taco Bell seems like small potatoes. After all, regular-sized chicken quesadillas are still a mainstay among the company's offerings. But to many Taco Bell lovers, the mini shredded chicken quesadilla was in a class all its own.

Its uniqueness was two-fold. First, the small size of the quesadilla made it perfect for a snack, and the price was right; it was a dollar menu item. Second, it differed from a typical Taco Bell chicken quesadilla in its ingredients. It had a delicious sauce with a slight kick, and one key difference is in the chicken itself: As the name suggests, it was shredded, unlike the chunky chicken pieces in a regular Taco Bell quesadilla. Fans of the mini version mourn the shredded chicken, which they report being superior in texture and flavor.

Mini chicken quesadillas are still available in some parts of the world, but unfortunately, the chicken is not shredded, and they are still missing from menus in the U.S.

KFC did not just introduce popcorn chicken in 1992; the company invented it. Technically, it came from a food developer named Gene Gagliardi, but KFC was the company that brought the product to market after very promising test marketing. At the time, it became the most successful launch in KFC's history. And yet, for some reason, KFC took them away and replaced them with chicken nuggets.

Some might question if there really is such a difference between popcorn chicken and chicken nuggets. Those people know not what they ask. Popcorn chicken is made from whole pieces of chicken, with a thicker, well-seasoned coating. Nuggets are made from ground-up, emulsified chicken parts, with a thin breading. Look, no hate to the chicken nugget, but these are two different things; isn't there room to coexist?

And beyond its removal from the menu, KFC is guilty of jerking around its popcorn chicken-loving customers. First, the product was released in 1992, then it started disappearing from some KFCs a few years later. Then it came back in 1998, before disappearing again. This happened again in 2001 and, finally, in 2015. It is now unclear whether it's been completely taken off the menu; in 2023, a KFC rep claimed it would still be available at some locations, but it's unclear exactly where.

Mighty Wings were initially introduced in 1990. The bone-in, spicy wings were meant to expand the company's fried chicken offerings beyond McNuggets, but they disappeared in 2003. A decade later, they appeared once again. The Mighty Wings were brought back in 2013 as part of a promotion coinciding with the return of football season. They were available for a limited time, but sales fell well below the company's expectations; by the end of the promotion, McDonald's had a significant amount of leftover Mighty Wings.

There are a few reasons this may have been the case; for one, consumers likely found Mighty Wings not worth the price tag. At $2.99 for three wings, the meat-to-money ratio was off. Not only that, but the wing itself was hotly debated — literally. Some found the spicy coating to be way too much, bringing more heat than flavor and creating an unpleasant eating experience.

The disappointing results of Mighty Wings' return to menus may imply that there is no demand for it to be brought back. But while sales did not meet the company's expectations, they were still reasonably high, and there are plenty of petitions demanding that Mighty Wings return to McDonald's.

Since Popeyes is a Louisiana fried chicken chain, it makes sense that it would release its iteration of one of the Southern state's most iconic foods: the po' boy. The Popeyes Chicken Po' Boy consisted of two chicken tenders, spicy or mild, with mayo, lettuce, and pickles, all stuffed inside a baguette-like loaf. Simple, yes, but it was more than the sum of its parts, and there was nothing like that in the fast-food chain world. The sandwich was introduced in 2003 and stuck around for over 15 years. Its crisp-yet-tender roll and classically crunchy, moist Popeyes chicken made it a favorite among fast-food chicken meals. 

Unfortunately, the Po' Boy was discontinued in 2019 in the wake of the fast-food culture behemoth that was the new Popeyes fried chicken sandwich. They shared many of the same ingredients, and most notably differed in the choice of bread — the new sandwich featured a brioche bun — so it's not surprising that there wasn't enough room for both on the menu. But while the po' boy has been left to the annals of chicken sandwich history, a quiet but loyal crowd of fans prefers it to the new sandwich and continues to cry out for its return.

The Chicken Pizziola sub came at a time when Subway was still best known for its cold cut sandwiches and Jared Fogle's shrinking waistline. It was introduced among other warm, melty sandwiches (like the now-classic Meatball Sub) as part of Subway's "Select" line, which was more about heartiness and heft than carb-cutting. It was marketed as an authentically Italian-inspired sub, a claim bolstered by the fact that Subway's founder has Italian heritage.

The Chicken Pizziola was, of course, chicken-based. It was topped with melty cheese, pepperoni, and tomato, along with a marinara sauce that Subway's founder claimed was his mother's own recipe. Consumers described it as pizza in sub form, and for some, it became their favorite offering from the largest restaurant chain in the country. It is no longer on the U.S. menu, and the number of people attempting to recreate the sandwich at home or through the Subway toppings assembly line is a testament to how dearly it is missed. 

Of course, Chick-fil-A's whole thing is chicken (though the waffle fries are a close second). Since its inception, the food chain has been consistently slinging fried chicken sandwiches. Until 2017, another original menu item remained: the chicken salad sandwich.

The original 1946 menu offered a chicken salad sandwich, made using a recipe developed by the founder. It must have been pretty good, because decades later, even after a 2008 update to the bread and packaging, the chicken salad formula was the same: chicken, celery, mayo, egg, and relish came together to make a surprisingly tasty sandwich. Despite the sandwich's enduring popularity, it was removed from menus in 2017, and the company cited demand for new menu items as the reason.

Despite chicken salad being a very familiar dish, surprisingly few chicken spots offer it. It's tough to find a chicken salad sandwich at any fast food place, let alone one that's actually good. While the removal of the Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich was a grave betrayal for many, the company has at least tried to make things right, albeit not by bringing it back. Instead, Chick-fil-A made the unorthodox move of publishing its chicken salad recipe online, years after the sandwich had been permanently taken off the menu. Fast-food restaurants, take note: It's nice not to have to rely on fast food copycat recipes to get a taste of your favorite meals.

McDonald's McSalad Shakers were a sight to behold. The salads were packaged in clear plastic cups with domed lids, the kind you'd expect for a milkshake, not a salad. The Grilled Chicken Caesar McSalad consisted of a basic green salad mix, grilled chicken, and parmesan cheese. Shakers were introduced in 2000, and the chicken variant went for $2.29 a pop. Customers also had several dressings to choose from to top their shaker.

The salad itself was less emphasized than the product concept; that, it seems, was ultimately what McDonald's was selling. While ads and promotions certainly touted fresh, healthy ingredients, what was most highlighted was the innovative packaging that allowed consumers to dress and eat their salad anywhere, anytime. It was a fun and creative way to entice fast food customers who may want healthier options that are still convenient. And for many, this became a go-to order. Unfortunately, the McSalads just were not popular enough, and they disappeared in 2003. McDonald's customers can be found on every corner of the internet, clamoring for the return of McSalad Shakers, but it's hard to know if they really want the salad or their childhood back.

In a brilliant stroke of both marketing genius and general whimsy, Burger King released chicken nuggets in the shape of a crown in 2006. They were a popular item until they were discontinued in 2011. While Burger King continued to make chicken nuggets, they were revamped to compete in the crowded fast-food chicken nugget market. It's unclear why the company got rid of the crown shape, but it may have underestimated the popularity of the nugget variety. Many still wax nostalgic online about the crown nuggets and their superior taste, and are very vocal about wanting them back.

Clearly, Burger King is aware of this demand, as the crown-shaped nuggets were briefly brought back in 2021, but it was only for a limited run and only in the Miami area, for some reason. For those outside Miami, it's been over a decade since they've been able to enjoy the superior nugget shape.

In 2007, Wendy's introduced a sandwich that seemed more of an advisory warning than a delicious meal: the 4-Alarm Spicy Chicken Sandwich. The sandwich was spicy from top to bottom, with deep-fried spicy chicken, pepper jack cheese, sliced jalapeños, and a 4-alarm chipotle sauce, all on artisan bread baked in-house. This was a time when fast food was trending toward novel, exciting new combinations and flavors, which is why Wendy's went over-the-top spicy with this sandwich. It was a gamble that paid off; the sandwich became the chain's top seller.

It was always intended to be a limited-time release, but once its month-long run on the menu was over, the sandwich's numerous fans were beside themselves. Despite continued, ardent requests for the sandwich's return, it has not reappeared to the surprise of many. After all, popular demand has brought back many a limited-time fast food option. Nevertheless, Wendy's has thus far ignored the pleas of the masses and has no reported plans to reinstate the sandwich.

Way back in 1997, almost 30 years after its founding, Wendy's did something unexpected. While other fast-food joints and restaurants were starting to add wraps to their menus, the hamburger chain introduced something a little different: a stuffed pita.

Why a pita sandwich? It's hard to say; maybe it had something to do with opening a restaurant in Athens in 1989, making it the first foreign fast-food chain in Greece. Maybe it was just a matter of standing out from the competition. The '90s saw a surge in "healthy" offerings from fast-food restaurants, often aimed at appealing to women. The pita distinguished itself from what other fast-food joints were introducing to keep up with trends, while still emphasizing fresh, natural ingredients.

There were four varieties of stuffed pita: Greek, Chicken Caesar, Ranch Chicken, and Garden Veggie. The wraps were successful, and the Chicken Caesar version has particularly stuck in the memories of '90s Wendy's fans. Alas, it lives on only in memory, since despite its popularity, it never returned after saying goodbye in 2000.