McComeback: 20 Limited-Release Fast Food Items We Want Back

Fast-food meals often feature items that have become synonymous with their respective restaurants. You know the Egg McMuffin is at McDonald’s, that the Whopper is at Burger King, and that you can get cheesy baked potatoes at Wendy’s. Unfortunately, not all fast-food options will stick around to develop such reputations in the long run. Restaurants often test items with minimal time spent in the stores. Enough time will convince them to remove the items from stores due to various reasons. Some items just didn’t have the success to remain a top seller. They were pulled despite many people loving and missing them. Others just were always made to be the limited-edition items that only stick around in stores for a short window.

We'll look at some of the food items out there that could benefit from being back in stores. More importantly, we could benefit from having the choice to eat them again. Things change, and many of these foods would do better today given the legend of the internet giving us a way to look up the items that we used to love. The selections are missed for different reasons but have the common bond of being delicious food that was taken away from us too soon. Find out which foods you should be rooting for a comeback tour of. These are twenty limited-release fast-food items we want back!

20 Burger King's Crown-Shaped Nuggets

via: grubgrade.com

McDonald’s is at the top of the list when it comes to chicken nuggets, thanks to the iconic McNuggets. Burger King tried a few different versions in hopes of finding similar success. It just never worked out for them, but there was once a fun option at Burger King locations.

The crown-shaped nuggets provided a fun eating dynamic. Their crown shape made dipping them into sauces more enjoyable. The chicken nuggets tasted as delicious as any standard nuggets out there, but the appeal was the shape of it. Many of us would love to dip the sides of the crowns into different sauces.

19 Wendy's Frescata Sandwich

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Wendy’s tried to experiment with a different side of fast-food items when creating their Frescata sandwiches. The idea was to compete with Subway instead of just McDonald’s and Burger King. Wendy’s introduced cold sandwiches with the deli-style combinations offered.

Various Frescata sandwiches included turkey and swiss, chicken salad, black forest ham, and roasted turkey with basil pesto as the options available. Fans of the deli-style sandwiches finally found it in a national chain. Unfortunately, the Frescata sandwiches were removed after under two years back in 2007. It would be nice to have them back instead of having to rely on Subway as the only reliable cold-sandwich fast-food chain.

18 McDonald's Fried Apple Pie

via: flickr.com

Many people have complained about the quality of the McDonald’s Apple Pie regressing throughout the years. There's a valid reason why you don’t enjoy the apple pie as much as you did many years ago. McDonald’s currently only serves the Baked Apple Pie as their only option available for it.

The past would feature the Fried Apple Pie as well, which gave the entire treat a completely different taste. Most would agree the Fried Apple Pie is significantly more delicious than the Baked Apple Pie. McDonald’s should bring it back or even have it replace the mediocre Baked Apple Pie they still sell.

17 Pizza Hut's P-Zone

via: flickr.com

Pizza chains typically don’t get to experiment much with new items on the menu. Most people just want pizza and the handful of standard side dishes like buffalo wings or breadsticks. However, Pizza Hut did try to introduce a new item with their P’Zone item.

It was essentially a fancier version of a calzone with multiple options for the filling, along with a dipping sauce. Canada locations still carry the P-Zone, but it's impossible to find in the United States. The P-Zone is a great alternative to just getting pizza when making an order from Pizza Hut, and we’d like to have it back.

16 Taco Bell’s Waffle Taco

via: eater.com

The polarizing reputation of the Waffle Taco from Taco Bell led to it being removed from the menu. We do get the rare chances of the Waffle Taco as a limited-edition menu item whenever it does return for a short time. The breakfast dish features a waffle used as a taco to hold eggs, sausage or bacon, and maple syrup.

Many people understandably disliked the item for being unhealthy and merging too many foods together. However, it did hit the spot for many of us that like to have bold food choices occasionally. The unique item is missed by those who enjoy the Waffle Taco at certain times.

15 Jack in the Box’s Cheesy Macaroni Bites

via: eatnabout.com

Macaroni and Cheese bites are a very underrated appetizer not commonly sold at most fast-food chain restaurants. The idea of fried bite-size pieces with warm mac and cheese on the inside seems too perfect to pass on, but Jack in the Box was one of the few fast-food places to put it on their menu for a short time.

The Cheesy Macaroni Bites were a favorite of those who gave it a chance. They apparently didn’t sell enough to become a full-time fixture on the menu. Anyone to never try the Cheesy Macaroni Bites missed out, as they were the perfect complement to a burger or sandwich on days when you just don’t want fries.

14 Burger King's Enormous Omelet Sandwich

via: flickr.com

Burger King tried to give customers more bang for their buck by creating the Enormous Omelet Sandwich. The breakfast sandwich was larger than McDonald’s Egg McMuffin and most other popular sandwich options available at fast-food restaurants.

The Enormous Omelet Sandwich featured sausage, bacon, eggs, and cheese in between the toasted bun. Many breakfast fast-food fanatics loved it, but the item didn't remain on menus in the United States. You can find the Enormous Omelet Sandwich at certain Burger King locations worldwide. The USA residents are hoping to get it back at some point in the near future as well.

13 McDonald's Hula Burger

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An old-school item from McDonald’s that didn’t last long was the Hula Burger. It was originally created in the 1960s to become a second vegetarian option along with the Fish Fillet Sandwich. The Hula Burger featured pineapple in place of the meat, but customers weren’t having it.

Another limited-release item featured the Hula Burger consisting of a traditional burger patty along with a slice of pineapple on it. This was a lot better, as it added a sweet dynamic to the burgers. McDonald’s didn't keep it on the menu for good, but many of us would love to see it return for one final opportunity.

12 Sonic's Pickle-O's

via: theopinionatedfoodie.wordpress.com

Fried pickles are on the menu at places like Buffalo Wild Wings that offer more variety to the appetizer menu. Sonic was the ideal fast-food place to finally have it on their menu under the name "Pickle-O’s." Many customers loved getting a few orders of the Pickle-O’s as their side along with a couple of burgers or sandwiches.

The simplicity of fried pickles seemed too basic to keep on the company full time. However, the simple process yet delicious result led to the Pickle-O’s becoming a favorite of many customers. You can still request it as an off-the-menu item if your Sonic location is open to accommodate your request.

11 Chick-fil-A’s Spicy Chicken Biscuit

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Chick-fil-A often delivers some of the best chicken sandwiches you’ll find. One beloved option that was removed from the menu would be the Spicy Chicken Biscuit. The name gives it away, as the spicy chicken patty was served between the biscuit. Chick-fil-A had the combination of a great-tasting biscuit and the chicken that people loved.

Sadly, the spicy version of this sandwich no longer is served at Chick-fil-A. There's a Chicken Biscuit that can be ordered with the standard chicken selected. However, many of us preferred the spicy option, and Chick-fil-A perfectly added spice to the patty without needing anything else to give us a great biscuit sandwich.

10 Pizza Hut's Taco Pizza

via: yelp.com

One of the older Pizza Hut experiments that didn’t remain popular enough for the menu featured the Taco Pizza. Every pizza chain tries their best to deliver a new specialty pizza item that could give them an advantage over the competitors. Pizza Hut felt that a pizza with taco ingredients as the toppings could bring the success.

Not enough people ordered the Taco Pizza to make it a hit, but those who were able to try it still miss it all these years later. There’s something about having two of your favorite guilty pleasure foods merging together for one item. Pizza Hut would certainly find way more success today with the love for tacos just growing throughout the years.

9 Burger King's Funnel Cake Sticks

via: flickr.com

Funnel cake is a specialty treat that most people only have every few years. The food is associated with being at fairs, but you don’t see it elsewhere as much. Burger King tried to experiment with the unique food by adding their new sweet treat of funnel cake sticks to the menu.

The Funnel Cake Sticks were made for us to dip into the icing sauce for both a tasty and fun eating experience. Not enough people purchased it for Burger King to keep it on the menu moving forward. Most of us would love to see some more variety at places like Burger King, and the Funnel Cake Sticks would be more popular today.

8 Taco Bell’s Cheesarito

via: foodalyst.com

The Cheesarito is technically a secret menu item at Taco Bell today, but not every location will appease your request. Taco Bell used to have it on the menu as an official item. The Cheesarito featured melted cheese, scallions, and the beloved taco sauce, all folded into a soft tortilla.

It wasn’t as intricate as some of the other large items on the menu, but many people loved it. Taco Bell does have quite a few fan favorites that didn’t last on the menu in the long run. The Cheesarito is one of the top ones we’d like to see return to the menu full time for purchase whenever we want it.

7 McDonald's McHotDog

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The history of McDonald’s featured Ray Kroc refusing to add hot dogs on the menu despite many others stating that hot dogs would complement the burger menu perfectly. McDonald’s eventually went with the experiment of introducing hot dogs to the menu at different points in different markets.

The McHotDog didn't do well enough in the United States to remain on the menu. A few international markets still sell the hot dog. McDonald’s finding success with the signature burgers in recent years shows that the current customer base is looking for new items.

6 Wendy's Chicken Caesar Pita

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Wendy’s wanted to add a few stuffed pita items to the menu for more variety in the late '90s. Most who tried them would agree that the Chicken Caesar Pita option was the best of them all. It featured the perfect combination of chicken, veggies, and the Caesar dressing in between the pita bread.

The stuffed pita items didn’t sell as well as Wendy’s wanted, and they were removed from the menu. Things would work out better if they brought it back today. Pita bread has become more popular with various restaurants finding success with it. Wendy's Chicken Caesar Pita was tasty before its time and could thrive with the landscape ready for it today.

5 Burger King's Burger Shots

via: wikipedia.com

Burger King tried to make sliders a popular item for their menu when looking to compete with White Castle. The thing that sets White Castle apart outside of the Burger King/McDonald’s/Wendy’s competition is that they have their smaller sliders with customers eating many at a time.

A concept of Burger Shots was created to sell multiple sliders together for those looking to enjoy small burgers instead of a large one. Unfortunately, the public wasn't ready for it, and the sales went poorly. Many people would love to try the Burger Shots today as Burger King’s burgers have improved in general, and there’s a market for novelty items like this.

4 McDonald's McRib

via: cnbc.com

One of the all-time legendary limited-release items in the fast-food industry is the McRib sandwich. It's often the first name you think of when discussing fast-food items that we wish were available more. McDonald’s releases it for short times with ads indicating how long you have to purchase it before it's removed from stores.

The McRib sandwich featured a pork patty with barbecue sauce. This item isn't everyone’s cup of tea, but those who love it truly go all out to order it as often as possible when in stores. McDonald’s likely will never make it a full-time item since the limited release makes it a hot seller when it's in stores.

3 KFC's Double Down Sandwich

via: wikipedia.com

The unhealthy nature of the Double Down Sandwich from KFC led to it getting removed from menus faster than expected. Many people spoke out against the item, but it really was a delicious conception of food even if it's clearly not good for you.

Quite a few KFC customers still miss having the option to order the Double Down Sandwich occasionally when wanting to go overboard with a meal. The sandwich featured no bread as the two fried chicken breasts were the outer layers, with cheese, bacon, and special sauce on the inside. It was horrible for our health, but the Double Down Sandwich is a tremendous guilty pleasure.

2 Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets

via: businessinsider.com

McDonald’s remains the king of the chicken nuggets in the fast-food world. Many people do love Wendy’s chicken nuggets, but it didn't have the same success as the ones from McDonald’s. Wendy’s fans are still upset that the franchise’s best nuggets option is no longer on the menu.

Spicy Chicken Nuggets were once a popular option for those who love having some spice to their nuggets. Wendy’s now just sells the standard chicken nuggets with no spice unless you want to get a hotter dipping sauce. It just isn’t the same, as the Spicy Chicken Nuggets were the perfect item for hot-food lovers to enjoy Wendy’s.

1 Sonic’s Toaster

via: brandeating.com

One of the more creative items to not last long on a fast-food menu was the Sonic Toaster breakfast sandwich. This meal gave us all the standard breakfast favorites together in one incredible item.

Two slices of French toast served as the bread, with eggs, cheese, and either bacon or sausage in between them. The combination worked to perfection, as the separate breakfast items did taste well when placed together. Sonic removed the Toaster and had a standard sandwich as such with traditional bread. The eggy bread was the special aspect of the meal that created a tremendous breakfast sandwich we’d love to have again.

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