Fast food giants may seem unstoppable, but they also have their epic fail moments. Some missteps are forgettable, while others are memorable for draining millions from company wallets. Here are 15 of the costliest fast food failures in history.
15. Burger King’s Satisfries
In 2013, Burger King tried to capitalize on the health-conscious trend with a new kind of fry, the Satisfries. They were advertised to have 40% less fat and 30% fewer calories. While it sounded great in theory, it missed a key point: people don’t eat healthy food at Burger King. Customers didn’t want to pay a premium for something that was a downgrade in flavor. Satisfries were phased out just a year later.
14. KFC’s A.M. Breakfast
KFC learned the hard way that mornings are a tough market. In the early 2010s, the chain introduced a breakfast menu in various countries, hoping to compete with chains like McDonald’s. The problem was that KFC’s breakfast offerings, like chicken biscuits and porridge, confused people. Their marketing campaign didn’t create enough buzz to pull customers away from their morning routines.
13. Subway’s Freshly Sliced Meats
Subway has always been known for “freshness” but sometimes, they take things too far. A recent push to bring meat slicers to all their franchises was a costly flop. The idea was to show customers that their meats were sliced fresh in the store. However, the new slicers were expensive to purchase and maintain. They also added a huge amount of extra work for staff, leading to longer prep times and overwhelming workloads.
12. Pizza Hut’s P’Zone
Pizza Hut introduced the P’Zone in the late 2000s, and it’s basically a calzone filled with pizza toppings. Despite having a few fans, the P’Zone never gained the traction Pizza Hut wanted. Another issue was that it didn’t really offer anything new. Customers could fold over a slice of pizza for the same experience.
11. Domino’s The Noid
You might remember the Noid, a mischievous character from Domino’s commercials in the 1980s. The Noid’s goal was to delay pizza deliveries, so the campaign’s slogan was “Avoid the Noid.” The campaign was canceled in 1989 when a man named Kenneth Lamar Noid believed the commercials were targeting him. This led him to held two Domino’s employees hostage. The situation ended peacefully, but Domino’s had to face a public relations nightmare.
10. Starbucks’ Oleato
In 2023, former CEO Howard Schultz introduced the Oleato, a line of olive oil-infused coffee drinks, inspired by a trip to Sicily. Many found the flavor unappealing, and others experienced an unexpected laxative effect from the combination of caffeine and high fat. The line was removed from most North American stores, contributing to a third consecutive quarter of declining sales.
9. Jack in the Box E. Coli Outbreak
The E. coli outbreak at Jack in the Box in 1993 was a catastrophe that changed the company and the entire food industry. The outbreak, which was linked to undercooked hamburgers, affected over 700 people and tragically killed four children. The financial fallout was huge. The company reported that in the 18 months following the outbreak, they lost over $150 million.
8. McDonald’s 1984 Olympic Coin Promotion
This isn’t a failure of quality, but a miscalculation. For the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, McDonald’s had a promo called “When the US wins, you win!” Customers received a scratch-off card with a specific Olympic event. If the U.S. team won a medal in that event, the customer would get a free item. The US team dominated, and McDonald’s was unprepared for the high demand, with many locations running out of Big Macs and French fries.
7. Dunkin’s Digital Security Blunder
In the early 2020s, cyberattacks targeted Dunkin’s customer accounts. Hackers used a method called “credential stuffing” to access accounts and steal stored gift card funds. Dunkin’s failure to address the security issues in a timely manner led to major consequences. Additionally, it was found that the company had been aware of the attacks for five years but failed to notify customers or take adequate measures.
6. McDonald’s McAfrika
In 2002, McDonald’s Norway launched a sandwich called the McAfrika, celebrating global flavors. However, the timing was off, because at the time, a major famine was happening in southern Africa. Critics accused the chain of being culturally insensitive. McDonald’s was forced to pull the campaign and donate all profits from the sandwich to help with famine relief efforts.
5. McDonald’s Arch Deluxe
In the mid-1990s, McDonald’s faced another crisis. Its core customer base was getting older, and they wanted a more “grown up” burger. So, the company spent $200 million on marketing for the Arch Deluxe, a quarter-pounder designed for an adult palate. The problem was that McDonald’s is strongly linked to being family-friendly, and the Arch Deluxe confused customers who associated the chain with happy meals.
4. Wendy’s Superbar
In the late 1980s, Wendy’s introduced the Superbar, an all-you-can-eat buffet with a salad bar, tacos, nachos, and even pasta dishes. The concept was a hit, thanks to variety and low price. But those were also the problems. The price was too low and it was labor-intensive for employees to keep the buffets stocked and clean. Wendy’s ultimately pulled the plug in 1998 to save money.
3. Burger King’s “Where’s Herb?” Campaign
In 1985, Burger King launched a $40 million advertising campaign centered around a character named Herb, a man who had never eaten a burger at Burger King. Customers were encouraged to visit Burger King to find Herb, and if they did, they’d win a prize. However, the commercials were confusing and the mystery element didn’t resonate with customers. Burger King’s profits tanked by 40% during that time.
2. McDonald’s McDLT
Who could forget the McDLT? It was launched in 1984, served in a Styrofoam container with two compartments that kept the hot side hot and the cool side cool. The product and campaign were a mess. The two-part packaging was expensive and an environmental disaster, leading to a major financial loss for a company that had to invest in new packaging.
1. New Coke
The New Coke fiasco of 1985 is arguably the most shocking marketing failure, and it affected fast food chains selling Coca-Cola products. Coca-Cola made the bold decision to change its 99-year-old formula to boost declining sales. When they announced the new formula, the public was furious. Just 79 days later, Coca-Cola was forced to bring back the original formula. This costed the company an estimated $100 million in failed marketing, lost sales, and refunds.