The Iconic McDonald's Sandwich From The '80s We Completely Forgot About

McDonald's is a fast food giant that reaches well around the globe. Since it was founded in 1940, the restaurant has been home to a myriad of innovations. Between exceptionally memorable offerings and some forgettable foods, there are still a few meals that have garnered a cult-like following. Among the most iconic fast food sandwiches of the 1980s is the McD.L.T., which stands apart for good reason.

This McDonald's sandwich debuted in 1985 and came to prominence for several reasons. The lettuce and tomato burger's popularity is best understood in the time capsule-esque commercial starring future "Seinfeld" actor Jason Alexander, which included an earworm-worthy song about keeping the hot and cold ingredients properly separated. Though this discontinued McDonald's menu item isn't missed by many, there's no denying how catchy the jingle was. Another important feature of this classic cult favorite is the temperature-keeping technology, which is now so notable that it has earned a spot in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The famed styrofoam double clamshell packaging came with the promise of keeping the sandwich's cold and hot ingredients separate until the eater was ready to combine them for optimal enjoyment. With the bottom bun and burger patty on one side and the top bun, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sauce, and pickles on the other, this was the height of '80s fast food technology. But despite these achievements, the McD.L.T. is one fast food menu item that likely won't be making a comeback.

By 1990, McDonald's changed up its burger packaging materials from polystyrene to paper, marking a fateful end to the McD.L.T. This meant the swift removal of its admittedly superfluous styrofoam double clamshells and the sandwich disappearing from menus for good. While some have simply forgotten about the hit '80s burger, others cling to the hope that it might find its way back to McDonald's menus a la the Snack Wrap.

Fans across the internet still love to share their nostalgic longing for the discontinued McD.L.T. One Reddit user called it "the best burger McDonald's has ever had," and another added that it was "far superior to any other McD burger." With this in mind, it's worth wondering if there ever could be a reasonable means of a comeback, although with temperature and packaging being a concern, this still remains to be seen.

If you want to try assembling your own at home, it's simply a matter of keeping your ingredients separate until the very last moment before consuming the sandwich. Warming your burgers on a grill and laying your lettuce and tomatoes over ice might just simulate the effect to a close approximation. Barring that, you might just need a time machine to travel back to the 1980s for a taste of savory delight.