- today
Fast food in the '90s was full of bold, unforgettable menu experiments. We're looking back at some iconic treats, sandwiches, and combos that defined an era but can’t be found today. From pizzas fit for a party to breakfast bites and sandwiches in unexpected shapes, these items left a big mark on our tastebuds and nostalgia. Which classic fast food throwback do you miss most?
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00McDonald's is offering tender crispy chicken McNuggets and a new Szechuan sauce for a taste of the East.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:07And today, we're looking at fast food items from the 90s that have since been discontinued,
00:12remaining widely unavailable to the masses.
00:14It's bigger than pizza pizza.
00:17Bigfoot from Pizza Hut, a legendary value.
00:21Number 10, Cine Minis, Burger King.
00:24Morning.
00:25Here's a better idea.
00:26A fresh-baked biscuit sandwich or a heart of the bun, Cine Minis, now just 99 cents each.
00:31In 1967, Burger King fell under the ownership of Pillsbury, which in turn was acquired by Grand Metropolitan in 1989.
00:39Despite the corporate connections, it wasn't until 1998 that BK and Pillsbury collaborated on Cine Minis.
00:45Despite being miniature, these bite-sized breakfast items encompassed the best part of a cinnamon roll, the heart.
00:52Dunking these bad boys into an icing container was a satisfying, not to mention delicious, way to start your morning.
00:58With tasty icing, you put on your way.
01:01Right now, just 99 cents.
01:03It's what happens when Burger King and Pillsbury get together for breakfast.
01:07You can imagine our disappointment that fateful day in 2012 when we pulled up to the BK drive-thru and learned that these drops from heaven were no longer available.
01:16While the Cine Minis briefly returned in 2018 and were made available at a couple of Florida locations in 2024, they need a global rollout.
01:25When you have it your way, it just tastes better.
01:28Number 9, the Double Decker Taco, Taco Bell.
01:31Producing the nacho cheese Double Decker Taco at Taco Bell.
01:35That's big.
01:35On the heels of Mo' Better Blues, Jungle Fever, and Malcolm X, Spike Lee gave us arguably his finest work from the 90s, this commercial for the Double Decker Taco.
01:45It might sound like we're joking, and to an extent we are.
01:48When you wrap a soft flour tortilla in a crunchy taco shell with refried beans in the middle, though, the results deserve a director of Spike's stature.
01:56Speaking of stature, Lee brought along Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon to emphasize just how towering this fusion of flavors and sounds was.
02:04You guys annoying this, buy your own, buy your own!
02:06Following its introduction in 1995, the Double Decker Taco became a permanent staple.
02:12And by permanent, we mean it vanished from the menu in 2019, only seeing a couple of limited runs since.
02:17So, guys, do you approve?
02:24I'll take that as a yes.
02:26Subway is synonymous with the footlong, although not everyone has the appetite to conquer 12 inches in one sitting.
02:36Even the 6 inches more than some can handle.
02:38For those looking for a slightly smaller option, Subway served 4-inch sandwiches in the 90s.
02:44They're in for a shock when they see our new 79-cent round sandwiches.
02:47It wasn't just the size that made these sandwiches stand out, it was the shape.
02:52They were round, which might sound standard for any other eatery.
02:55At Subway, though, this was like walking into a parallel universe.
02:59If one didn't quite fill you up, the 79-cent price tag made seconds and thirds irresistible.
03:0579 cents? Not since you were a little kid has your lunch money jingled.
03:09They were also ideal for younger patrons, briefly replacing the 6-inch on the kids' pack menu.
03:14Their lifespan wasn't nearly long enough, but a comeback would bring things full circle.
03:20I eat three every day to help keep me strong.
03:22Number 7. Colonel's Rotisserie Gold, KFC
03:26I thought it was just excellent.
03:27Incredibly tasty, incredibly juicy.
03:29The Colonel's Rotisserie Gold Chicken at KFC.
03:32KFC was already the first name in Kentucky Fried Chicken.
03:36We mean, it's literally in the name?
03:38I love KFC.
03:39Having enjoyed such success with crispy poultry,
03:41it made sense for the Colonel to experiment with rotisserie.
03:44Colonel's Rotisserie Gold was every bit as appetizing as it sounds,
03:48blending special spices and herbs before being slow-roasted to perfection, as the ads read.
03:54Introducing marinated, slow-roasted Colonel's Rotisserie Gold.
03:58KFC invested $100 million into marketing the product.
04:01It seemed to pay off, as sales reportedly exceeded $100 million by October 1993.
04:07However, rotisserie gold items were reportedly, quote,
04:10a nightmare to execute, and sales apparently weren't high enough to justify the headache.
04:15It wouldn't be the last time KFC tested out grilled and roasted chicken,
04:19but we all know the gold standard.
04:21It's finger looking good.
04:23Number 6. Big, big bucket of spaghetti.
04:26Little Caesars.
04:27Two words to find Little Caesars.
04:29Pizza, pizza.
04:30Pizza, pizza.
04:31Okay, that was technically one word repeated twice,
04:33but for a brief window in the early 90s,
04:36this chain also tried to make spaghetti spaghetti happen.
04:39While there was a side option,
04:41the best way to consume spaghetti is in bucket form.
04:43The big, big bucket of spaghetti could feed your family for just under $10.
04:48The best part is that after slurping up every last ounce of pasta
04:51and licking the marinara sauce dry,
04:53customers still had a giant bucket they could use for storage.
04:56Two big pan pieces with more cheese,
04:59more pepperoni, 24 slices,
05:01or get a family-sized bucket of spaghetti with meat sauce.
05:04Now that's what we call more bang for your buck and your bucket.
05:07We guess those buckets are collector's items now,
05:09as they're all that remains of this menu item.
05:12Little Caesars introduces Spaghetti Spaghetti,
05:14two free side orders of spaghetti,
05:16and two pizzas with any topping, all for $8.98.
05:19Number 5. The McHot Dog.
05:21McDonald's.
05:22Hot dogs are hot again, and they're new at McDonald's.
05:26Hot dogs!
05:28Richard and Maurice McDonald started with a hot dog stand
05:30before shifting their focus to burgers.
05:33Ray Kroc eventually took control of the McDonald's empire,
05:36although few were more apprehensive about hot dogs than him.
05:39Kroc was iffy about the ingredients in hot dogs,
05:42believing such a product wasn't up to McDonald's standards.
05:45I like the sound of it.
05:46It sounded wholesome, and it sounded genuine, you know?
05:50Uh, I don't like these, um, gimmick-type names.
05:56About a decade after Kroc's death,
05:58McDonald's went against the founder's judgment,
06:01launching the McHot Dog in 1995.
06:03Seemingly proving Kroc right,
06:05the McHot Dog didn't last long,
06:07but the item gained something of a cult following,
06:10so much so that it can still supposedly be found
06:12at select central Pennsylvania locations
06:14and on Japan's breakfast menu.
06:16McDonald's might be a burger joint first and foremost,
06:19but we say throw this dog a bone.
06:21Hot dogs are hot again,
06:23and they're new at McDonald's.
06:25Hot dog!
06:26Number 4.
06:27The BK Broiler, Burger King.
06:29Although chicken burgers aren't anything new,
06:31they've reached new levels of popularity as of late,
06:34spearheaded by customers seeking healthier options.
06:37Burger King of all places was ahead of the curve,
06:40launching their first chicken burger in 1990.
06:42Burger King introduces a tasty new chicken sandwich
06:45that breaks the rules,
06:46cause it's flame-broiled all-white meat chicken,
06:49with lettuce, tomato, and ranch sauce on an oat-brand bun.
06:51The BK Broiler stood out at a time
06:53when most chicken fast-food products were fried.
06:56This broiled chicken sandwich presented a leaner alternative,
06:59and a mouth-watering one at that.
07:01Despite initially selling well,
07:03the BK Broiler was phased out in favor of the Chicken Whopper in 2002.
07:07So good, it had to be called a Whopper.
07:10You gotta have the new Chicken Whopper.
07:12Burger King went on to produce other grilled chicken products,
07:15but if they're gonna give Chick-fil-A a run for their money,
07:18it might be time to finally bring the BK Broiler back.
07:21Introducing the BK Broiler.
07:23For a chicken sandwich with that flame-broiled taste,
07:26sometimes you've gotta break the rules.
07:29Number 3. Fresh Stuffed Pitas, Wendy's.
07:32Wendy's Fresh Stuffed Pitas, in four mouth-watering varieties.
07:37May I take your order, please?
07:38I think I'll have a pita.
07:39Wendy's Fresh Stuffed Pitas.
07:40Feel good?
07:41Look good.
07:42While we're on the subject of alternatives to red meat,
07:45Wendy's added Fresh Stuffed Pitas to their menu in 1997.
07:49Options included Chicken Caesar, Classic Greek, Garden Veggie, and Ranch Chicken.
07:54The pitas were promoted as salads in a sandwich for, as founder Dave Thomas put it,
07:58those, quote, whose mobile lifestyles require more portable, convenient foods.
08:03We're introducing Fresh Stuffed Pitas at Wendy's.
08:05Yeah?
08:06Now Wendy's has pitas in four delicious varieties, like Garden Ranch Chicken,
08:10overflowing with crisp vegetables and big chunks of tender chicken.
08:13Really fill them up.
08:14The Fresh Stuffed Pitas were suddenly, and sadly, removed from Wendy's menu at the turn of the century.
08:19Despite only being available for three years, fans could still taste those fresh ingredients in their mouths.
08:25To this date, there's a vocal online community pleading with Wendy's to give their pitas a second chance.
08:30Why not try something different by revisiting something old, yet fresh?
08:35Your pitas are dreamy, Dave.
08:36I thought you'd like them.
08:38Number 2. Arch Deluxe, McDonald's.
08:41The new Arch Deluxe with bacon. October's taste of the month at McDonald's.
08:45Wanting to bring in an older demographic during the mid-90s,
08:48McDonald's embarked on what was said to be the fast food industry's most expensive advertising campaign ever.
08:54The product behind this costly endeavor?
08:56The Arch Deluxe, quote, the burger with a grown-up taste.
08:59The stone-ground mustard sauce.
09:01Mmm.
09:02The soft, comforting potato roll.
09:04I'm in the zone.
09:05All layered together in one symphony of taste.
09:08The taste wasn't the issue, as this mixture of beef, bacon, cheese, veggies, and sauce
09:13appealed to those with a more sophisticated palate, by McDonald's standards.
09:17The problem was that ad campaign, which was reported to be between $150 million and $300 million.
09:23Even with a then-unknown Jessica Biel popping up in one of the commercials,
09:27the Arch Deluxe didn't catch on as McDonald's had hoped.
09:30Arch Deluxe?
09:32Mmm.
09:33Care to join us?
09:34Introducing the burger with the grown-up taste.
09:37If you're going to spend that kind of money, maybe it's better to target adults and kids.
09:42Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
09:49You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
09:53If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
09:58Number 1.
09:59Bigfoot Pizza, Pizza Hut
10:01Bigfoot Pizza from Pizza Hut, with that special crust, delivered for only $10.99.
10:07Give Pizza Hut credit.
10:08They've never been afraid to experiment.
10:10Sometimes this leads to long-lasting staples like their stuffed crust.
10:14Other innovations now exclusively live in our memories.
10:17The Bigfoot Pizza certainly left a lasting impression with its taste, size, and that commercial featuring Haley Joel Osment.
10:24Huge, huge, large, astronomically big.
10:27Big would be an understable.
10:28Pizza Hut's answer to Little Caesars, this 21-slice, rectangular pie could feed a party at 12 inches by 24 inches.
10:36The Hut went all in on Bigfoot, not only spending millions on marketing,
10:40but also offering customers free blockbuster video rentals and HBO trials.
10:45Bigfoot!
10:46Two square feet of pizza and a tasty new crust, all for $10.99.
10:50Like the Arch Deluxe, Pizza Hut bit off more than they could chew.
10:54The Bigfoot Pizza thus fell into the stuff of legend.
10:56Although we can only hope it resurfaces someday.
11:01Bigfoot!
11:02Pizza Hut!
11:02From Pizza Hut.
11:03If you traveled back to the 90s, what would be the first thing you'd eat?
11:07Let us know in the comments.
11:09Introducing the burger with the grown-up taste, McDonald's Arch Deluxe.
11:13Pizza Hut!
11:13Pizza Hut!
11:14Batteries!
11:14Have a nice day!
11:15Member to the
Recommended
27:02
|
Up next
13:47
11:32
12:46
11:37
1:13
17:43
20:35
17:57
30:29