12 Fast Food Gimmicks That Wouldn’t Fly Today
Here's a look back at outrageous fast food promotions and concepts that would never make it past modern scrutiny.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Fast food chains have tried almost everything to grab attention, from wild menu items to cringeworthy marketing stunts. While some ideas were seen as edgy or fun back then, they’d be considered tone-deaf or bizarre by today’s standards. Here’s a roundup of 12 fast food gimmicks that belong in the history books — and not on today’s menus.
1. McDonald’s Hula Burger
Emil huang on Unsplash
In the 1960s, McDonald’s introduced the Hula Burger — a grilled pineapple slice with cheese on a bun — in an attempt to appeal to Catholic customers who avoided meat on Fridays. The idea flopped, as most opted for the now-iconic Filet-O-Fish instead.
2. Burger King’s Subservient Chicken
BrokenSphere on Wikimedia Commons
Launched in 2004, Burger King’s Subservient Chicken campaign featured a creepy guy in a chicken suit doing whatever you typed on a website. It was meant to promote their chicken sandwich but felt more disturbing than amusing.
3. Taco Bell’s Bell Beefer
Rob on Flickr
Taco Bell once tried to enter the sloppy joe world with the Bell Beefer, a taco-flavored ground beef sandwich on a bun. This confused customers who came for tacos, not burgers. After years of lukewarm sales, it quietly vanished in the ’90s.
4. McDonald’s McDLT
Jim Ellwanger on Flickr
The McDLT came in a double-sided Styrofoam container meant to keep the hot side hot and the cool side cool. While clever in concept, the packaging was heavily criticized for being environmentally unfriendly.
5. Pizza Hut’s Priazzo
Bukowsky18 on Flickr
Pizza Hut tried to go gourmet in the ’80s with the Priazzo — a deep-dish, multi-layered Italian pie that took forever to cook. Customers didn’t have the patience, and the massive dish couldn’t keep up with the chain’s fast-food pace.
6. KFC’s Double Down
Michael Saechang on Wikimedia Commons
Even in 2010, a sandwich with no bun — just two fried chicken filets sandwiching bacon and cheese — sounded extreme. Health experts slammed it, and while it grabbed attention, it faded fast due to health concerns and public backlash.
7. McDonald’s McAfrika
Rob and Stephanie Levy on Flickr
Released in Norway in 2002, the McAfrika was a pita sandwich meant to evoke African flavors. However, the timing was atrocious, coinciding with a severe famine in Africa. The backlash was immediate, with critics calling it insensitive.
8. Burger King’s Halloween Whopper
Mike Mozart on Wikimedia Commons
In 2015, Burger King dyed its Whopper bun black using A1 sauce to celebrate Halloween. What followed? Customers reported bizarre side effects — namely, green poop.
9. Domino’s Oreo Dessert Pizza
pietro lambert on Flickr
Domino’s once served a sugary twist on pizza with their Oreo Dessert Pizza — crushed cookies on a pizza crust with icing. It sounded fun in theory but grossed out more customers than it delighted.
10. Wendy’s Superbar
Jacob McGowin on Unsplash
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Wendy’s introduced a buffet-style bar offering Mexican, Italian, and salad options. It became a hygiene nightmare and slowed down operations.
11. Hardee’s Monster Thickburger
Gregor Smith on Flickr
This beast of a burger had 1,400 calories and flaunted its excess proudly with ads targeting “real men.” The over-the-top messaging didn’t age well, especially as America’s obesity crisis became more urgent.
12. Carl’s Jr. “Hot Girls Eat Big Burgers” Ads
BrokenSphere on Wikimedia Commons
Carl’s Jr. once leaned heavily into provocative ads featuring models eating burgers in bikinis. While they grabbed attention, they also sparked major backlash for objectifying women.