Fast-food flops
Do you recall these 11 big McDonald's menu fails?
Image: Lucas van Oort
Around 2014, McDonald's received a lot of criticism for not including healthier, more nutritious options on its menu, especially for kids. In response, the company embarked on a mission to create bubblegum-flavored broccoli. Needless to say, it was a complete failure. But this was not the only unsuccessful attempt to introduce new recipes and flavors. Throughout its several decades of existence, the Golden Arches has ventured into a wide variety of products that didn’t receive the expected reception. Do McPizza, Hula Burger, or McDLT ring a bell? Join us as we look back at 11 McDonald's products that were complete misfires!
1
McLean Deluxe
Image: Szabo Viktor
Remember the low-fat diet craze of the 1990s? Well, McDonald's was no stranger to it. To attract customers seeking "healthier" options, Mickey D's introduced the McLean Deluxe—a supposedly lighter burger than the Big Mac . The patty, developed by food scientists at Auburn University, was made with 90% meat and seaweed extract.
The company’s intentions were noble, but most consumers weren’t convinced by the "low fat but tastes great" slogan. Apparently, it was not tasty enough for the American palate and was ultimately pulled from stores in 1996 .
2
McHotDog
Image: sstoyanov
It doesn’t seem far-fetched for McDonald's to offer a hot dog on its menu. Yet, for many years, the company avoided it because Ray Kroc—the man who transformed McDonald's into the megafranchise we know today—had banned them on the grounds that sausages were of questionable quality.
Despite his reservations, McDonald's introduced the McHotDog in several locations in the mid-1990s. For unknown reasons, however, the product never took off. Have you ever tried it? What did you think?
3
McDLT
Image: Aaron Boucicault
No, it has nothing to do with Subway's BMT or the classic BLT sandwich. The McDLT, introduced in 1984, was a lettuce and tomato burger with only one novelty: it was sold in a Styrofoam container, separated in two, and you had to assemble it yourself.
The most likely reason for the McDLT’s demise was the backlash against Styrofoam in the late 1980s, due to its environmental impact. And let’s be honest—how many people actually want to assemble their own hamburger?
4
Hula Burger
Image: Irene Kredenets
Long before vegan options became popular, Ray Kroc attempted to offer a meatless option for Roman Catholics to eat during Lent. Introduced in 1963, the Hula Burger was essentially a cheeseburger with a slice of pineapple instead of a meat patty.
The idea was a complete flop and was quickly replaced by the Filet-O-Fish, which served the same purpose but was much better received by the public.
5
McLobster
Image: ucomedia
Believe it or not, McDonald's once had a lobster roll on its menu. Introduced in 1993, the McLobster was a sandwich served in a hot dog bun with lobster sauce and shredded lettuce.
Why did it fail? Mostly because of the price . Not only was it expensive for a fast food chain, but if you wanted lobster, you’d probably go to a seafood restaurant instead—don’t you agree?
6
Arch Deluxe
Image: HamZa NOUASRIA
Flavor-wise, the burger "with the grown-up taste" was decent enough, the problem was the marketing campaign that went along with it. The Arch Deluxe was designed for adults , featuring more sophisticated and expensive ingredients.
However, the ads showed Ronald McDonald engaging in adult activities and young rappers saying, "Yuck," which failed to resonate with anyone. The product flopped and was discontinued in 2000 . After all, no matter how old we are, when we go to McDonald's, we all want to feel like kids again.
7
McPizza
Image: dankeck, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
In hindsight, McDonald's should have stuck to selling burgers. But we have to give them credit for trying something different. In the late 1980s, the Golden Arches attempted to expand its menu with dinner options, introducing the McPizza. Sold only after 4 p.m. , it was heavily promoted through a major marketing campaign.
However, it was doomed to fail. Pizza takes much longer to prepare than a burger, and most people prefer to buy theirs from traditional pizza parlors. The McPizza was discontinued around 2000 and hasn’t returned to the menu since.
8
McPasta
Image: Lance Lozano
Just as pizza was a bad idea, offering pasta dishes at a burger joint was an even bigger stretch. Since the 1970s , McDonald's has attempted to market pasta, adding items like spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and fettuccine to its menu.
Needless to say, despite multiple attempts, all of McDonald's pasta products eventually flopped.
9
Onion Nuggets
Image: Brett Jordan
In 1975, a year after Burger King debuted its famous Onion Rings, McDonald's introduced Onion Nuggets. As the name suggests, this side dish consisted of small, fried onion pieces .
Unfortunately for vegetable lovers, Onion Nuggets were not as successful as their ring-shaped competitors and were finally removed from the menu in the mid-1980s. Just a few months later, McDonald's launched Chicken McNuggets, which proved to be a far bigger success.
10
McSalad Shakers
Image: Hermes Rivera
It seems that most of McDonald's attempts to offer healthier options were fruitless. The McSalad Shakers were salads sold in plastic cup-like containers that you had to shake to distribute the dressing evenly.
Although they featured three appealing flavors—Chef, Grilled Chicken Caesar, and Garden—McSalad Shakers lasted only a few years on the market. In 2003, the cups were replaced by traditional bowls, which, you’ll probably agree, make much more sense.
11
McDonaldland Cookies
Image: 三岁 陈
It remains a mystery why this item disappeared from the McDonald's menu, as it was a favorite among many for years. First introduced in 1974, this dessert consisted of crunchy lemon-flavored cookies shaped like the classic McDonaldland characters—Grimace, Hamburglar, The Fry Kids, Birdie, and Ronald himself!
McDonaldland Cookies came with the Happy Meal but were discontinued in the early 2000s , likely due to health concerns. The good news is, if you want to bring back this childhood flavor, you can still find them in Australia!
