Fast food chains have a long history of throwing culinary caution to the wind, creating menu items that make you question their sanity. These are the meals that made it past countless focus groups, test kitchens, and presumably at least one person who said, “Yes, this is a good idea.” With that, we’re bringing you 10 fast food menu items that will make you ask, “What were they thinking?”
10. McDonald’s McAfrika
McDonald’s introduced the McAfrika in 2002 during a time of severe famine in Southern Africa. It’s a pita sandwich with beef, cheese, tomatoes, and salad that celebrates African flavors. However, this was perceived as tone deafness and enraged many people. It turned into a PR nightmare that resulted in it being quietly removed from the menu.
9. Burger King’s Satisfries
Many wished that fries were a healthy menu item, which is why Burger King came to the rescue. They introduced the Satisfries in 2013, which are crinkle-cut fries with a batter that absorbs less oil. They contained about 40% less fat and 30% fewer calories than regular fries. However, they tasted like cardboard that’s been lightly seasoned with disappointment that they were discontinued in 2014.
8. Wendy’s Superbar
During the ’80s and ’90s, Wendy’s had an expanded salad bar that they called a “Superbar” buffet. It features salad, fruits, and pasta at an affordable price. While it was a massive success among diners, it became too difficult for employees to keep the bar stocked and clean while doing their other duties. With that, it disappeared in 1998, and the chain completely discontinued all of their salad bars by 2006.
7. McDonald’s Super Size
Probably one of the most well-known menu failures of all time is McDonald’s Super Size in the mid-1990s. It’s a campaign that allowed customers to opt for a Super Size meal for an added fee. While it became a major hit among customers, calories are also bulking up. With this, a documentary called Super-Size Me was released, which exposed the dangers of the meal. By 2004, the chain pulled them off the menus.
6. Friendly’s Grilled Cheeseburger Melt
This may sound like the best fast food menu item in the world, but beware, as you’re in for a health scare. This Grilled Cheeseburger Melt features an excess beef patty that is sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches, which is carbs on cheese. The calories? That’s a whopping 1,500 for a single meal!
5. Dairy Queen’s Breeze
From 1990 to 2000, we saw Dairy Queen introducing a healthier option to their iconic Blizzard. Meet the Breeze, which uses frozen yogurt instead of ice cream as its base ingredient. Sadly, the customers weren’t interested that it led to the frozen yogurt’s spoilage. What a major fail for the brand! Well, we’re interested to see how it would do now as more people lean towards yogurt as a dessert.
4. Pizza Hut’s Priazzo
Pizza Hut, as a major player in fast pizza, introduced the Priazzo. It’s a pizza pie that resembles Chicago’s deep dish pizza. It features a bottom crust with layers of cheese and toppings. There’s also another layer of dough on top, which is a pizza casserole. Sadly, the brand didn’t think about how it would do in the kitchen, as it took 40 minutes to bake. Now, quite a move is expected from Pizza Hut!
3. Burger King’s Enormous Omelet Sandwich
Burger King served the ultimate breakfast upgrade with their Enormous Omelet Sandwich. It’s filled with two eggs, sausage, three strips of bacon, two slices of American cheese, and hash browns, all on a sesame seed bun. Yup, at 730 calories and 47 grams of fat, you already have a breakfast ready to fill your (entire) day. Well, it’s safe to say that the sandwich went into a quiet retirement since they’re aggressively unhealthy.
2. Arby’s Meat Mountain
Originally a secret menu item, the Meat Mountain contains every single meat Arby’s serves. You’ve read that right, as it’s filled with turkey, ham, corned beef, brisket, chicken tenders, roast beef, and bacon. This $10 sandwich contains over 1,000 calories and enough sodium to de-ice a highway. Arby’s eventually made it official because, apparently, unhealthy food makes the best fast food sandwich there is.
1. KFC’s Double Down
One of the most unique menu items in history is this piece from KFC. Instead of bread, KFC decided to use two pieces of fried chicken as the “bun” for a sandwich. The contents? They’ve got bacon, cheese, and sauce. This protein monstrosity contained zero vegetables and approximately 540 calories of pure indulgence. The fact that it was popular enough to make multiple comebacks suggests we collectively have no self-control.