12 Early 2000s Fast Food Items That Need A Revival

Most fast food chains are known for a signature item, or three, but modern menus seem to be constantly changing. With limited-edition additions or seasonal specials, it's not uncommon to see things come and go. And while some discontinued items receive a welcome farewell, there are many instances in which fans become disappointed because their favorite item has disappeared.

Even if an item only graces the menu for a short period of time, certain ones are able to pick up a cult following, especially at popular national or global chains like Taco Bell, McDonald's, and Burger King. During the early 2000s — an era of fast food innovation and experimentation — many items debuted that customers still remember with a good sense of nostalgia. From indulgent breakfasts and desserts to creative twists on classic menu staples, some of these foods made a big and memorable impact. Some of these were so well-loved, they are still reminisced about today.

When you think of Taco Bell, your mind might go to popular menu items like quesadillas, burritos, or tacos. But there's another category in which this fast food restaurant can sometimes impress its fans — dessert.

One of these instances came with introduction of the Caramel Apple Empanada, which first hit the Taco Bell menu in 2000. Like a traditional empanada, this sweet snack had a crispy, golden dough exterior, but was filled with warm baked apples and creamy caramel, similar to that of an apple pie. Despite it quickly becoming a fan favorite, it was discontinued in 2019.

Taco Bell, however, heard the outrage and brought back the empanada for a limited time in late 2024 on the Decades Menu, alongside other much-loved discontinued items like the Green Sauce Burrito and the Meximelt. After a few months, however, the empanada exited the menu once again, to the dismay of fans. But luckily for those who loved it, several copycat recipes are floating around online.

Long gone are the days of salads on the McDonald's menu. Today, the chain focuses on what it's best known for: burgers, fries, and sandwiches like the Filet-O-Fish. But the spring of 2000 brought a different story, when the chain introduced the McSalad Shaker.

There were three varieties — garden, chef, and the grilled chicken Caesar — that came in tall plastic cup containers with domed lids. The idea was that you'd dump the dressing into the container, give it a vigorous shake, and have a perfectly dressed salad. McDonald's spokespeople called it "revolutionary packaging," and touted the salad's convenience and portability.

So what happened to to McSalad Shakers? The item was discontinued three years later, which was sad news for fans. There are entire Reddit threads dedicated to reminiscing about this long-gone, healthier option — especially from vegetarians whose choices are limited at fast food chains. And though McDonald's kept other salad options on the menu until 2020, it seems that none filled the void left by the now-iconic McSalad Shakers.

In the spring of 2010, Burger King debuted its Fire-Grilled Ribs. The bone-in, slow-cooked ribs were available in three, six, and eight-piece quantities. Though the ribs were smaller than you'd expect, the flavor was smoky, sweet, and tender — just like you'd get from an authentic barbecue joint.

The ribs, however, didn't last long on the menu. In fact, Burger King ran out even faster than anticipated — after just a few weeks — due to high demand. In less than a month, the chain sold more than 10 million ribs.

Despite successful sales and popularity, the ribs never returned to the Burger King menu. The chain did, however, introduce a limited-time rib sandwich in early 2013. The pork patty was topped with barbecue sauce and pickles, and served on a bun. Though not quite the same as the bone-in ribs, the sandwich allowed fans to get their BK rib fix, if just for a short period of time.

The Black Jack Taco from Taco Bell lived up to its name. It featured ground beef, lettuce, shredded pepper jack and mozzarella cheeses, and Baja sauce, all encased in a jet-black shell.

Despite negative reactions to its launch slogan — "Black is the new black" — Taco Bell's marketing didn't seem to hurt sales, as favorable reviews started popping up on several food blogs soon after the taco's 2009 debut. At just 89 cents, it was also an affordable, low-stakes menu option for customers to try.

Although reviews for the Black Jack Taco seemed to be more mixed than some of Taco Bell's other discontinued items, you can still find avid fans that reminisce about its limited run. Others seem more saddened by the loss of the taco's signature Baja sauce — a zesty, creamy condiment that also appeared on items such as the Cheesy Gordita Crunch. A version of Creamy Baja Sauce is available in 12-ounce bottles for purchase at major retailers, so you can try to recreate your own, you'll just have to find some black shells.

Alongside breakfast classics like the McMuffin or the McGriddle, McDonald's launched its Cinnamelts in 2007. Similar to a classic cinnamon roll, they were made of knotted dough stuffed with cinnamon sugar filling — evoking the nostalgic tastes of classic monkey bread — and topped with a cream cheese icing.

The Cinnamelts quietly disappeared off the menu in 2017, much to the dismay of fans. McDonald's introduced regular cinnamon rolls in 2020, but the item didn't seem to ever fill the void left by the Cinnamelts — and not many years later, they were also discontinued.

Fans missed the Cinnamelts so much, an online petition was started to bring them back. Nearly 10 years later, there is still an outpouring of love for the item on discussion boards like Reddit, as well as on social media. McDonald's doesn't have anything similar to the Cinnamelt on its current menu, but maybe one day it will heed the call.

In 2006, Wendy's added four Frescata sandwiches to its menu, offering a non-burger alternative for customers. Choices included a club sandwich, roasted turkey with basil pesto, black forest ham and Swiss, and roasted turkey and Swiss. Soon after, the chain added an Italian variety with ham, salami, and Swiss, as well as a chicken salad sandwich. Each of the Frescata sandwiches was made using premium meat, sliced cheese, and fresh veggies — all atop a ciabatta roll.

Despite a Wendy's spokesperson claiming "customers are loving the new Frescata line and this is being reflected in our bottom line," the chain pulled the sandwiches from the menu in early 2008. Though customers seemed to love the sandwiches, some still dubbed the Frescata a failure. It seems Wendy's struggled with consistency, and was unable to keep up in the increasingly popular submarine sandwich niche — especially with competitors like Subway, Quiznos, and Jimmy John's offering more customization and variety.

In 2002, Burger King added the Shake' Em Up Fries to their menu. Customers were to take the fries' accompanying cheese packet, dump it into the fry bag, and "shake it up" to create a cheesy, indulgent side to go along with the chain's burgers and sandwiches.

Part of the fun of these fries was the ability to add as much — or as little — of the cheese flavoring as you wanted. Whether you preferred just a hint or a thick coating, the choice was yours. Plus, it was a relatively mess-free endeavor. The unique side quickly gained a cult following — however, the shaking concept didn't last long. By the following year, the fries became one of the discontinued Burger King items somebody out there definitely still thinks about. Several redditors still lament the loss, with avid fans recalling their fondness of the powdered cheese and french fry combo.

When you think of Southern-style chicken sandwiches, your mind probably goes to fast food chicken chains such as Chick-fil-A or Bojangles. But in 2008, McDonald's threw its hat into the increasingly popular fried chicken food trend ring with its own version, the Southern Style Chicken Sandwich – a fried chicken patty topped with pickles on a steamed bun.

Actually, customers claimed the sandwich was almost a direct imitation of Chick-fil-A's iconic sandwich. Though some Chick-fil-A loyalists said the sandwich wasn't as good as the original, others thought it was delicious, not to mention the additional perk that you could buy it on Sundays.

Although it gained fans, the Southern Style Chicken Sandwich was discontinued in 2015. But the McCrispy, which was introduced in 2022 and is currently on the menu, is almost identical — with the same fried chicken patty and pickles. That's good news for those who loved the Southern-named predecessor.

Burger King is probably best known for its signature burger, The Whopper. The original sandwich consists of a flame-grilled beef patty finished with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mayonnaise, and pickles. In 2002, to celebrate The Whopper's 45th anniversary, Burger King introduced the Chicken Whopper — a healthier alternative, with a grilled chicken patty replacing the beef.

This wasn't Burger King's first foray into chicken sandwiches, however. Its first chicken sandwich, The Original Chicken Sandwich, was introduced in 1979, and is still on the menu today. In 1990, the chain introduced a sandwich somewhat similar to the Chicken Whopper, the BK Broiler. Though alike in many ways, the Broiler — unlike the Chicken Whopper — had a ranch-mayonnaise dressing, and some people recall the chicken patty itself having a different taste and texture. The BK Broiler was discontinued in 2002 to make way for the Chicken Whopper, but now, there are no grilled chicken sandwiches on the menu. If you have a hankering for a chicken sandwich, you'll have to choose from one of the chain's fried chicken options.

First added to the menu in 2005, Chick-fil-A's Cinnamon Clusters were a crowd favorite. This sweet, gooey pastry was made up of six small cinnamon rolls baked together like pull-apart bread, and topped with classic white icing. It added welcome variety to Chick-fil-A's breakfast menu, which is more known for its savory items like chicken biscuits and breakfast sandwiches. If you're looking for something sweet during the morning hours, you'll have to opt for a parfait, or wait until lunch.

Customers and Chick-fil-A employees alike loved the Cinnamon Clusters for their flavor and fluffy texture, but they were discontinued in 2015. Even the chain itself seemed sad to see the sweet treat go, posting a farewell video on its social media channels. People loved this breakfast item so much that a Change.org petition was started to bring it back to the menu. Unfortunately for fans, the wait will have to be longer, as there has yet to be a response from Chick-fil-A.

Alongside famed desserts like the McFlurry, the apple pie, or its classic soft serve ice cream, McDonald's used to have another decadent indulgence — Brownie Melts. First introduced in 2009, this chocolatey concoction consisted of baked brownie cubes topped with hot fudge and cream cheese icing. The result was an ooey, gooey dessert perfect for chocolate lovers.

The life of this decadent treat, however, was short-lived. It was discontinued in 2010, only a year after which it was introduced, leaving diehard fans devastated — and sending it to the category of discontinued McDonald's desserts we may never get back. On the menu for a short stint in the early 2000s was another brownie-related item, the brownie sundae, but it too disappeared and never returned. To get your chocolate fix at the Golden Arches now, options are limited to a hot fudge sundae, Oreo or M&M McFlurry, or a classic chocolate chip cookie.

Burger King's current breakfast options are all different versions of the famous Croissan'wich, or croissant breakfast sandwich. The fast food chain, however, used to offer another iconic breakfast-time beast: The Enormous Omelette Sandwich. The sandwich quickly became one of BK's most memorable — albeit controversial — items.

This oversized sandwich was loaded with breakfast favorites including two omlete-style eggs, two sausage patties, and a good portion of bacon, topped with American cheese on a sesame seed hoagie roll. First launched in 2005, this sandwich totaled a whopping 730 calories, 47 grams of fat, and nearly 2,000 grams of sodium.

Despite being considered delicious by many, the sandwich was removed from the menu fairly quickly in the U.S. and is considered one of Burger King's biggest flops. Some people had qualms with the nutritional information, but fans considered it a worthy indulgence. Luckily for some, it is still available in some locations such as in Canada and the Bahamas — where it is called the Eggnormous Omelete Breakfast Sandwich.