Tastes of the 90s: Fast Food Items We Want Back

Fast food innovation peaked in the 90s. This was the era when McDonald’s tried to get fancy, Pizza Hut got into cryptozoology, and Taco Bell got spicy. The 90s were filled with incredible Frankenstein’s Monster fast food creations that vanished without a hit of when, or if, they would ever return. All of the items we’re reminiscing about today hold a special place in our hearts, we’d love to see them make a comeback.

McDonald’s Arch Deluxe was supposed to be their “grown up” burger. For those who wanted to set aside childish things and grow into a sophisticated adult, you could order this quarter pounder with a slice of peppered bacon, and a special sauce all on a split bun. While this burger definitely appealed to some people, it never took off.

As crazy as this is going to sound, Taco Bell’s Bell Beefer was awesome. Basically a sloppy joe with taco meat, this south of the border treat dates all the way back to the 70s when the folks at Taco Bell were still worried about alienating their Anglo-Saxon diners with far out items like tacos and burritos. As silly as the reason behind the Bell Beefer is, it was still a really tasty treat. Taco Bell’s probably never going to bring these back, but it would be cool to see them on a limited late-night menu.

Burger King’s Cheesy Tots have popped up sporadically since they disappeared from BK’s menu back in the 90s, but the King tends to keep these babies under wraps. If you’ve never been lucky enough to have the Cheesy Tots, they’re basically tater tots that are also filled with cheese. They’re awesome and for some reason they’ve been off the menu more often than they’ve been on since the late 90s. We’re guessing that keeping them on the menu 24/7 is cost prohibitive, but make sure you grab an order if you ever seem them on the menu.

In the 90s, Pizza Hut introduced the Bigfoot Pizza, a giant rectangular pizza meant for a party. This two foot rectangle of a pizza was cut into 21 slices, so there was no need to worry about whether you could grab seconds (or thirds). We remember the Bigfoot being pretty affordable back in the day, it’s a shame that it’s no longer on the menu.

Our younger readers won’t believe this, but at one point in time McDonald’s made pizza. And yes, it was called the McPizza. Known for their hamburgers and consistency, prepping pizza was a huge swing for this fast food giant and when we say they whiffed we mean they WHIFFED. The McPizza never took off because of wait times and inconsistency at various locations, but we’d honestly love to see something like this on the McDonald’s menu today.

In the 90s everyone was thinking outside the box, and it’s this kind of exciting thinking that led to the Wendy’s SuperBar. This all you can eat buffet had pasta, salads, tacos, and even dessert. It was awesome. While the SuperBar was great for families on a budget, it was cost prohibitive for Wendy’s who quickly kicked this idea to the curb.

Popcorn chicken is one of the greatest things since sliced bread, and there are nights where we stay up wondering why KFC stopped selling popcorn chicken on the regular. Introduced in the 90s, KFC’s popcorn chicken was a hit. Super crispy, perfect for a snack or as a meal, these bite-sized morsels of fried goodness just vanished from KFC menus across the country overnight. Popcorn chicken has returned a few times in the past, but the item never sticks around for good.

The Taco Bell Volcano Taco rocked. If you’re a heatseeker who grew up in the 90s then you know just how special this bad boy was. Introduced in the late 90s, the Volcano Taco had a distinctive bright red shell and was topped with lava sauce. That’s right, “lava sauce.” These were a hit with folks who love the hit of heat on their taste buds, but Taco Bell discontinued the item and as far as we know has no current plans to bring it back.

McDonald’s MIghty Wings were a hail mary pass to get some of that sweet Monday Night Football money, and they were pretty good. Available in three, five, and ten piece packs with a ton of different dipping sauces, the wings were crispy, a little spicy, and definitely worth the bucks. Even though there are some real fans of Mighty Wings, they cost too much to produce and were kicked off the menu and they’ve never made a comeback.

The Triple Deckeroni pizza from Pizza Hut was a true experiment in decadence. A pizza that was sort of a giant quesadilla that was packed with cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and whatever else you wanted. Launched in ‘97, the Triple Deckeroni was an off-shoot of Stuffed Crust Pizza but instead of using a thick crust, this was made of multiple thin crusts. It’s honestly a great little pizza, but it was removed from the menu in the 2000s and it’s never been brought back.