10 Discontinued Fast Food Menu Items That Customers Miss The Most

For fast food aficionados, you'll have to find yourself in a fairly remote part of the country to struggle to find a bite to eat on the go. In most cases, we're spoilt for choice with national giants like McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC dotted across highway exits and clustered together in malls. Fast food chains have even found their way into some of the most remote areas; Subway has two locations on Alaska's secluded island of Kodiak. Even with so much variety, there are plenty of discontinued fast food items that we miss dearly.

We're not talking about epic fast food menu item failures, but rather those that we instantly fell in love with, only to be left heartbroken when they were taken off the menu. Sometimes, the items are removed because of poor sales, supply and cost pressures, or simply because the brand wants to shift its priorities and streamline the menu. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of people across the country that would pay a great sum of money to savor a long-ago removed menu item they used to love.

Some miss the items from recent years, like Burger King's Ch'King or Taco Bell's Beefy Fritos Burrito, while others crave those delicious, crinkled fries that Carl's Jr. used to whip in the '80s. We reminisced about the items we miss and listened to what Reddit users said to put together this list of discontinued fast food menu items that are missed the most.

Starting off with what's currently America's second-largest burger chain, Burger King released the BK Broiler Chicken Sandwich in 1990 when consumers looked for more nutritious fast food alternatives. In other words, food that wasn't drenched in oil. The chicken was flame grilled, which was a first for the chain, creating a succulent piece of chicken wedged in a bun with lettuce and tomato, along with a splash of ranch dressing. While Burger King has discontinued several menu items over the years, the BK Broiler is arguably the one that is missed the most. It lasted a total of 12 years on the menu, in 2002 it was replaced by the Chicken Whopper, which was later also discontinued in the U.S. Whether it was the health angle or the taste combo, Burger King fans loved the BK Broiler.

You'll find a variety of threads on Reddit calling for its return. Some users claim they lived off the BK Broiler Chicken Sandwich when they were young, while others simply call it the best sandwich they've ever had. While that's quite a statement, you'll find plenty of Burger King fans who agree that no chicken sandwich on the chain's modern menu has ever managed to live up to the original. It was also a favorite of Burger King staff — they would level it up with more cheese, bacon, and a variety of other ingredients.

The chain has launched many items over the years, but few have come close to the popularity of the BK Broiler Chicken Sandwich. While fans have called for its return, for whatever reason it's never returned.

For many who grew up in the '80s, Carl's Jr. was more than just a spot to grab a bit to eat on the go. It was a family affair that became an outing for kids and an affordable dinner option for the parents. If you were grabbing a burger at Carl's Jr back in the 1980s, part of the meal was a very specific sidekick: The brand's iconic crinkle-cut French fries that were sometimes referred as frispos. While they were immensely popular, they were phased out sometime in the late '80s. Over 40 years later, those kids that are now all grown up still crave them.

Made from dehydrated potato pellets, the machine used to make the fries created a crispy outer skin, while the center remained soft. Those fries are so firmly etched in people's minds that die-hard fans claim it would be the first thing they would go for if given the opportunity to use a time machine. Others have searched for the very machine that made the frispos to recreate them but came up empty-handed.

For those of us who grew up in the '80s, we completely agree with what many Reddit users said about Carl's Jr. crinkle fries. Despite being a much-loved side, Carl's Jr. took them off the menu to be replaced with classic fries. The chain also introduced waffle fries, but there are still many people across the U.S. who would love to see the original crinkle fries back on the menu.

When Taco Bell launched the Beefy Fritos Burrito back in 2014, it didn't take long for it to become a big hit. It formed part of the chain's Dollar Cravings Menu that included other items like the Cheese Roll-up, Triple Layer Nachos, Cinnamon Twists, Spicy Tostada, and more. Talk about value. Inside the Beefy Fritos Burrito, you got the usual seasoned beef but with Frito corn chips and nacho cheese sauce. Seasoned rice was also added to bulk it up and add extra flavor.

The menu item was another casualty of COVID-19, forming part of an overall simplification of the menu as the chain looked to improve efficiency of its experience, whatever that meant at the time. While the $1 was without doubt a big part of its success, the flavor profile and crunch drew in the crowds. So much so that a lot of people are still upset that it was removed in 2020. Some have called it hard to resist, while others claim it's still their all-time favorite. The fan base is so strong that a petition was created to bring it back, but even more than 1,300 signatures weren't enough to push the chain for a relaunch. Though Taco Bell brought back the Beefy Crunch Burrito, it's still not quite the same as the Beefy Fritos Burrito, a menu item that has been the go-to staple for families on a budget and late-night road trippers.

Our next discontinued fast food item that we still crave created such a stir when it was removed that one Hollywood star made a fuss about it. It was KFC's Chicken Littles, a menu item that may have been small in size but was massive in popularity. It was launched in 1987, and for just 39 cents you got a small, soft dinner roll stuffed with a fried, extra-crispy chicken patty that was lathered with mayo. Of course, it was also made with the chain's famous 11 herbs and spices.

The slogan the brand used for the campaign claimed that this is an affordable item and that people love it. Obviously, the message was pretty accurate, with some people calling it their favorite fast food chicken sandwich. When the item was removed, fans across the country were devastated. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal said that he once wrote a letter to KFC complaining that the company had denied him one of his favorite snacks. While he may not have been the sole reason, in 2012 the Chicken Littles were back, although costing much more than the original, coming in at $1.29. KFC also changed the recipe by using a longer bun and adding pickles. People weren't happy, with some fans calling it a mockery.

Today, you'll still find Reddit threads awash with nostalgia for the original Chicken Littles. Adults still talk about how their parents used to grab them on the go. This is one KFC menu item we all want back.

A list of fast food menu items we wish would make a comeback would not be complete without the McDonald's Angus Third Pounder. The item hit national McDonald's outlets in 2009, becoming the first new burger to be added to the menu since 2001. It was a direct answer to fast food burgers from Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, and it was the first from McDonald's to feature a whole bacon slices and red onions. It came in three options — Deluxe, Mushroom & Swiss, and Bacon & Cheddar.

It was an instant hit. The burger was thicker, juicier, and a little heavier on the wallet, but true fans didn't mind the price. Some Reddit users have called it the best fast food burger they've ever had, and even former staff has echoed these claims. It was not meant to last, though. In 2013, McDonald's confirmed it was removing the item from its menu. Apparently, the chain wanted to focus on the lower-priced Quarter Pounders.

Reviews don't reveal a clear favorite. For some it was the mushrooms that gave them the Mickey D's hit they needed, while those who weren't a fan of the Swiss cheese preferred the bacon and cheese option. The Deluxe, which came with the large beef patty loaded with mayo, mustard, tomato, pickles, lettuce, red onion, and good old American cheese, has plenty of followers who have called for its return.

Seafood Sensation is one of the discontinued Subway sandwiches that customers used to love. While it may not have been everyone's cup of tea, the item built up a strong following after it was added to the menu in the early 2000s. It had already existed before, during the '80s and '90s, but never officially under that name. There wasn't anything too complicated with this sandwich, which basically was a bread roll filled with imitation crab meat mixed with light mayo.

It lasted for more than a decade on the menu before it was taken off, most likely sometime before 2020. It seems it started to disappear from Subways before that, though, with a lot of people asking why their local shop was no longer selling it. Post removal, Reddit threads emerged asking what happened to it and where it may still be available. While you won't find it on an official Subway menu in the U.S., if you're willing to jump on a plane and travel beyond our borders, you can still get it. Supposedly, Australia is one country that still sells it.

It was one of those Subway sandwiches that was a favorite for many, and there are still plenty of Americans that desperately want it back. It's another discontinued fast food menu item that has motivated fans to start petitioning to bring it back. So, if you're one of the many who miss it, you can add your name to the list there. 

In 2021, Burger King decided to enter the crispy chicken race by introducing the Ch'King. It came on the back of the success of Popeye's chicken sandwich. The good news was that Burger King knocked it out of the park. The chain quickly built up a serious following with lovers of the Ch'King, with some people claiming it was the best out of all the fast food chicken sandwiches.

The Ch'King was a hand-breaded chicken sandwich with pickles and the chain's signature sauce served on a toasted bun. For those who liked a bit of heat, they could order the Spicy Ch'King, which featured a fiery addition. Despite its quality and popularity, in 2022, it was taken off the menu. The chain decided to replace it with the new line of BK Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwiches, which offer Burger King loyalists new chicken sandwiches to choose from.

The removal caused a bit of an uproar, with Reddit users demanding they bring back what they considered the best fast food chicken sandwich out there. Besides loyal Burger King customers, people who only went there for the Ch'King were equally upset. For us, the Ch'King was one of Burger King's greatest chicken sandwiches and one that deserves a comeback. For now, though, the Ch'King only exists as a delicious memory.

If you were a loyal customer at Starbucks in the mid-2010s, you probably remember Cookie Dough Cake Pops sitting in the bakery display case. It was one of many popular items featured on the Starbucks menu over the years, with a lot of people still yearning to savor them again. They were made with cookie dough coated in chocolate icing. To top it off, mini chocolate chips were scattered on top. There doesn't seem to be an exact time when these were taken off the menu, but it appears to be around 2021.

It's one of the discontinued Starbucks cake pops that a lot of people want back, including us. For some Reddit users, this particular cake pop was devoured twice a week, and it was a real family treat to grab on the go. While this cake pop may be a thing of the past, you can still try to make it at home, although we'd all prefer to have the chance to grab them from our local Starbucks.

If you are one of many who want to do something about bringing Cookie Dough Cake Pops back, you can sign the petition that was started hoping to achieve exactly that. The chain does still have a variety of other cake pops on its menu, including the Hedgehog Cake Pop, Unicorn Cake Pop, Birthday Cake Pop, and the Chocolate Cake Pop.

For a long time, one of the best-kept secrets in fast food was the fact that Popeyes buffets actually existed. There were several locations, but one by one they began to close. In 2021, the final Popeyes buffet, located in Lafayette, Louisiana, joined them. With that, the much-loved buffet was a thing of the past. For approximately $10, the all-you-can-eat buffet included a variety of options for the hungry, including crispy fried chicken, macaroni, mashed potatoes, and more.

While you wouldn't be wrong to think that Popeyes removed the buffet because it wasn't making any money from it, the official reason was COVID-19. Whether cost had something to do with it or it was about food being left out in the open in the wake of a pandemic, the Popeyes buffet never returned. When news hit, social media buzzed with posts from fans who couldn't help but share the bad news.

The buffet was a hit with both young and old. While they weren't exactly common across the entire country, these buffets had a loyal following. The last buffet was so loved that some even made special trips to get there and savor all that was on offer. With plenty of Reddit threads filled with disappointment, this might be one of those fast food secrets you were better off not ever knowing about.

We close out this list of discontinued fast food items that Americans miss the most with the McDonald's Big 'N Tasty. For this one we go back to 1997, when the chain rolled out this burger to compete against Burger King's Whopper. It was a quarter pounder that came with the usual lettuce, onions, and tomatoes that we've seen many times since then. The regular price came in at only 99 cents. It was big in size and popularity, and people are still upset that it's no longer on offer.

Until 2003, it was a part of the dollar menu, and when the company removed it, the price increased to $1.49. This all came down to profitability — the price to make the burger simply increased. The Big 'N Tasty was eventually discontinued in the U.S. in 2011, which was not exactly well received by fans.

There's no shortage of nostalgic posts on Reddit about this popular McDonald's burger. One user claimed it helped them forget about family problems for a short while, while others simply said that there hasn't been anything like it since. Some fans have resorted to ordering the Deluxe Quarter Pounder without the cheese and mustard to get as close to it as they can. Still, nothing can really ever replace the fact that the burger was only 99 cents!