Discontinued McDonald’s Menu Items You Probably Never Knew About

Onion Nuggets

This discontinued item is one many McDonald’s fan just don’t know. Fried onions taste good, and nugget-sized options are always a good choice, so putting them together should have been a good idea. Mcdonald’s introduced them along with the Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich as a side dish of fried onions. They were onion rings without the circle shape. Perhaps people liked the circle shape so much that they never became a hit.

People on a McDonald’s subreddit said, “This isn’t that weird if you think about onion rings, but thumb-sized chunks of fried onion still seem like a bit much. Perhaps that’s the reason that this product only hit four test markets in the 1970s. Or maybe customers just went ‘onions? That’s a vegetable! That is NOT what I come to McDonald’s for, folks.” They decided to further pursue the other fried alternative, which was a Chicken McNugget (via Mashed).

Hot Mustard Sauce

Back in 2005, customers at McDonald’s briefly saw the rise and fall of hot mustard sauce. When it was discontinued, many customers felt angry at the sudden shift. They loved it because it reminded them of sauce you’d find at a Chinese restaurant. You can still find the sauce in select markets.

Don’t give up hope on the delicious sauce just yet, since it’s entirely possible you’ll come across it during your next road trip at an unassuming McDonald’s. According to a customer interviewing with The Takeout, “I believe it is available in certain regions, but the owner-operators in these regions vote on if they want it on their menu. Since McD is in super simplification mode as you can tell by their marketing initiatives, sauces are the most simple items to bring in and out of restaurants, but it’s all based on supply and demand.” If you’re lucky, you still might come across this delicious sauce (via The Takeout).

Fruit and Walnut Salad

McDonald’s doesn’t skimp on the healthy options. In 2005, they attempted to bring in healthier options to their menu with the fruit and walnut salad. Many people came back for the delicious, fresh option, which had candied walnuts, yogurt, apple slices, and grapes. Unfortunately, its popularity dwindled in 2013. The franchise realized people come to McDonald’s for the burgers, not the salads, and discontinued the item (via Business Insider).

Spanish Omelette Bagel

In the early 2000s, McDonald’s sold a Spanish Omelette Bagel. Many people didn’t like the omelet and found it tasteless and bland even though it was aesthetically pleasing. But users of the internet lamented the loss of the bagel and missed it, even though it wasn’t one of their favorites on the menu.

One Reddit user said, “I will do unholy things for the steak egg, and cheese bagel. A combo meal in the morning and I don’t have to eat lunch and a very light dinner will do.” It sounds like they revolved their day around this bagel in the hopes of saving money and having a filling meal (via The Sun).

The McLobster

If you were lucky enough to eat McDonald’s in the 1990s and loved lobster rolls, then you probably indulged in the McLobster. However, after issues with supplies and the realization that it wasn’t very profitable, they discontinued it. Sometimes, it’s still available in the New England region during summertime, especially when it’s doused in butter sauce. At the very least, it’s a strange McDonalds creation. Kirsten Hunter, a spokesperson within the company, said, “Unfortunately, the increased price of lobster per pound means we are currently unable to offer this menu item at a reasonable price for our guests.” The price of lobster was just too hefty at the end of the day (via MacLeans).

Mighty Wings

Back in 2013, McDonald’s introduced the Mighty Wings to its menu, which were chicken wings covered in spicy breading. Unfortunately, they never really got off the ground, and the franchise had to drop its prices to sell them. Afterward, they were discontinued and deemed not popular. It could never compete against the McNugget, and the franchise could never really find a way to make it work. When it was on the menu, you could get a box with five bone-in wings (via Insider).

The Angus Burger

Back in 2013, McDonald’s tried to make fancy burgers, though they didn’t end up working out. They introduced the Angus Burger to their menu, but less than a year later they discontinued it. One of the reasons has to do with the increase in the price of beef.

For a McDonald’s menu, the price was too high which deterred people away from buying the burgers. McDonald’s consultant Richard Adams said, “When you can get four or five burgers off the Dollar Menu, nobody’s going to buy the Angus burger. The Dollar Menu has become a real problem for these chains.” Since the burgers from the dollar menu were just as good, people never considered buying the more expensive burgers (via Business Time).

The McJordan

This menu item was inspired by the one and only Michael Jordan, the iconic 1980s and ‘90s basketball superstar. Because he was so famous, he had his own sandwich at McDonalds. But the McJordan was exclusive only to Chicago. The item didn’t last a very long time. The marketing team didn’t do a good enough job to let everyone know about this special menu item. To be fair, it wasn’t anything remarkable and was simply a cheeseburger on a sesame seed bun, with pickles, circular bacon, raw onions, and a tangy, delicious barbecue sauce.

Luckily, because it was so simple, it was easy to recreate by adjusting one of the burger options on the menu. The only thing you won’t get is the circular bacon, but you’ll get strips instead (via Mashed).

Chicken Fajitas

You might have wondered why McDonald’s tried selling chicken fajitas despite being a burger joint. In the 90’s, they introduced the chicken fajita and breakfast burritos, but soon after discontinued them. It was probably a good idea.

No one craving a chicken fajita will first head to McDonalds. But some users of Reddit even remember the fajitas fondly and wrote how “they were so tasty, and unique AND only 99 cents!! They were a much healthier option to have at McDonald’s too! I DO wish they would bring them back. Honestly, nothing on their current menu is even edible to me. But if they brought chicken fajitas back… I would go for that!” They went so far as to have a slogan that read, “a taste of Mexico… without the sunburn,” and bright, colorful commercials boasting the fajitas (via The 80s and 90s).

The Triple-Double Burger

This burger is also known as the Superhero Burger, which joined the menu in 1995. They purposefully coordinated it with Batman Forever’s release and filled the burger with delicious flavors and a lot of toppings. It had three beef patties, two slices of cheese, and other random assortments. Even though it had a lot of protein, it was removed from the menu in 1995. It didn’t even last a full year (via Cosmopolitan).

McPizza

Another time McDonald’s tried to add another cuisine to their menu was when they added the McPizza. It was introduced in the 1980s and lasted quite a long time. Originally, it was a family-sized pizza and then scaled down to personal size. Preparation took a whopping 11 minutes, which is a long time compared to other food.

In 2000, they discontinued it because it was out of sync with the fast food preparation, taking as long as sixteen minutes to make. According to the McDonald’s Wiki, “By 1991, the McDonald’s test markets for pizza had grown to over 500 locations before being placed on hold. McPizza was discontinued in almost all restaurants by 2000 because the eleven to sixteen-minute cook was out of sync with the restaurant’s reputation for fast service.” It was nothing in comparison to Pizza Hut (via The Street).

McSalad Shakers

Before they had their Premium Salads, McDonald’s tried to introduce the McSalad, which was pretty much a salad in a cup. They introduced it 20 years ago and then discontinued it after three years of poor sales. They had several options, including Garden, Chef, and Grilled Chicken Caesar.

According to Reddit, “These disappeared in a matter of weeks following the report that, with the package of dressing that they always included, they ended up being more calories than a Big Mac and fries.” That healthiness sounds pretty misleading. Some options were the southwest chicken salad, fruit and walnut salad, a fiesta salad, and more, but unfortunately, we will never see them on the menu again (via The Daily Meal).

The Big ‘N Tasty

Back in 1997, McDonald’s introduced the Big N’ Tasty to compete with the Whopper. Ultimately, it was a seasoned quarter-pounder that had mayonnaise, onions, lettuce, tomato, and pickle slices. In 2011, the American locations discontinued it, but it still sold outside of the USA. There were several reasons they discontinued it, including wanting to simplify the menu, deal with the obesity problem, and initiatives that did not align with a huge burger, including “Eat Smart. Be Active” (via Quora).

Cheddar Melt

Everyone loves cheese, especially cheddar. People thought this one would go well, but there was no such luck. It came to fruition in 1988 and was made of cheddar cheese sauce, grilled onions, and meat, all on a rye bun. People couldn’t get around this one, and it never really stuck around. In 2000, it made a brief comeback, and then in 2014 McDonalds in Wisconsin brought it back. But if you want a sandwich topped with cheddar cheese sauce, you’ll have to head to your nearest Arby’s (via Mashed).

McStuffins

The McStuffins was a 1993 version of the McDonald’s hot pocket. It was French bread stuffed with toppings like teriyaki chicken and pepperoni pizza. It pretty much sounds like a calzone. But McDonald’s should probably just stick to one cuisine. Unfortunately, it was discontinued shortly after it was released. A 1993 article from AP News wrote it was a “baked French bread sandwich with sauce and a choice of flavorings including teriyaki chicken, barbecued beef, pepperoni pizza, and cheesesteak” and was sold for only $2 (via Mashed).

Hula Burger

This is something that never gained any popularity, and for good reason. It did not last and shouldn’t have even been on the menu. In the 1960s, the franchise created the hula burger, which was a pineapple slice and cheese. It was a perfect alternative for the Catholics who did not eat meat on Fridays. McDonald’s has plenty of other alternatives that are meat-free. Many people preferred the Filet O’ Fish over the Hula Burger (via AOL).

Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry

Strawberry mixed with vanilla soft serve sounds like the a delicious combination. For a short time, it was released in the USA. Even though customers loved it, it was eventually removed. Since then, McDonald’s replaced the strawberry shortcake McFlurry with the Strawberry Shortcake Sundae. It was a strawberry shortcake after all, so how could you not love its deliciousness?

Some users of Reddit disliked it, however, writing, “I’m disappointed. I thought it was going to have a strawberry topping with it like the sundaes used to have. The pieces are really sweet and almost taste like cereal.” It was the perfect combination of sliced strawberries in a sweet and tart strawberry topping (via The Sun).

The Hot ‘N Spicy McChicken

It’s simple but delicious. This spicy chicken sandwich was taken off the menu in 2006, even though people liked the taste. Unfortunately, it was flavorless. Some franchises kept the McChicken, but it never had the pull that some of their other items have. Spicy lovers missed the spices. But recently, McDonald’s released three new spicy McChickens, each with its unique flavor. Even though they’re different than the discontinued item, at least there’s a little bit of flavor to look forward to (via Delish).

Bubblegum McFlurry

This bizarre McFlurry made its way to the McDonald’s menu quite a few years ago. It was aptly named the Bubblegum McFlurry and was especially loved by Bubblegum fanatics. Like many other McFlurry’s, this flavor was canceled. But people are distraught that their favorite McFluury is gone, and some are even signing petitions to bring them back.

The petition reads, “The classic Oreo and MnM McFlurry’s are outdated. We need to bring back this magical McFlurry filled with ice cream, blue bubblegum sauce, and marshmallows!” Hopefully, it’ll come back onto McDonald’s menus (via Change).

McLean Deluxe

This huge lean burger, made with less fat and less grease, was called dry by some McDonald’s customers. The burger had mustard, lettuce, ketchup, pickles, tomato, and a slice of cheese, though many people didn’t understand why this burger wasn’t as juicy as the others on their menu.

Mainly, the franchise wanted to create this fat-free burger because of the obesity issues of the 90s and people’s attempts to live a healthier life. The burger had seaweed extract, and the combination with water helped take out the fat, though it still didn’t have much success (via Medium).

McSoup

Would you ever go to McDonald’s for soup? Probably not. But other people did when it was on the menu. They likely took the idea from Wendy’s Chili and made their version of the McSoup. Not only is eating soup difficult to take through the drive-through, but you could go to any grocery store and easily buy a can of soup. There are better things to buy at McDonald’s that are more difficult to cook at home. Some users of Reddit wish it was still available, and wrote, “Like, it’s easy to heat up/freeze/keep in a warm state, it can be easily dehydrated during shipping, and it’s not too easy to make as a customer.” Because it’s so easy to have on the menu, they wished it were still there (via The Daily Meal).

The Arch Deluxe

This gourmet version of their regular hamburger made its way to menus in 1996. It was supposed to be a more “adult” hamburger, but it’s unclear why they labeled it like this. After its release, they quickly took it off the menu because people weren’t drawn to anything gourmet at McDonald’s. It’s a fast food joint, after all.

According to Eater, it was a huge flop. They wrote, “It was bold and upscale, featuring spices like pepper (ooh) and mustard (not yellow, but the stoneground kind — quelle magnifique). It was also the biggest marketing flop in McDonald’s history, with the brand spending an estimated $200 million to advertise a sandwich that very few people — especially not sophisticated urbanites — wanted to order.” They lost a bunch of money on attempting to get it off the ground (via Eater).

McDLT

First introduced in 1984, the McDLT had its custom-made container that separated the hot and cold parts of the burger. Even though it seemed like a good idea, imagine the waste it caused. Many people are worried about the environmental impacts in regards to polystyrene packaging. It was discontinued in 1991.

According to Quora, “The styrofoam containers were necessary to keep the ingredients at the right temperatures — paper would not insulate the hot ingredients and separate them from cold ingredients in the same way — yet they were not great for the environment. Apparently, in the 1990s, environmental activists began criticizing McDonald’s for the amount of styrofoam they were using, and the McDLT was removed from menus to help cut down on the use of non-eco-friendly materials.” This was enough reason to discontinue the burger (via Quora).

Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich

McDonalds tried something a little bit different back in 1979. The Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich was a long burger on a roll, topped with delicious steak sauce and onions. But for some reason, it was taken off the menu and discontinued in the 80’s. It couldn’t catch momentum and was much pricer than the other items. It even came with free steak knives.

On a YouTube video showcasing the sandwich, one person wrote, “Woe to those who have never tried this succulent burger. I was fortunate enough to have tried it in the early 1980s. It was excellent! The steak was more of a ground beef patty, but firmer. The slivered white onions gave it that little crunch, and the steak sauce was a sweet version of A1 steak sauce.” At least someone enjoyed the sandwich (via The Daily Meal).

The McFeast

You’d think something called The McFeast would be quite popular, right? Unfortunately, it was not. It’s just a sandwich. It’s just your typical McDonald’s burger with pickles, mustard, tomato, lettuce, and ketchup, all equipped with a special McFeast Deluxe sauce. People seemed to mainly enjoy the sauce.

When McDonald’s Australia removed the burger from their menu, a spokesman said, “While this means we may rest certain items, they’re not gone forever. We know there is a fan base for the McFeast out there and we hope they’ll give a couple of our other core items a try while waiting for its potential return.” Fans will have to sit and wait (via Daily Mail).

Beef Tallow Fries

There was a time when the McDonald’s menu had beef tallow on their menu as an addition to their French fries. It was a different flavor that many people loved. The beef fat was their secret ingredient, though it was difficult for vegetarians because they couldn’t eat the fries.

Now, the franchise uses vegetable oil so it’s suitable for all diets. One reason it was taken away was because of health concerns. They could then claim it had a much lower cholesterol and fat content (via Eat This).

Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich

This item was first introduced in 2015 but was quickly taken down in 2020 due to the pandemic. People loved the classic McChicken too much to keep this one around. McDonalds wanted to focus more on its trademark burgers, so they ended up leaving this one by the wayside.

McDonald’s senior vice president Bill Garrett said, “To simplify operations in our kitchens and for our crew, and ensure the best possible experience for our customers, we are working with our franchisees and local restaurants to focus on serving our most popular choices and will begin temporarily removing some items from the menu over the next few weeks.” The all-day breakfast menu and salads were also taken off the menu around the same time (via Business Insider).

Sweet Chili Sauce

One huge fan favorite was the McDonald’s sweet chili sauce, and despite customer’s love for it, it was discontinued. It does well elsewhere but just never gained much popularity in McDonald’s. It was described as a duck sauce mixed with red pepper flakes, making it slightly sweet and slightly hot. Even though it’s been off the menu for three years, you might be able to replicate it yourself at home (via Delish).

Mulan Szechuan Sauce

Back in 1998, McDonald’s released Szechuan Sauce to help promote Disney’s Mulan. Because the movie is iconic, people thought it would sell, though it didn’t do as well as they’d hoped. It was only available for a limited time when the movie was released until it was quickly discontinued. Even though it’s not on the menu anymore, it doesn’t mean people didn’t love it.

However according to the users of Quora, “Fast forward to 2017 when the animated television series “Rick and Morty” referenced the sauce in an episode, sparking a resurgence in interest and demand for the long-discontinued sauce. Fans of the show began clamoring for McDonald’s to bring back the Szechuan Sauce, and the company obliged by releasing a limited run of the sauce in 2017.” It looks like Rick and Morty had a lasting impact on the release of the sauce (via Quora).

Chicken Selects

Back in 2004, McDonald’s wanted to try out chicken tenders with Chicken Selects. It was hard not to fall in love with their crispy deliciousness, and since then, they’ve briefly returned but haven’t stuck around. In the USA, they’re hard to find. They had sweet and sour sauces, zesty buffalo sauce, and the classic honey mustard sauce. They left the menu from 2013 to 2017 and made a brief reappearance in 2020, when McDonald’s decided to switch up their menu in response to coronavirus (via People).

McSpaghetti

It’s not clear how you can eat McSpaghetti on the go, but in the 1980s, McDonald’s tried to get this Italian food on the market by serving up McSpaghetti. They also had a lasagna and fettuccine Alfredo option, but that doesn’t sound like something many people wanted in their to-go bag. Some users on Twitter wanted to turn it into a monthly thing and have it appear on McDonald’s menus worldwide (via The Sun).

Son of Mac

This is a much smaller take on the McDonald’s classic and was first introduced in 2007. Any version of this meal was bound for success, as it had all the same ingredients as the Big Mac and was a fast food staple. But the only difference is that it had one patty instead of two. You can still order this, but just order a regular burger with Mac sauce. It was discontinued likely because it wasn’t as fulfilling as a regular Mac (via The Food XP).

Eggs Benedict McMuffin

A marketing stunt that went wrong ended up with the Eggs Benedict McMuffin. There was no poached egg, even though there was hollandaise sauce on the egg. It didn’t last a very long time, especially because it wasn’t technically an eggs benedict McMuffin. It’s hard to make the original egg McMuffin better than that (via Eat This).

The McHotDog

The founder of McDonalds, Ray Kroc, would not have approved of the McHotDog. It was sold in the Midwest in 1995 and is still available in Japan. The reason Kroc would have disapproved is because he disliked hotdogs. They were likely doomed from the start, because Kroc claimed the franchise would never, ever sell hotdogs. He said in his autobiography, “There’s a damned good reason we should never have hot dogs. There’s no telling what’s inside a hot dog’s skin, and our standard of quality just wouldn’t permit that kind of item.” He’d be happy to know they no longer exist (via KTLA).