10 Fast Food Commercials That Were Pulled Instantly
These fast food ads aired briefly before getting yanked for being controversial, cringey, or just plain confusing.
- Daisy Montero
- 3 min read
Some fast food commercials make you hungry — others make you wonder how they even got approved. These ads caused enough backlash, complaints, or confusion that they were quickly pulled off the air. Whether they crossed a line, flopped in execution, or sparked public outrage, their short shelf life said it all.
1. Burger King’s “Whopper Virgins” Experiment
Bay Kadir Oguzhan on pexels
This ad showed remote villagers trying burgers for the first time, and people were not having it. Critics slammed it for being tone-deaf and exploitative. Burger King pulled it before the outrage could snowball.
2. McDonald’s “Dead Dad” UK Ad
SHOX art on pexels
This commercial tried to tell a touching story about a boy missing his father — then shoehorned in a Filet-O-Fish. Viewers called it manipulative and tasteless. McDonald’s apologized and took it down within days.
3. Carl’s Jr. “All-Natural” with Charlotte McKinney
Robin Stickel on pexels
It was more about bikinis than burgers, and that was the problem. Viewers complained it was overly sexualized for a food ad. Carl’s Jr. pulled it from several markets after backlash.
4. KFC’s “Fingers in the Mouth” UK Ad
Khaled Hossain on pexels
This ad showed people licking their fingers in exaggerated slow motion, which quickly grossed everyone out. It aired during flu season, which made it even worse. KFC yanked it after viewer complaints poured in.
5. Taco Bell’s “Drive-Thru Diet” Campaign
Vinícius Caricatte on pexels.
Taco Bell tried to jump on the diet train with a low-calorie menu push. The problem? It sounded like they were calling fast food healthy. The backlash was swift, and the ads disappeared just as fast.
6. Subway’s “Jared” Ads (Post-Scandal)
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Once the brand’s golden boy, Jared, became a public scandal that Subway could not ignore. After the revelations, Subway scrubbed every trace of him from their ads. It became one of the most dramatic ad removals in fast food history.
7. Dairy Queen’s “Tongue Stuck” Spot
Masud Allahverdizade on pexels
A man’s tongue gets stuck to a frozen treat in a creepy, cartoony way — and audiences were not amused. The weird visual turned off viewers instead of making them crave ice cream. DQ quietly removed the ad after it got too many complaints.
8. Pizza Hut’s “Fishy Smell” Commercial
Victor Miyata on pexels
This ad poked fun at competitors by saying their food “smelled like fish,” which did not sit well with anyone. Viewers found it mean-spirited and kind of gross. It aired briefly before Pizza Hut hit delete.
9. Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” Remix Fail
Wendy’s on wikimedia commons
They tried reviving the classic line in a modern rap remix, and it flopped hard. The awkward delivery and forced humor made it more cringeworthy than clever. Wendy’s pulled it before it did more brand damage.
10. Hardee’s “Bacon Fantasy” Ad
Polina Tankilevitch on pexels
This spot featured a bacon lover’s daydream that quickly veered into bizarre territory. Talking bacon strips and steamy close-ups left viewers more confused than hungry. It vanished faster than a lunchtime combo.