The Fast Food Menu Items We Miss Most

Whatever happened to your favorite fast food items? Check out some of our on-the-go favorites from the not-so-distant past.

1 / 10

Pizza Hut Big Flavor Dippers Pizza

Pizza Hut is never satisfied with a basic pizza. After all, they introduced the original stuffed crust pizza back in 1995. While that’s still on the menu, the Big Flavor Dippers Pizza is not. This two-foot-long pizza was sliced into 24 pieces with your choice of toppings and 10 different crust flavors—everything from pretzel to sriracha. See how Pizza Hut stacked up in our taste test of favorite pizza chains.

2 / 10

McDonald’s Hi-C Orange Lavaburst

For kids growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, McDonald’s Hi-C was an iconic treat. This orange-flavored beverage was a constant in McDonald’s coast to coast, however, in 2017, the chain discontinued the beverage.

3 / 10

KFC Double Down

When KFC released the Double Down in 2010, it seemed like a joke—it was introduced on April Fool’s Day after all. But this no-bread, all-chicken sandwich did experience a short swell of popularity, but eventually, folks just wanted classic KFC fried chicken.

4 / 10

Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Nacho

Taco Bell never fails to surprise fans. They’ve released breakfast items, French fries and—for a short while—the Grilled Stuft Nacho. This Taco Bell concoction was a blend of tortilla strips, sour cream, beef and cheese sauce folded up in a nacho chip-shaped tortilla. This cheesy, handheld menu item disappeared in 2015, but there are a few online petitions asking Taco Bell to bring it back. Sometimes, petitions can influence the company to bring back items fans miss, like the Enchirito. Did you know Taco Bell was named one of the healthiest fast-food restaurants? Here’s why.

5 / 10

Wendy’s Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty

Back in 2009, Wendy’s released a variation on their classic Frosty: the Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty. This dessert was like a mocha-flavored milkshake with plenty of bits of sticky toffee mixed inside. At the time the fast-food giant also offered mix-ins like M&Ms and Oreo cookie pieces. Unfortunately, it didn’t stick around for long. Psst… check out a few things you never knew about Wendy’s Frosties.

6 / 10

Burger King Cini Minis

Cini Minis were first introduced at Burger King in 1998 and became a fast food staple for many ’90s kids. These miniature cinnamon rolls were the perfect departure from fast food breakfast sandwich staples. Sadly, the minis were discontinued but have enjoyed short-term rereleases in the past, but have never rejoined the menu full time. Get your cinnamon roll fix at home with these scratch-made cinnamon buns.

7 / 10

Taco Bell Dr. Pepper Vanilla Float Freeze

The Dr. Pepper Vanilla Float Freeze was part slushy, part Dr. Pepper with just a dash of vanilla. This frozen beverage hit Taco Bells back in 2014 but didn’t exactly live up to the float name (as there was no ice cream in this drink). Still, some folks miss it just the same. Try these real-deal ice cream float recipes at home.

8 / 10
kfc popcorn chicken
Steve Meddle/Shutterstock

KFC Popcorn Chicken

Back in the ’90s, KFC released Popcorn Chicken. These irresistible bites of crunchy chicken were a great road trip snack—plus the popcorn box-shaped container was so convenient. KFC discontinued this item, though they’ve since released Popcorn Nuggets. If you ask serious fans, these just aren’t the same as the original. Craving something from the Colonel? Try these KFC copycat recipes at home.

9 / 10

Taco Bell Breakfast Waffle Tacos

Taco Bell launched its first-ever breakfast menu back in 2014 to the delight of many Taco Bell devotees. One of the first menu items was a breakfast taco: sausage and egg wrapped in a waffle “shell.” This menu item went the way of the dodo, but you can still get breakfast burritos and even a Breakfast Crunchwrap at the chain. Try our variation on their breakfast quesadilla (and other copycat recipes) here.

10 / 10

Wendy’s Asian Cashew Chicken Salad

A good fast food salad is hard to find (though we do think we found some great ones here). When looking to eat light on the go, many folks turned to Wendy’s Asian Cashew Chicken Salad. This green salad topped with chicken, red pepper, cashews and edamame was a favorite in the mid-2010s, but it just didn’t hang around long.

Lisa Kaminski
Lisa is a former Taste of Home editor and passionate baker. During her tenure, she poured her love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Bakeable, Taste of Home's baking club. Lisa also dedicated her career here to finding and testing the best ingredients, kitchen gear and home products for our Test Kitchen-Preferred program. At home, you'll find her working on embroidery and other crafts.