Through the years, fast food companies tried to innovate their food through experimentation. However, there are countless menu items they launched until they retired them. Some were ahead of their time, gaining followers until they silently dropped them. In this listicle, we pay tribute to the 10 most memorable fast food items that you either love or hate.
9. McDonald’s McPizza
Did you know that McDonald’s tried to compete with other pizza giants? During the late 1980s, McDonald’s released their personal-sized pizzas in select US and UK locations. The McPizza featured four slices with classic toppings of cheese, pepperoni, green peppers, and onions. However, they take too long to prepare that which actually clashed with their fast service model. With these logistical challenges, they completely dropped the McPizzas. You can actually try to get your hands on them in one McDonald’s location in Orlando, Florida, as they still serve them.
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8. Taco Bell’s Enchirito
Enchirito was a hybrid of the enchilada and burrito. It was a staple on Taco Bell menus since its introduction in 1970. It features a soft flour tortilla with seasoned beef, refried beans, and diced onions. It’s also smoother with the red enchilada sauce and melted cheese. Despite it being a popular item, they were officially discontinued in 1993 and again in 2013. But with persistent customer demands, it led to limited-time returns.
7. KFC’s Double Down
KFC introduced the Double Down on April Fool’s Day 2010. Customers thought of it as a prank, as it’s actually a bunless sandwich where they replaced bread with two pieces of fried chicken that are sandwiching bacon, cheese, and sauce inside. Despite health concerns, it became popular it expanded to other countries like Japan and the Philippines. However, KFC removed them from the US menu by the end of 2014. While it was back for a limited time, it never really made it to the permanent menu again.
6. Burger King’s Angry Whopper
The Angry Whopper was introduced in 2009 when spicy fast food went mainstream. It features a flame-grilled patty topped with the spicy “Angry Sauce,” jalapeño slices, pepper Jack cheese, and onions. The burger’s success led to more variations like the Angriest Whopper with red buns infused in hot sauce. After it was discontinued, it made a few appearances, but never really became permanent.
5. Popeyes’ Cajun Rice
Before, Popeyes used to serve its signature Cajun Rice. It’s filled with Louisiana-inspired flavors that the chain is famous for. The rice itself features ground meat, bell peppers, onions, and Cajun spices that are mixed into the rice. It was a staple on the menu for years, but in January 2021, Popeyes quietly discontinued it as they wanted to streamline their menu during the pandemic. It actually made a limited-time return in 2022. Still, with the loyalty of fans, Popeyes brought them back in February 2025 in select markets.
4. Pizza Hut’s P’Zone
Pizza Hut responded to the popularity of calzone with P’Zone. It’s a folded pizza filled with your usual fillings like pepperoni, cheese, and marinara sauce. It was first introduced in 2002 and became a popular menu item for years until it was discontinued in 2011 due to longer preparation times and inconsistency. It actually made a return in March 2019 to coincide with the NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournament. However, it disappeared again.
3. Chick-fil-A’s Coleslaw
For over 50 years, coleslaw was a well-loved side dish at Chick-fil-A. The distinctive taste, apart from other fast food coleslaw, made it a popular menu item. But in 2016, Chick-fil-A made a heartbreaking decision to discontinue it to make way for their other healthier options like the Superfood Side. The backlash was so strong that the company released its official recipe so that fans could make them at home.
2. KFC’s Potato Wedges
It used to be a staple side since the 1990s with these thick-cut wedges that were coated in crispy, seasoned batter. They have a distinct flavor in them that came with KFC’s own seasoning blend. However, KFC removed them from menus in 2020 and replaced them with the crinkle-cut Secret Recipe Fries. An online petition got thousands of signatures, but despite the response, the chain has yet to make its Potato Wedges a permanent part of its menu.
1. Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza
Compared to other menu items, Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza was brought back due to the outcry of fans. It features seasoned beef with refried beans that are sandwiched between two crispy flour tortillas. It is topped with pizza sauce, a three-cheese blend, and diced tomatoes. They’ve been on the menu for 30 years, but it was removed in 2020 as part of menu simplification during the pandemic. Celebrities like Doja Cat even publicly campaigned for their return, so Taco Bell had no choice but to bring them back in 2022.
