Discontinued Fast Food Breakfast Items We Wish Would Make A Comeback
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day ... or so they say. To be sure, eating something relatively soon upon waking up to break your overnight fast (just like the name implies!) is crucial. But there's also no indisputable evidence that breakfast is of greater necessity to one's overall health than any other meal. Given this, we can't necessarily agree with the notion that breakfast is of unrivaled importance compared to lunch or dinner — though we may be inclined to declare it's a more delicious group of options than its afternoon and evening counterparts.
Quite frankly, when it comes to the most delectable variety of food choices, it's tough to top the morning's menu selections. Between eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, home fries, donuts, muffins, croissants, and many (many) more, we think it's crystal clear why we (and many others) are so partial to breakfast foods — particularly fast food breakfast items.
Now, while there are plenty of top-notch fast food breakfast items available to consumers, not every a.m. fast food favorite has survived over the long haul. In fact, there's no shortage of discontinued fast food breakfast items — many of which we'd love to see make a triumphant return to the fast food world. On that note, we compiled a list of the more notable, no-longer-sold breakfast offerings, and present those discontinued fast food breakfast items we wish would make a comeback.
Egg White Delight (McDonald's)
Life hasn't been easy for the health-conscious fast food seeker in recent years, especially those folks most fond of McDonald's. After all, when the fast food chain simplified its menu at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, a number of healthier options received the boot. Now, while a smaller menu led to noticeable improvements at many McDonald's locations (that's good!), the success also caused the company to decide against reintroducing many of its temporarily-removed items (that's bad). And consequently, several products, like the Egg White Delight, became permanently discontinued.
Actually, while pointing a finger at COVID-19 as the sole culprit for the Egg White Delight's discontinuation is convenient, the reality is a bit less linear. For one thing, the breakfast sandwich was officially discontinued nationally back in 2018 (though it remained available at select locations). Additionally, McDonald's deliberate shift away from healthy (and often time-consuming to prepare) menu options since 2020 means it's hardly a stretch to say the pandemic was the final nail in the Egg White Delight's coffin.
We can't say whether this lighter McMuffin-type breakfast sandwich will ever make a comeback, but we can say with absolute conviction that we'd love nothing more than to see it return to menus. In fact, if that day ever comes? We'll be lining up outside our nearest Mickey D's in anticipation.
Donut Fries (Dunkin')
We're not entirely sure why someone in the quick-service-restaurant industry began describing long, thinly-cut foods ... that aren't potatoes ... as fries. But as evidenced by Burger King's popular Chicken Fries, non-spud-based fries have carved a niche within the modern fast food world. Of course, the evolution of what a fry can be is easy to accept when those non-potato versions are exceptionally tasty — as was the case with Dunkin's short-lived (but brilliant) Donut Fries.
Introduced in July 2018, Dunkin's glorious Donut Fries were an undeniable hit with consumers. The warm, cinnamon-sugar-coated breakfast item even inspired a copycat of sorts from McDonald's the following year — a move the fast food coffee chain was "not surprised to see ... given [Donut Fries'] popularity with customers," as Dunkin' spokesperson Michelle King told CNBC in 2019.
Frankly, Dunkin' admitting its Donut Fries were immensely well-liked only makes its discontinuation all the more baffling (and painful). We see no reason the company couldn't have deviated from its original plan for this fast food breakfast item (as a limited-time product), and remain deeply disappointed by its removal from menus.
Breakfast Waffle Sandwich (Jack in the Box)
Ever since McDonald's introduced the McGriddle in 2003, fast food breakfast purveyors have been eagerly chasing after customers interested in a sweet-and-salty sandwich. This includes Jack in the Box, which attempted to mimic the McGriddle concept (and potentially overtake its popularity) with its previously-offered breakfast waffle sandwich (introduced in 2012). Unfortunately, this uniquely tasty fast food breakfast item fell flat in the long run, and was quietly discontinued at some point after its introduction.
Now, the only definitive proof we could find to demonstrate this product's discontinuation was on the Jack in the Box menu, where no breakfast waffle sandwich was listed as of April 2023. In fact, we weren't able to find any real specifics behind this item's demise, though that's often the case when a company unceremoniously discontinues a product.
In that sense, we can't say for certain when or why this fast food sandwich (which actually used a half-waffle half-pancake, rather than whole waffles) failed to endure. But with such little fanfare surrounding its disappearance from the Jack in the Box menu, we aren't holding our breath for a comeback (though we will cross our fingers).
Steak, Egg, and Tomatillo Wrap (Starbucks)
To be perfectly honest, we tend to avoid Starbucks when we're looking to purchase breakfast. We're not entirely sure why, and we genuinely don't mean to disparage the fast food coffee behemoth's breakfast offerings. But we also can't pretend we've ever been especially keen on Starbucks' breakfast fare — namely, its sandwiches. Then again, we might be more willing to frequent Starbucks when hankering for a breakfast sandwich if it hadn't removed its steak, egg, and tomatillo wrap at some point after its 2017 debut.
Of course, while we recall finding the steak, egg, and tomatillo wrap to be a fairly tasty treat when trying it years ago, we'd have to imagine it wasn't enormously popular (hence its discontinuation). Perhaps some customers were turned off by the idea of consuming Starbucks-sold beef, given the unlikelihood the steak was cooked in-house.
Regardless of any inferred rationale for its discontinuation, we weren't the only ones disappointed by its removal from menus (as demonstrated by several comments on a 2018 Reddit thread). So while it may not be available as of April 2023, if it ever returns? We know who we'll be waiting with.
Breakfast Shots (Burger King)
White Castle tends to dominate the public's imagination when it comes to sliders, like the ones famously enjoyed by Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) back in 2004. Of course, while the fast food chain makes these burgers seem simple, the product is incredibly tricky to nail – as Burger King discovered when it briefly sold sliders (called Burger Shots) in the late 2000s. But we're not interested in Burger Shots at the moment; instead, we're intrigued by its companion Breakfast Shots — a discontinued fast food breakfast item we'd love to see make a comeback.
Despite the similar nomenclature used for both varieties, Burger King's Breakfast Shots weren't actually morning burgers. Rather, it was a set of mini egg, cheese, and (your choice of) meat sandwiches served on the same small set of buns as the burger alternative.
The presence of an additional cheese sauce alongside the standard slice of American made the Breakfast Shots just distinctive enough to stand out in our experience. Frankly, that just may explain our desire to see it return to the (not) royal fast food chain's menu.
Biscuit Tacos (Taco Bell)
Considering how well Taco Bell does lunch and dinner, we wouldn't fault the fast food chain for simply refurbishing its beloved menu items for the breakfast market. But replacing seasoned beef with eggs in a burrito and calling it a day wouldn't be outside-the-bun thinking, so it's no surprise Taco Bell has offered some unique items since launching breakfast in 2014. Of course, not all of Taco Bell's innovative foods have remained over the long haul, including its discontinued line of breakfast biscuit tacos, which used a fresh-baked biscuit as a modified taco shell.
Similar to its breakfast waffle tacos (which, as clever readers likely deciphered, used a waffle to house its ingredients), the biscuit tacos were sold in several different varieties. There was the expected, standard option of eggs, cheese, and pork (bacon or sausage), of course. But a pair of biscuit tacos featuring a crispy chicken strip were also available — topped with your choice of either country gravy or a jalapeño honey sauce.
Now, while we're not sure when (or precisely why) the biscuit taco line was removed from Taco Bell's breakfast menu, it's nowhere to be seen on its menu as of April 2023. And while we'll always hold out hope, there's little reason to expect it the biscuit tacos will make a comeback any time soon.
Fruit and Yogurt Parfait (McDonald's)
Of all the fast food breakfast items we wish would make a comeback, we'd have to admit the (now-discontinued) fruit and yogurt parfait from McDonald's is the one we're least passionate about. Of course, that doesn't mean we never enjoyed this relatively healthy item (or, at least, healthy compared to a sausage and egg McMuffin). More than that, a lack of diehard (personal) love doesn't mean others aren't eager to see the fruit and yogurt parfait's return — including the several hundred people who signed a Change.org petition calling for its revival as of April 2023.
Now, unlike some other discontinued fast food breakfast items, there's no mystery surrounding the fruit and yogurt parfait's disappearance. After all, McDonald's has been quite vocal about the benefits derived from simplifying its menu during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which included removing several healthier items (like the fruit and yogurt parfait).
Unfortunately, with those items discontinued permanently as of June 2022, there's little reason to expect the fruit and yogurt parfait to reemerge — at least in the near future.
French Toaster Sandwich (Sonic Drive-in)
Which is the best-tasting breakfast item: pancakes, waffles, or French toast? Frankly, we decline to answer this chicken-or-egg-level question (at least in this article). Of course, if you're asking which of those three makes the best hypothetical platform for a sandwich, well, it's incredibly obvious: French toast (or the one made of actual sliced bread). In that sense, we're not surprised the French Toaster sandwich from Sonic Drive-In appeared positively scrumptious from afar — and wish it would make a comeback so we could sample it.
First introduced in January 2015, the French Toaster sandwich was quite literally just Sonic's Breakfast Toaster sandwich made with french toast instead of Texas toast. To be clear, that's not a bad thing — nor is the fact the French toast didn't appear to deviate from Sonic's formula for its classic French toast sticks.
Now, if the French Toaster sandwich hadn't been announced as a limited-time item from the start, we'd be more hopeful of its return. But as a fast food breakfast item that was always destined for demotion, we're not waiting with bated breath (but we are waiting).
Muffin Bun Breakfast Sandwiches (Carl's Jr.)
How do you top a breakfast sandwich that uses pancakes (or French toast, or waffles) in lieu of an actual bun or standard bread? We don't have the answer to that question, and neither did Carl's Jr. in 2016. After all, if the fast food chain knew the greatest path to topping the McGriddle, well, it didn't find it through muffin tops — though it certainly tried. Because that year, Carl's Jr. briefly offered breakfast sandwiches made with (you guessed it) muffin tops as the bread.
Now, by all accounts, Carl's Jr.'s muffin top breakfast sandwiches (sold with corn or blueberry muffins) didn't exactly light up the town. if it had, it's inconceivable to think the restaurant wouldn't have moved beyond the item's initial testing stage — or that it would be completely absent from its menu as of April 2023.
Still, we have to admit there's an admirable novelty to the fast food chain's decision to begin selling a pair of breakfast sandwiches made between muffin tops. So while we can't vouch for how satisfying this fast food breakfast item was, we can say we'd be giddy at a future chance to do so.
Veggie Egg White Patty (Dunkin')
Every so often, we find ourselves perplexed by a menu change made by Dunkin' (we're still feeling queasy from its breakfast tacos). Now, we wouldn't say fast food marketing strategy is our forte, necessarily, but we're not exactly oblivious to the whims of the 2023 consumer, either. With that in mind, we must say we still aren't sure why the fast food chain decided to discontinue its veggie egg white patty in 2022 — though we know we want it back in stores.
If there's an explanation for the Massachusetts-founded company's choice to remove the veggie patty, we'd love to hear it. Of course, that would require some sort of actual statement from Dunkin' regarding the item's discontinuation (something it not-so-coincidentally never released).
As it stands, the only real evidence of the veggie egg white patty being discontinued came from a 2022 Reddit thread discussing the fast food breakfast item's disappearance. Well, that and the simple fact the item is nowhere to be found on Dunkin's menu as of 2023.
Enormous Omelet Sandwich (Burger King)
Generally speaking, it's not our job to pick favorites when it comes to fast food. Of course, whether it's a discontinued product or a currently-available one, we still have our personal preferences. And if push came to shove, we'd probably place Burger King's eggs at or near the top of the fast food pyramid. It's likely no wonder, then, that we greatly enjoyed the chain's Enormous Omelet sandwich – so much so that we hope it someday returns.
First introduced in March 2005, the Enormous Omelet sandwich wasn't for the weak of heart (or those with a physically weak heart, for that matter). Containing cheese, eggs, bacon, and sausage — and sold on a similar tube-shaped bun as Burger King's Original Chicken sandwich — the Enormous Omelet sandwich somehow packed in more calories and grams of fat than a Whopper.
Now, we can't say just how long the Enormous Omelet sandwich lasted, but it appeared to be gone by 2010. Additionally, being such an extravagant, borderline-excessive breakfast sandwich, we're not sure we'd want to eat an entire one by ourselves, or in one sitting — but we'd surely make sure to eat one.
All Day Breakfast (McDonald's)
To start, let's address the elephant in this slide: all-day breakfast isn't a breakfast item, per se, so much as a portion of the menu itself. Of course, since few fast food breakfast items have caused a stir quite like McDonald's decision to offer all-day breakfast in 2015, we think it merits inclusion on this list. And seeing how this dream-like menu option had been discontinued nationally by 2022, we have no choice but to include McDonald's all-day breakfast on this list — and say we desperately wish it would make a comeback.
Initially removed to help ease operations for staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this seemingly-temporary switch "provided better speed of service and order accuracy for our customers," as the company stated on Twitter in June 2020. Unfortunately, the improvements found upon streamlining the menu meant McDonald's wasn't exactly eager to reimplement all day breakfast (at least on a national level).
Interestingly, as of March 2023, all day breakfast remained a reality at least one McDonald's location. Of course, even that restaurant only appeared to offer a select few breakfast items outside of the morning window — so it seems we're stuck making do with our memories.