McDonald's is the Holy Grail of fast foot. The chain began in 1955, which means there have been a bunch of items that have come and gone over the years:
- Fried Apple Pie - Key word: fried. Back in the day, the apple pie was fried in hot oil, making the crust crisp & flaky. The recipe was altered in the 1990's.
- McDonaldland Cookies - Think Animal Crackers, McDonald's style. They came in the shapes of Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Hamburglar, Birdie and Captain Crook. Another product that disappeared in 1990's.
- McSpaghetti - In the 70's, you could get pasta + marinara sauce + meatballs + grated cheese.
- McDLT - McDonald's wanted the produce to stay as crisp and fresh as possible and their solution was the McDLT in the 80's. A styrofoam package separated the hot beef patty from all the cool items: bun, lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickle, sauce and other bun half. It was discontinued due to environmental concerns.
- McDonald’s Pizza - A personal-size pizza that was only available in select restaurants from the late 80's and into the 90's. It had four slices and came with the following toppings: cheese, pepperoni, green pepper and onion. They were discontinued due to slow cook times.
- Mighty Wings - These bone-in wings made their debut in 1990. They were crispy and only sold until 2003 and have returned briefly twice, but the reason they were pulled: they were too spicy.
- McLean Deluxe - The 90's was fascinated with fat free everything. Enter the McLean Deluxe, which was was a 91% fat free burger (with only 10g of fat compared compared to the Big Mac’s (26g). It was not successful.
- McLobster - This seafood special made it's debut in 1992. It consisted of claw, knuckle and leg meat in a hot dog bun with shredded lettuce and lobster sauce – for only $7! It still does grace Canadian and New England menus when lobsters are abundant.
- Big n’ Tasty - 1997 was when this quarter-pound beef patty with tomato, lettuce, onions and “new sauce” in a sesame seed bun. It was only 99 cents and eventually departed the menu in 2011.
- Szechwan Sauce - Szechwan Sauce was a sweet/spicy dipping sauce that came with McNuggets back in the late 90's. It made it's debut '98, tied into Disney’s Mulan. The sauce made a comeback in 2017 & 2018, courtesy of Rick and Morty.
- Super Size Fries - Want a side of fries larger than an large? SUPER SIZE 'em! It was removed from the menu in the 2000's as result of "menu simplification" (but actually due to bad press regarding the obesity crisis).
- Chicken Selects - Seasoned, breadcrumbed chicken strips (less processed than McNuggets, larger and spicier too). They were discontinued in 2013.
- Fruit and Walnut Salad - The Fruit and Walnut Salad was launched in 2005 as an alternative to desserts, like the McFlurry. It featured apple slices, red grapes, candied walnuts and low-fat yogurt. It was also removed from the menu in 2013.
- Snack Wrap - The Snack Wrap debuted in 2006: a Chicken Select, shredded cheese, lettuce and ranch sauce in a soft tortilla. Marketed as an "on-the-go 300-calorie treat", targeted at health-conscious millennial diners. After a decade, it was removed from the menu in 2016.
- Angus Third Pounder - The Angus Third Pounder made it's debut in 2009. A third-pound patty with thick slices of bacon, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. It was discontinued in 2013 as the toppings were too expensive.
- McHotDog - Despite Ray Kroc never wanting this item to appear on the menu, a hot dog definitely did happen from 1990-2010 in various different countries.
- Rolo McFlurry - 2012 - 2017 were some of the glory days of the McFlurry, where McDonald's offered the Rolo McFlurry. It's been called one of the best flavors the chain has ever sold.
- Fish McBites - You know what we wanted more than the Filet-O-Fish (which debuted in 1965)? Fish McBites. Bite-size pieces of battered Alaskan pollock, served with tartar dipping sauce. The menu item didn’t last more than a few months. (We wonder why...)
- Shakin’ Flavor Fries - 2014 was a time of innovation, where McDonald's allowed customers to choose season packets to grace their french fries in the following flavors: Garlic Parmesan, Spicy Buffalo and Zesty Ranch.
- Cheesy Bacon Fries - What’s better than McDonald's fries? McDonald's fries with cheese and bacon!!!! Sadly, it was only available for a limited time in 2019.
- Strawberry Cheesecake McFlurry - Another sorely missed McFlurry: the Strawberry Cheesecake McFlurry. Soft-serve ice cream, strawberry sauce and chunky cheesecake bits.
WE'RE WAITING MCDONALD'S!!!!