10 Fast Food Chains That Quietly Changed Their Recipes & 10 Fans Desperately Want Back
10 Fast Food Chains That Quietly Changed Their Recipes & 10 Fans Desperately Want Back
Fast Food Blues
It’s no secret that fast food giants like McDonald’s, Domino’s, and Burger King have changed their recipes—some for better, others for worse. But in this ever-changing world, there are certainly some menu items we all still dearly miss too. With that in mind, here are the recipes that have changed, and the ones we want back.
1. McDonald’s French Fries
McDonald’s is a king when it comes to French fries, and if you’ve noticed they’ve changed over the years, you’re not the only one. Originally, their fries were fried in beef fat, also known as tallow. But down the line, they switched to vegetarian oils. While some hate this change, others love it, as now vegetarians and people with religious conditions can enjoy the fries too.
Filippos Fragkogiannis on Wikimedia
2. Burger King Whopper
While Burger King is surely having its struggles, the Whopper is the mainstay they’re known for. But in early 2020, the Whopper you’re eating isn’t the same as it once was. In an attempt to remove artificial additives, they showed strange ads and left a weird taste in their customers’ mouths.
3. Domino’s Pizza
Domino’s also changed its recipe in 2009, but they were a bit more loud about it. In fact, they asked fans for feedback, and then went ahead and improved on their recipe. They switched to a garlic and herb-seasoned crust and opted for 100 percent real cheese.
4. Wendy’s Hamburger
In 2011, Wendy’s decided to reinvent their 42-year-old burger recipe simply because they wanted to be better. They opted for thicker patties, buttered buns, and melted cheese, hoping it would boost struggling sales at the time.
5. Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
When autumn comes around, everyone knows it’s pumpkin spice season. While Starbucks introduced the original formula in 2003, it decided to make a recipe change in 2015 and remove artificial coloring and instead add real pumpkin puree.
6. Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings decided their wings could use a revamp, and it was in 2019 that they opted to upgrade their recipe. Not only did they focus on their boneless wing formula, but also decided to use 30% less breading than before.
7. McDonald’s Big Mac
Turns out McDonald’s actually changed their Big Mac special sauce many times. Originally, two versions were launched before one was selected. Then another change was made in 1991 to lower costs. However, in 2004, a returning McDonald’s executive reintroduced the original special sauce recipe. By 2018, it had changed again, but this time for the best, as McDonald’s removed artificial flavors and preservatives from their recipes.
8. Subway’s Bread
In 2014, Subway was almost forced to change the way they make their bread after a food blogger exposed their chain practices. They had to ditch certain chemicals and bleaching agents and tried to improve the formula, but by then, consumers were already annoyed by the negative publicity they received.
9. KFC Finger Lickin’ Sauce
In 2020, KFC decided to make a few changes. First, they changed the sauce name to just “KFC Sauce,” and then went on to completely revamp the recipe by testing over 50 versions. In the end, they landed on something similar to Carolina barbecue sauce.
10. McDonald’s Apple Pie
McDonald’s certainly isn’t one to sit idly by when it comes to change, and they’ve been switching things up for ages. In 2018, however, customers were furious when McDonald’s removed artificial flavors from their pies. However, customers absolutely hated the change and said it tasted terrible.
Now that we have talked about chains that have changed their recipes, here are some that have yet to sway.
1. Pizza Hut Buffet
There was a time where you could go to your local Pizza Hut and actually have a buffet. Not only were there numerous slices of pizzas to choose from, but you could also get your hands on salads, pastas, and of course, garlic bread.
Ed!(talk)(Hall of Fame) on Wikimedia
2. KFC Chicken Littles
Known as the Chicken Littles, these were small square sandwiches with chicken, pickles, and mayo inside. They had a unique nostalgic flavor that was adored in the 1990s but was eventually discontinued.
3. Old School Apple Pies
We talked about how McDonald’s changed their apple pie recipes, and yeah, fans have still not gotten over it. They miss the heat, the crispness, and fondly remember the time McDonald’s would fry their pies instead of bake them.
4. Burger King’s Cini-Minis
Nowadays, most people have to go to Cinnabon for their cinnamon roll fixations, but there was a time you could just grab them from your local Burger King. A breakfast staple for many, life just wasn’t the same after they were taken away.
5. Taco Bell Double Decker
Have you ever considered eating a taco inside of a taco? Well, that’s exactly what the Double Decker was. Interestingly enough, this taco in particular is still very doable, so it might be worth asking your local Taco Bell vendor to give it a try.
6. Arby’s 5 for 5
Not necessarily a menu item as much as a deal, but there was a time you could get 5 delicious Arby’s sandwiches for only $5. Many of us miss the economy of old, but that value is certainly something we all crave.
7. McSalad Shakers
Maybe nobody really misses this, but it certainly was a cool and fun idea. McDonald’s would sell transparent cups full of salad ingredients that consumers would have to shake themselves before eating. Convenient and healthy!
8. KFC Potato Wedges
There was a time where you could have wedges with your chicken sandwich instead of fries. What made these wedges particularly perfect was the battered, crispy potato skin and the way they just stayed hot for way longer.
9. Taco Bell’s Apple Empanada
McDonald’s isn’t the only one fans are mad at about apple pie mishaps. In fact, Taco Bell also had a caramel apple empanada that was absolutely crispy, buttery, and delectable. What’s with chains and changing pie recipes?
Bakd&Raw by Karolin Baitinger on Unsplash
10. McDonald’s Chicken Selects
So this is sort of a happy story. Originally, the Selects were crispy buttermilk chicken tenders that originally launched in 2002 but left the menu around 2013. In some countries, they’re still available, and recently McDonald’s has plans of reintroducing them as McCrispy Strips.
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