12 Drive-Thru Menus from the Past That Make No Sense Today
Old drive-thru menus used to have items and setups that don’t make practical sense today.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 4 min read
Fast food drive-thru menus have changed a lot over the years. Items that were once common have disappeared due to changing tastes, health awareness, and better technology. Looking back, some menu choices seem odd, confusing, or unnecessary by today’s standards.
1. A Salad That Was Just Lettuce
Poecus on Wikimedia Commons
In the 1980s and 1990s, some fast food chains offered “salads” that consisted only of shredded iceberg lettuce, a packet of dressing, and occasionally croutons. These salads lacked vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, or carrots. They were often served in a small plastic container with no nutritional value beyond fiber. Today, most chains offer more balanced and colorful salads with fresh ingredients.
2. The 39-Cent Taco
Popo le Chien on Wikimedia Commons
Chains like Taco Bell once sold tacos for 39 cents. At that price, it was difficult to understand how the ingredients were sourced or prepared safely. These tacos were small and often used lower-quality meat, which wouldn’t meet today’s customer expectations for freshness and transparency. Rising food costs and food safety regulations have made this price point unsustainable.
3. Kids’ Meals That Came with VHS Tapes
Sharon Hahn Darlin on Wikimedia Commons
In the late 1990s, some fast food chains partnered with movie studios to include VHS tapes with kids’ meals. Instead of toys, children received full-length films like Casper or The Land Before Time. While popular at the time, the idea became impractical as home entertainment formats changed. Today, this type of promotion is considered outdated and expensive to produce.
4. Menus with Dozens of Sandwich Variations
Infrogmation of New Orleans on Wikimedia Commons
Some chains once filled entire menu boards with minor sandwich variations. For example, roast beef, double roast beef, roast beef with cheese, and other small adjustments were all listed separately. This made menus harder to read and slowed down the ordering process. Now, simplified menus with customizable options are more common and efficient.
5. Breakfast Items Only Available After Midnight
Andy Li on Wikimedia Commons
Certain chains used to offer exclusive breakfast items only during late-night hours. Pancakes, hash browns, and breakfast burritos would appear on the menu between midnight and 5 a.m. This was based on demand from late-night customers, but it resulted in an inconsistent and confusing menu. Most chains now have standardized breakfast hours or serve breakfast all day.
6. Burgers with Extra Bread Layers
philippe.charles9 on Wikimedia Commons
Fast food chains like McDonald’s once introduced burgers with an extra bun in the middle, like the Big Mac. This middle bun served little purpose aside from dividing the ingredients. While it became iconic, many modern customers prefer simpler and lighter sandwiches. Health-conscious trends have moved menus toward fewer carbs and cleaner presentations.
7. Fried Seafood Platters at the Drive-Thru
Gerda Arendt on Wikimedia Commons
Some fast food restaurants, like Long John Silver’s, offered full seafood meals through the drive-thru. These meals included fried fish, shrimp, and sides like hushpuppies. While popular in certain regions, the complexity of frying seafood and maintaining quality made it less practical. Today, fewer drive-thrus offer large seafood meals due to cost and prep time.
8. Brightly Colored Sodas
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In the 1990s and early 2000s, fast food chains often promoted sodas in unnatural colors like electric blue or neon green. These drinks were full of artificial coloring and sugar. Many customers drank them without questioning the ingredients. Now, there’s a stronger push for natural ingredients and fewer artificial dyes in beverages.
9. “Healthy” Items That Weren’t Actually Healthy
U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wikimedia Commons
Chains used to label deep-fried chicken wraps or mayonnaise-heavy sandwiches as “lite” or “healthy.” These items had similar calorie counts to regular menu items. The labeling was misleading and didn’t reflect actual nutrition. Today, menus are required to show calorie counts, making such claims easier to verify.
10. Drive-Thru Pizza Pickup
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In the 1990s, some pizza chains experimented with drive-thru windows for full pizza orders. However, pizzas took time to prepare, often forcing customers to wait in their cars for 10 to 15 minutes. This caused bottlenecks in the drive-thru lanes. Today, most pizza places prefer pickup or delivery over drive-thru service.
11. Menus That Changed Without Notice
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Some fast food chains regularly change their menus without informing customers. Items would be added or removed without updates on signage or ads. This led to confusion and longer ordering times. Now, digital menus and app-based updates help maintain consistency.
12. Handheld Hot Pies
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Chains like McDonald’s sold small pies in paper sleeves, often filled with hot apple or cherry filling. These pies were served immediately after being fried, making them extremely hot and difficult to eat. Over time, safety concerns and customer complaints led to changes in how they’re prepared and served. Many now use baked versions instead of fried.