Some say failure is not an option. Here’s
where we’d have to disagree - the Top 10 Fast Food Items That Totally FAILED in America
(Part 3).
Taco Bell Bell Beefer When you want a break from the regular burger
and fries, your first instinct is to probably go straight to Taco Bell and get yourself
a crunchy taco. Makes sense, right? Well, as much as Taco Bell relies on a "think outside
the bun" motto, back in the 1970s, the chain conformed to the burger norms and sold its
own for a while. Initially introduced as a "chili burger," the Bell Beefer was practically
a hamburger that took everything good about a taco and put it in between two buns. Created
mostly to compete with other burger chains, this Sloppy Joe lookalike had taco meat, lettuce,
diced onions, and Taco Bell mild sauce. No matter how reminiscent it was to a high school
cafeteria lunch, the Bell Beefer still managed to gather a significant fanbase. However,
the fanbase wasn't big enough, and Taco Bell pulled the burger from the menu in the mid-'90s
because not enough people were buying it. Today, even though it has been over 20 years
since the Beefer went away, people are still not over it, and countless recipes are dedicated
to recreating this taco-burger hybrid. Burger King's Burger Shots Besides the Whopper, Burger King has come
up with a lot of original, successful menu items since it first opened its doors. However,
it has also delivered its fair share of failed copycat items in the ongoing battle with other
competing chains. Like when it tried to go up against White Castle on numerous occasions.
White Castle is one of the oldest fast-food chains in America and is well-known for serving
delicious sliders. Burger King, wanting to get some slider fame of their own, came up
with Burger Bundles in the late 1980s, then changed the name to Burger Buddies. They were
essentially sliders, aka mini burgers that came in a set of three or six - remind you
of any other fast-food place? Maybe it was because people weren't interested in buying
tiny burgers at a chain where you could get a gigantic Whopper, or maybe it was because
the ridiculously small patties reportedly kept slipping through the production broiler
time after time. Either way, the Burger Buddies did not last long. They were reintroduced,
again, in early 2011 as Burger Shots, and this time, with the choice of beef or chicken
patties. Needless to say, if it failed not once but twice before, chances are, a third
time won't be the charm. McDonald's Fried Apple Pie Apple pie in America is about as iconic as
it gets. So is just about any type of deep fried food. Put the two of them together,
and you have yourself a really delicious treat. And what better fast-food restaurant to market
such an amazing dessert than McDonald's. First introduced in 1968, the fried apple pie was
a deep-fried pie served hot in a cardboard sleeve - similar to the one we know today.
It was tasty, it was comforting - and it was also very bad for you - not much of a surprise
there. Then, in 1992, McDonald's turned the pie world upside down. McDonald's replaced
its crispy, delicious, fried crust with a much blander baked pie recipe. It obviously
caused great upheaval among the fan base, causing the eruption of petitions left and
right. Even though the new recipe was slightly healthier, it didn't seem substantial enough
to justify the loss of the deep-fried version, which angered fans even more. McD's latest
attempt to make the apple pie healthier was in 2018 when it changed the recipe yet again
and switched it with something that contains less sugar and fewer ingredients. While it's
still not the healthiest thing you can get on the menu, it's still a long way from the
yummy, crispy deep-fried pie we once could have enjoyed. Wendy's Superbar Have you ever wished you could just roll into
your favorite fast-food joint and eat as much as you wanted without having to worry about
the bill going up? Well, during the late '80s and '90s, Wendy's came up with one of
the best ideas - or possibly the worst, depending on who you asked, the customers or the employees
- an all-you-can-eat buffet! Named "the Superbar," the buffet included salad, fruits, a dessert
area with chocolate and vanilla pudding, a "Mexican Fiesta," and a "Pasta Pasta" station.
The Mexican Fiesta section was a taco bar where you could build your own taco with tons
of fixings. As for the Pasta Pasta station, it featured different types of pasta and sauces,
along with breadsticks. You could load up your tray as much as you wanted and as many
times as you wanted, for the mere price of $2.99. On paper, it sounds like a marvelous idea that
would revolutionize the world of fast-food, but in reality, it was a hot mess. Because
it was so popular, keeping calm and order inside the restaurant was no easy task. Employees
struggled to keep the buffet cleaned and stocked at all times while still performing their
usual behind-the-counter duties. And let's just say customers took full advantage of
the "all-you-can-eat" policy. As time passed, it became impossible to keep the buffet running
smoothly, and the last Superbar was closed down in 1998. Wendy's Bacon And Blue Burger Wendy's is known for having a lot of unique
and one-of-a-kind menu items. From their signature Frosty to the square hamburgers, the chain
has a lot of good things going for them. Much like the other chains, Wendy's is constantly
trying to come up with new and tasty products to stand out from the sea of burger joints,
and in 2015, it really thought it had hit the jackpot with the Bacon and Blue Burger.
This fancy delicacy contained special ingredients and uncommon flavors not usually found in
the fast-food world. It had everything to become a huge success. Blue cheese, applewood-smoked
bacon, tomatoes, a quarter-pound beef patty, onions, a special sauce, and a brioche bun
were what were waiting for you when you ordered this burger. Now, the problem wasn't with
the taste. The problem was the nightmare of trying to eat this burger. Let's just say
it wasn't the easiest thing to eat as far as fast-food goes. It was extremely messy,
mostly because of the large variety of toppings, especially if you were trying to sneak a quick bite on
your drive to work - it was impossible to do without reaching for the napkin stash.
Despite its sloppy and hard-to-eat nature, the Bacon and Blue Burger still ended up with
many disappointed fans when it was taken off the menu. While it may be considered a fail,
it gets an "A" for effort. McDonald's McDLT Don't you just hate it when the veggies in
your burger get warm? You know, as they should since your burger is warm? Well, if you
did answer yes, then you would've loved this brilliant McDonald's idea; the McDLT. Introduced
to the menu in the 1980s, the McDLT seemed like a rather good idea - on the surface.
It was a regular burger, only served in a double-sided Styrofoam container that kept
“the hot side hot and the cool side cool." On one side, you had your hot beef patty with
the bottom bun, while the other side stored the lettuce, tomato, and the top bun. All
you had to do was merge the two sides together and create your fresh burger. No more warm
and soggy vegetables! After spending a good six years on the menu, the McDLT was discontinued
following many complaints concerning the environmental impact of the packaging. McDonald's was already
facing public relations problems due to its standard "un-eco-friendly" packaging, but
the one used for the McDLT was next level. As a way of becoming more environmentally
friendly, McD's eventually moved away from polystyrene packaging, and since styrofoam
containers were necessary to keep the ingredients at the right temperatures, that meant we had
to say goodbye to the McDLT. Jack in the Box's Cheesy Macaroni Bites Macaroni & cheese is absolutely one of the
best American comfort foods out there! Many fast-food chains have tampered with mac & cheese
over the years, and in 2008, Jack in the Box was the latest chain to experiment with
a hand-held variation of the cheesy dish. They really thought they hit the jackpot
with these Cheesy Macaroni Bites. The bites were basically fried wedges of creamy Kraft
macaroni and cheese wrapped in a crunchy, tempura-style coating. They were sold as
a limited-time offer at participating locations during the Summer and gathered quite a lot
of hype during the initial announcement. After all, we're talking about fried mac & cheese
treats - who wouldn't be excited about that? They were touted as finger food that was "convenient
and portable." There was even kind of a weird claim surrounding them, saying that because
of their compact triangular shape, they were safer to eat while driving. Why would a shape
in any way affect your driving safety? No clue, but these salty, creamy bombs didn't
need any extra help becoming a fan favorite. It's still a mystery as to why these little
fried pockets of goodness didn't stick around and stay on the permanent menu, but one thing
is for sure, they had one heck of a ride. Burger King's Dinner Baskets Usually, when you go to a fast-food place,
the one thing you can expect is for the service to be fast - it's right there in the name,
and it's one of the most important features of the industry. But, there was a time when
Burger King wanted to defy the fast-food laws of time and test the waters a little. In
1992, the chain embarked on a bold experiment in an effort to "change the way people think
about fast food." Burger King started offering dinnertime table service as part of their
move to go slightly upscale, and it all revolved around the BK Dinner Baskets. Every day, between
4 pm and 8 pm, when you placed an order, they would give you a number for your table as
well as a little popcorn basket to munch on while you waited for your food. Waiters would
bring out the food in baskets to your table, just like at a regular fancier restaurant.
For as little as $2.99, you could get a Whopper Dinner Basket, a Steak Sandwich, Chicken,
or Shrimp, along with your choice of sides. You could choose between fries, baked potato,
and coleslaw or side salad. These baskets were accompanied by very high-energy commercials
featuring Dan the Whopper Man. But even the excessive yell-y ads weren't enough to keep
the table service around, and Burger King retired the idea after only a two-year run. Taco Bell Enchirito Taco Bell has had to bid bitter farewells
to many menu items over the years, some more heartbreaking than others. Like the time the
beloved Enchirito inexplicably disappeared from the menu in 2013. Probably one of the
most sought-after ex-menu items from Taco Bell, the Enchirito wasn't just pretty good
- it was better than that, it was exquisite. It became everyone's favorite enchilada-burrito
mashup since it offered the best of both worlds! Similar to a burrito, the dish consisted
of ground beef, frijoles (or beans), and onions in a soft tortilla and was smothered in sauce
and cheese, like an enchilada. Advertised as a re-heatable meal that came in oven-safe
packaging, the Enchirito was a true fan favorite, and its departure left very big shoes to fill.
But, Taco Bell didn't let us down completely; there is still a way for you to get your hands
on one. Just order it off the secret menu! If the employees don't know it by name, just
ask for a Burrito Supreme with extra beef and cheese, a side of red sauce, sour cream,
nacho cheese sauce, and for two sides of the three-cheese blend. Then you ask for all
the cheese and sauce to be on top of the burrito, then heat it up, and voila! You can experience
the goodness of the Enchirito, even though it's been years since being part of the official
menu. KFC’s Potato Wedges With so many fried chicken joints nowadays,
it's getting harder to pick just one favorite. However, before 2020, KFC had one little advantage
that set them apart from the other chains - its potato wedges. No other fast-food chain
had dared to go with the wedges; most were playing it safe with the classic shoestring
or crinkle-cut fries, but KFC? They used these as an opportunity to stand out. Sadly, the
wedges are nowhere to be found today. It all began when KFC started developing classic
french fries to add to their menu back in 2019. The Secret Recipe Fries were seasoned
with the same 11 herbs and spices used to flavor its famous fried chicken, and the response
was apparently very positive. So positive, in fact, that the chain decided to give them
a permanent spot on the menu. But, this meant getting rid of the beloved wedges - and that
didn't sit too well with a lot of people. While KFC called this switch a "welcome and
long-awaited change for customers," many customers did not agree. They took to the internet to
express their displeasure and anger, demanding that KFC reverse the change. It was the end
of an era for one of the chain's most unique sides, which had been on the menu since the
early 1990s. Stick around - just tap or click another great
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