The 10 Longest-Standing Fast-Food Menu Items & 10 That Were Short-Lived
Which Items Have Stood The Test Of Time?
Fast food has had a long history in the US, with restaurants like McDonald's, White Castle, and Taco Bell shaping our food traditions. While some items like the Big Mac and KFC's fried chicken have become ingrained in our culture, others like the Hula Burger and triple-decker pizza came and went quicker than most people even noticed. Here are the 10 longest-standing fast-food menu items and 10 that were short-lived.
1. McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Sandwich
McDonald's has sold basic hamburgers since it opened in 1940, but that's not the only item that has a long history of being on the menu. Created by a McDonald's franchise owner who realized hamburger sales declined on Fridays during Lent, the Filet-o-Fish sandwich has been a mainstay since 1965.
2. McDonald's Big Mac
McDonald's most iconic burger, the Big Mac, consisting of three bun pieces, two patties, cheese, pickles, shredded lettuce, and dressing, was introduced in 1967. Today's Big Mac is practically identical to the original.
3. Burger King's Whopper
Burger King unveiled its signature burger, the Whopper, in 1957. Back then, it cost 37 cents, about twice the price of the original burger.
4. Chick-fil-A's Original Chicken Sandwich
Chick-fil-A's Original Chicken Sandwich was released in 1964 after the restaurant's founder spent years tweaking the recipe. It seems like he finally perfected it, as this sandwich has remained practically untouched over the decades.
5. In-N-Out's Animal-Style Burger
After guests kept requesting extra toppings and sauce on their burgers, In-N-Out released the "animal-style" burger in 1961. These burgers include a patty cooked in mustard, extra sauce, extra grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.
6. White Castle Sliders
Founded in 1921, White Castle predates even McDonald's as America's first fast-food burger chain. Back then, it sold sliders "by the sack" for five cents each.
7. Wendy's Frosty
Wendy's milkshake-like dessert, the Frosty, is as old as the restaurant itself. An integral part of the menu and one of the most distinct items, it has been a Wendy's staple since 1969.
8. Dairy Queen's Dilly Bar
The Dilly Bar is a round disc of vanilla ice cream on a stick, enrobed in chocolate, cherry, or butterscotch coating. The treat first popped up on the DQ menu in 1955 and has been a favorite ever since.
9. KFC Fried Chicken
It doesn't get much more classic than KFC's fried chicken, the food that built its reputation. Colonel Sanders opened his first KFC location in 1952 when he unveiled his fried chicken, made with his secret blend of herbs and spices.
10. Taco Bell's Crunchy Taco
Taco Bell opened its first location in 1962. Back then, the crunchy taco was just one of six items on the menu, all of which cost 19 cents.
Now that we've covered the ultimate fast food classics, let's go over some of the shortest-lived concoctions.
1. McDonald's McPizza
Yes, there was a time when McDonald's tried its hand at pizza. The fast food chain started offering it in the 1980s, but it didn't take off and was a logistical headache.
2. McDonald's Hula Burger
The Hula Burger was McDonald's's weird early attempt at a meatless alternative for Catholics who wouldn't eat meat on Fridays. It replaced the patty in a burger with a grilled pineapple ring, but it quietly disappeared from the menu as soon as it became evident that the Filet-o-Fish was a much more popular option.
3. Taco Bell's Bell Beefer
Taco Bell's Bell Beefer was essentially a beef taco on a hamburger bun instead of a tortilla. It was introduced in the 1970s, and despite being initially well-liked, it didn't stand the test of time.
4. Pizza Hut's Big Foot Pizza
Pizza Hut's Big Foot Pizza was introduced in the 1990s and swiftly also taken off the menu in the 1990s. It was a monster pizza measuring 12 by 24 inches for only $10.99, a price that proved unsustainable for the pizza giant.
5. Wendy's Superbar
For a brief but beautiful time in the 1980s, Wendy's had an all-you-can-eat buffet offering endless pasta, tacos, and salad for only $2.99. It had to discontinue it just to stay in business.
6. Pizza Hut's Triple Decker Pizza
Yes, Pizza Hut's Triple Decker Pizza is as crazy as it sounds. Three layers of pizza dough with cheese proved to be too much even for the biggest cheese fans.
7. McDonald's Arch Deluxe
The Arch Deluxe was McDonald's attempt at a slightly more gourmet burger for a higher price than a Big Mac. Despite their $150 million advertising campaign, it did not take off. Turns out people just go to McDonald's for cheap hamburgers.
8. Burger King Bundles
Burger King Bundles were miniature hamburgers similar to sliders that the chain released in 1987. They swiftly vanished off the menu as we guess Burger King patrons weren't looking for a tiny bite-sized meal.
Håkan Dahlström from Malmö, Sweden on Wikimedia
9. Jack in the Box Frings
Jack in the Box had the genius idea of putting fries and onion rings in the same bag in the 1970s, calling them Firngs, as if they just reinvented the wheel. People weren't impressed, and they quickly disappeared from the menu.
10. Burger King's Dinner Baskets
Burger King somehow got the idea that people would think it's nice to have a sit-down meal at Burger King instead of a fast food experience, so they started offering Dinner Baskets. They were served tableside with cutlery in a plastic basket, but unsurprisingly, no one wanted them.
