Fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Burger King are always improving their menus, adding new must-have items to the list of offerings. But all of those fun new treats mean that some of your favorites will inevitably go away at some point. And while we love the new items, too, we can’t help but miss these discontinued fast-food desserts.
From the various apple pies we’ve lost over time to McFlurry and Frosty flavors that didn’t make it, you’ll love reminiscing about these fast-food items of yore. And for even more nostalgia, don’t miss these 19 Beloved Fast Foods You’ll Never Be Able to Order Again.
The Blueberry Pies are lovely, but real fast-food dessert fans will always miss the Cherry Pies from McDonald’s. This dessert seems to pop up on McDonald’s menus from time to time. The last time it was spotted was in 2017.
Burger King discontinued its sundaes this year, but what fans really want back are the limited-time Funnel Cake Fries. The chain called these airy bites of fried dough “hot, crispy, funnel cake goodness, fried sweet to crispy perfection and topped off with powdered sugar,” when it brought them back in 2019. They originally hit menus in 2009.
Back in 2020, Burger King revealed that it was discontinuing its Dutch apple pie. The dessert wasn’t a favorite in our fast-food dessert taste test, but a comeback could be BK’s chance to make this dessert better! Every fast-food chain deserves an apple pie (and yes, we’re looking at Taco Bell’s discontinued caramel apple empanada, too).
Speaking of fast-food apple pies, fans may remember that in 2018, McDonald’s changed its apple pie recipe to be healthier. We’re all for making smarter food choices, but let’s be honest: The old apple pie tasted way better. And whatever you do, steer clear of these 10 Worst Menu Items at McDonald’s.
We couldn’t mention the other apple treats without featuring this beloved Taco Bell item, too. That creamy apple filling and that perfectly crispy empanada shell? Our hearts will not go on.
Long before Shake Shack was an international megachain, it served a weekly custard flavor at its local stores. There were inventive shake bases like strawberry cheesecake or peanut butter. These days, the menu at Shake Shack stays the same, with only seasonal selections on rotation. (Right now, for example, Shake Shack is offering the Christmas Cookie, Chocolate Peppermint, and Chocolate Milk and Cookie shakes.) The creamy treats are still superb, but there was something fun about checking the calendar for upcoming flavors.
Speaking of Shake Shack, another casualty of the pandemic has been the chain’s blended concretes. Different locations had different mix-ins for the treats. During the pandemic, your only options were vanilla and chocolate frozen custard, sans toppings.
These mini cinnamon roll bites were the best part of visiting BK. Sadly, they’re no longer on the menu, despite an adamant Change.org petition.
While Burger King had the Cini-Minis, McDonald’s had Cinnamon Melts. The rip-apart treat was like getting the gooey center of a cinnamon roll in every bite.
And to keep the reminiscing going, don’t miss these 15 Fast-Food Menu Items You Might Never See Again.
This treat came with a 2000s-style music video. No, really. And the flavor doesn’t sound half bad! Recently Wendy’s introduced the Peppermint Frosty which is good, but one that could wake you up and be as thick and delicious as a Frosty sounds even better.
Putting bacon on everything is a time-honored American tradition. But Burger King took things too far when the chain added bacon to soft-serve in the summer of 2012.
This candy-filled treat was only available in Wisconsin in 2017. But considering the fact that Taco Bell already broke our hearts with the apple empanada, bringing back this chocolate quesadilla is the least the chain could do.
Cinnamon Twists are still on the Taco Bell menu. But anyone who’s tried them knows they’re fairly tasteless. What we wish we could have back is the Cinnamon Crispas, which were cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips. Yum.
Taco Bell just keeps breaking our hearts! This drink combined the beloved Taco Bell Freeze with the classic candy flavor that kept fans guessing. At one point, there was a Starburst freeze, too.
We have one more apple-flavored treat to add to the fast-food dessert graveyard. The KFC apple turnover was a fan favorite. But the only desserts on KFC’s menu now are chocolate chip cookies and for some reason, Bundt cakes.
If you were in Canada, the early 2000s brought you the Mint Ogre-Load McFlurry. In the U.S., there was the Swamp Sludge McFlurry. Whatever it was called, this Shrek-themed treat was a gimmick that worked.
When Costco added the acai bowl to the menu at its U.S. stores, the chocolate soft-serve was removed. If we could only have one item, we’d rather it be the chocolate one.
Meghan De Maria
