As much as we love a classic Big Mac and fries, there's always something new to try at McDonald’s. Ever since the fast food chain was founded in 1940, it's been switching up its menu with innovative offerings to keep us coming back for more. But not all of its launches have been lucky enough to become permanent fixtures. From Mighty Wings and McDonald’s Pizza to the McDLT, these are the McDonald's menu items that sadly no longer exist.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover McDonald’s menu items that are no more – counting down to the dish we'd most like to see back on the menu.
Our ranking is based on reviews, accolades and the popularity of each menu item, taking into account sales, longevity and the reaction to the dishes at the time of their release (and discontinuation).
Fans have been calling for this barbecue-flavoured pork sandwich to become a permanent fixture at McDonald's since it launched in 1981. It's been discontinued and reintroduced in markets around the world on countless occasions; most recently, it returned to select US and UK locations in late 2024 – though, once again, only for a limited time.
The McCafé brand launched the perfect companion to its takeaway coffee in 2019: Donut Sticks. Positioned as a sweet treat to complement the predominantly savoury breakfast menu, Donut Sticks were essentially the chain's take on churros. The idea was to serve them warm to customers throughout the morning, although it seems they never lived beyond their limited run.
As you might have guessed from the packaging in this picture, the Super Hero Burger arrived in 1995 to coincide with the release of blockbuster movie Batman Forever. What kind of burger does Batman eat, you ask? Well, the Super Hero Burger featured three patties, two types of melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo. Oh, and not forgetting the all-important oversized 'super hero bun'. The limited-edition burger hasn't left the Batcave since the mid-1990s.
The Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich looks unlike almost any other sandwich in the McDonald's range. It featured a long beef patty served on a toasted French roll with slivers of onion and steak sauce drizzled on top. It was only available after 4pm and the chain produced TV ads to entice new customers to try it, but the sandwich hasn't been seen since the 1980s.
Believe it or not, Onion Nuggets actually pre-date Chicken McNuggets by five years. McDonald's trialled Onion Nuggets in 1978 and 1979 to limited success. Then, the story goes, chairman Fred Turner suggested chef Rene Arend switch his focus from onions to chicken – and the rest is fast food history. Chicken McNuggets hit the scene in 1983 and haven't been off the menu since.
McDonald's in the US released its take on KFC's Popcorn Chicken in 2012 and 2013 with the catchily named Chicken McBites. The tasty snacks were bite-sized pieces of battered chicken with light seasoning served in three shareable sizes. Once they disappeared from US menus, though, they never came back. However, if you want to taste Chicken McBites today, they are still served in New Zealand.
The McLean Deluxe, available in the US in the early 1990s, was 91% fat-free. It contained just under 0.4oz (11g) fat – considerably less than the Big Mac, which contains around 1oz (28g). Instead of fat, the patty was bound together with carrageenan, an additive derived from red seaweed, which also helped keep it nice and juicy. Despite this, it was eventually discontinued in 2000 along with the rest of the Deluxe range, which has been described as having one of the worst marketing campaigns in McDonald's history.
The Fruit & Walnut Salad was launched in the US in 2005 as a lighter alternative to desserts like the McFlurry, and it was unlike anything else sold at McDonald's at the time. Wholesome and filling, it featured apple slices, red grapes, candied walnuts and low-fat yogurt. Customers actually enjoyed it – so much so that it stayed around until 2013.
These days, you'll only find crispy fried chicken sandwiches at McDonald's restaurants in the US – but once upon a time, it was a different story. In 2015, McDonald's USA launched the Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich: a healthier-than-your-average handheld featuring a herby grilled chicken breast fillet, lettuce, a slice of tomato and a light vinaigrette dressing. Sadly, the juicy sandwich was phased out during the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn't returned to menus since.
No one likes a burger filled with soggy salad – and McDonald’s tried to banish limp lettuce for good when it launched the McDLT in the US in the mid-1980s. Its Styrofoam packaging had one section containing a hot beef patty and one half of the bun, while the other section housed the cool ingredients (including crisp lettuce, tomato, cheese, a pickle slice, sauce and the other bun half). It was discontinued the following decade, as the box wasn’t very environmentally friendly.
These sweet treats – which came complete with soft ice cream and a sticky sauce – disappeared from UK menus in September 2018. McDonald’s confirmed via social media that the decision had been made due to the sundae's lack of popularity, coupled with British government recommendations on sugar. Though the dessert is a distant memory in the UK, you can still find it in a select few locations around the world, including Qatar and Bulgaria.
The McHotDog appeared at various points in the 1990s and early 2010s in a few different countries – including Canada, Chile, Japan, the UK and the US – despite company founder (and franchise pioneer) Ray Kroc’s wishes for McDonald's never to sell such a product. The McDonald’s executive and franchising agent expressed in his autobiography that he had concerns about the unhealthy nature of the classic American dish. Just as Kroc had predicted, the McHotDog didn’t last long.
Inspired by the spicy, mouth-numbing flavours of China’s Sichuan province, McDonald's Szechuan Sauce was a sweet condiment that accompanied Chicken McNuggets. It first came out in the US in 1998 as a tie-in with the release of Disney film Mulan. However, it made a comeback for a short period in 2017-18 after it featured in an episode of the animated sitcom Rick and Morty. It later returned for a few days in March 2022 while supplies lasted, but it hasn’t been seen on the menu since.
When Fish McBites joined McDonald’s menus in the US in 2013, they became the chain’s first new seafood dish since the Filet-O-Fish debuted in 1965. The bite-size pieces of battered Alaskan pollock were served in a cardboard box with tartare dipping sauce, and they came in three sizes: snack, regular and shareable. Sadly, the innovative menu item didn’t last longer than a few months. All went quiet on the fish front until 2024, when a similar product, Fish Bites, made an appearance on UK menus for a limited time.
Long gone are the days when British McDonald's fans could look forward to a Big Breakfast piled with all the essentials: scrambled eggs, a sausage patty, an English muffin and a crispy hash brown. Sure, you can enjoy a McMuffin and a hash brown instead, but this was the only McDonald's dish that included creamy scrambled eggs. A tasty version of the dish is still available in the US, featuring a breakfast biscuit instead of an English muffin.
The Strawberry Cheesecake McFlurry launched at UK locations of McDonald’s back in 2016. It featured soft-serve ice cream, strawberry sauce and chunky cheesecake bits – but despite its deliciousness, it didn't stick around for long. In 2023, McDonald’s launched a similar Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry in the US for a limited time; however, reviews were mixed.
Nothing like today’s gourmet chocolate chip cookies the size of your hand, McDonaldland Cookies were small, crunchy biscuits similar to Animal Crackers. Launched in the US in 1974, they came in the shape of famous McDonald’s mascots including Ronald McDonald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, Birdie and Captain Crook. They disappeared in the 1990s, but you can still find them on the dessert menu in Australia.
In 2020, sweet-toothed snackers were thrilled when McDonald's USA launched a trio of new McCafé bakery items: the cinnamon roll, the blueberry muffin and the apple fritter. However, less than three years after their debut, they were unceremoniously axed from menus. Thankfully, though, the chain's chocolate chip cookies and baked apple pies are still going strong.
A sorely missed summer treat, the Rolo McFlurry was available at a few different McDonald's locations in 2012 – and in 2017, it came back on the menu for a limited time in the US. It featured soft-serve ice cream swirled with crushed Rolos (caramel-filled chocolate bites), and it was one of the most popular McFlurry flavours ever launched. Though it's yet to resurface, many fans keep their fingers crossed for a future comeback.
Remember when you could get Super Size Fries and Super Size Coke at McDonald’s? Bigger than a large portion, they first landed on US menus in 1987. A McDonald’s spokesperson told CBS News that 'menu simplification' was the reason the items were axed from US menus in the early 2000s. Others have since speculated that it was because the range didn't align with McDonald’s 'Eat Smart, Be Active' campaign, which launched in 2003.
Back in the 1970s, when McDonald’s was still figuring out its menu, you could get a hearty, carb-loaded dish called McSpaghetti at outposts in the US. One of the few McDonald's menu items that was tricky to eat with your hands, it featured pasta, marinara sauce, meatballs and grated cheese. It’s still available at some restaurants around the world – including the Philippines, where it comes served with a side of fried chicken.
Cinnamon Melts landed on McDonald's breakfast menus in the USA and Canada in 2007 and proved an instant hit with customers. Served warm, the bites of sweetly spiced doughy goodness were smothered in an indulgent melted cream cheese topping – and they became such a cult-favourite item that fans started sharing copycat recipes online. Unfortunately, they were discontinued around ten years later. In 2017, a petition to bring back Cinnamon Melts garnered thousands of signatures, but they still haven't made a return.
You can still enjoy this lip-smacking delight slathered on a classic Big Mac, but can you remember when McDonald’s brought out small pots of the sauce you could buy? Big Mac Sauce was first sold on the side in the UK and Ireland, where it launched for a six-week period in 2020. It then appeared in the US in April 2023 – again, for a limited time only. Research has suggested that the sauce was the top McDonald's dish people would like to see make a comeback, with 110,800 online searches from March 2023 to February 2024.
In 2014, McDonald’s customers in the US got creative with their fries thanks to three new seasoning sachets: Garlic Parmesan, Spicy Buffalo and Zesty Ranch. The idea for Shakin’ Flavor Fries came from a similar dish sold at McDonald’s in Asia. Some countries still sell similar items, including Sweden’s Shaker Fries – which come with El Maco seasoning (a bit like taco seasoning). In 2024, Canada got in on the action too, launching McShaker Fries in Ramen, Tzatziki, Masala and Churros flavours.
The Chicken Legend – a fried chicken patty, lettuce and mayo nestled in a ciabatta bun – was first introduced to UK menus in 2007. However, it disappeared when the chain rolled out a series of new items in 2022. The McCrispy is the closest item available these days, but fans say it’s just not the same.
McDonald’s usually leaves bone-in chicken to its competitors, but in 1990, it decided to try something a little different with Mighty Wings. These crispy bone-in chicken wings were sold in the US until 2003 – and they've returned twice since, though briefly. There are a few reasons why McDonald's stopped selling them, including their cost compared with other menu items, and the fact that their spice level was too high for some customers. You can find variations on the wings in some countries, including China and South Korea.
Healthier than your average fast food sweet treat, McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait saw fresh strawberries and blueberries layered with creamy low-fat vanilla yogurt and topped with crunchy granola. It launched in the USA in 2000 and was a popular side dish for years – that is, until it was quietly discontinued in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans are still hoping that it'll make a return one day.
This fancy fast food was introduced in the US in 1992 – and since then, it's appeared on menus in Canada and New England a few times during summer, when lobsters are abundant. The McLobster consisted of claw, knuckle and leg meat sandwiched inside a hot dog bun with shredded lettuce and lobster sauce, and its price depended on the value of lobster each season. It hasn’t been seen on menus for a few years.
After a franchisee asked for a bigger burger to be put on the menu, McDonald’s introduced the Angus Third Pounder in the US in 2009. As well as a generous patty, it had deluxe topping options such as thick slices of bacon, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. It was discontinued in 2013, as the toppings were reportedly too expensive. Angus burger options are still available in some countries, including Australia's Classic Angus. This features a beef patty with cheese, tomato, onions, pickles, mustard and mayo.
Can you remember this popular cheesy item? The Cheddar Melt consisted of a quarter-pound patty loaded with onions, teriyaki sauce and a rich Cheddar cheese sauce, all inside a rye bun. It was first introduced in the US in 1988 and was discontinued in the same year (though it made a brief reappearance in 2004). An adapted version of the Cheddar Melt is still available in Brazil, featuring a beef patty, Cheddar-flavoured sauce, soy sauce–soaked onions and a dark sesame bun.
Only a few will remember McDonald’s Pizza, which was tested at select restaurants in the US and UK in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. It was served in a personal size with four slices and came with toppings such as cheese, pepperoni, green peppers and onions. A slow cooking time, coupled with the fact that the box was too big for drive-thru windows, prevented it from becoming a permanent menu item. Just one location – in Orlando, Florida – now serves the throwback pie.
These seasoned, breadcrumbed chicken strips (which are different from Chicken McNuggets in that they’re less processed, larger and spicier) joined McDonald’s menus in 2004. They were discontinued in the US in 2013, at the same time as the Fruit & Walnut Salad and the Angus Third Pounder. Chicken Selects are, however, still sold in the UK.
By some estimates, McDonald's in the USA spent an astonishing $200 million (£154m) advertising the Arch Deluxe to an uncaring public. The whole point of this new burger was that it had a 'grown up taste' that would appeal to adults who wouldn't normally choose a fast food burger. McDonald's even had fine dining chef Andrew Selvaggio help craft the burger. However, customers new and old rejected the pricey new concept and the Arch Deluxe has gone down in history as a gigantic flop. Yet the burger itself was apparently a thing of beauty.
Fans were dismayed to see the back of the Snack Wrap (which featured a Chicken Select, shredded cheese, lettuce and ranch sauce, all wrapped inside a soft tortilla). The handheld treat debuted stateside in 2006 before being phased out a decade later. They were discontinued from UK menus during the COVID-19 pandemic – and haven't returned since. However, McDonald's has promised the return of Snack Wraps in the US and select markets in 2025.
This Whopper-like burger was launched in California in 1997 – and after proving a hit, it was rolled out across the USA in 2000. Similar to the UK's Big Tasty, the Big n’ Tasty featured a quarter-pound beef patty with tomato, lettuce, onions and ‘new sauce’ in a sesame seed bun. It initially cost 99 cents, but it was soon moved to the dollar menu. Unfortunately for fans, it was scrapped for good in 2011.
What could be better than cheesy loaded fries topped with crispy bacon bits? This indulgent take on a classic, featuring Cheddar and applewood-smoked bacon, launched in the US in 2019. Sadly, it was only available for a limited time. Some campaigned to have Cheesy Bacon Fries added to menus permanently, though they were unsuccessful.
Can you remember when McDonald’s sold fried apple pies? Based on a family recipe, these fruit turnovers were fried in hot oil for a crisp and flaky crust when they first joined menus in the 1960s. However, they were swapped out for a baked variety in the early 1990s. Some say the change was to make them healthier, while others suggest it was to prevent customers from burning their tongues. Locations in Hawaii (and one McDonald's in Downey, California) still serve the fried versions.
Now discover the best special McDonald's menu items around the world
Last updated by Luke Paton.