Fans Told Mashed What They Think Is McDonalds' Biggest Fail So Far - Exclusive Survey
In a climate where fast food chains compete to introduce the latest and greatest new menu items, it's interesting to note that some of McDonald's top sellers have been on the menu for over a half-century: the Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, and Egg McMuffin were all introduced in the '60s or early '70s. That doesn't mean, however, that Mickey D's hasn't had its share of flops over the years – anyone remember the McPizza? What about the Mighty Wings or McDLT?
We ourselves would be hard pressed to determine the biggest trainwreck in McDonald's long and storied history of menu mishaps, so we decided to go about things the (somewhat) scientific way. We posted a poll on Mashed YouTube, this one offering a choice of five infamous items: the McAfrika, McHotdog, McLobster, McSalad Shakers, and McSpaghetti. 17,000 people responded to tell us which one they felt was the chain's most epic fail and when the results were in, we had a clear winner: it seems McSpaghetti was not a fan favorite.
McSpaghetti is still popular in one country
If you don't remember McSpaghetti, this is because the American version was added to the menu in the '70s, then dropped in the '80s. It's still on the menu in the Philippines, however, and is similar in style to the spaghetti offered by Jollibee. Both Jolly Spaghetti and McSpaghetti feature a sweet sauce made with chopped hot dogs and are topped with shredded (non-Parmesan) cheese. Unusual by American standards, perhaps, but fairly standard for the Philippines. Even though 41% of poll respondents downvoted this dish, Filipino food is becoming increasingly popular here, so we may yet see the return of McSpaghetti.
McLobster came in second with 22%, since Mickey D's has no business trying to get that fancy. What's next, McWagyu? (Oh wait, Arby's already went there.) The McAfrika was third with 18%: This pita burger was only available in Scandinavia in the early '00s, but it failed hard on account of the name. As many pointed out at the time, it's really not cool to name a burger after a continent experiencing famine conditions. Down at the bottom of the list we find the McHotdog, something only 10% objected to, and the McSalad Shakers, voted biggest fail by just 9%. We wouldn't expect to see a reboot of either item any time soon, though, as hot dogs can be tricky for fast food restaurants to cook, while salad in a cup isn't nearly as convenient as it sounds.