Nothing lasts forever, but that doesn't make the loss of these fast food items any less
painful. Who'd have thought we'd ever miss a "chicken sandwich taco"? Or decaf coffee?
Keep watching for more heartbreak.
If you're a vegetarian who likes a morning cup of coffee from Dunkin' on the regular,
then bad news — because the iconic breakfast chain said goodbye to its
Beyond Breakfast Sandwich this year. Dunkin' claims the sandwich is still
available at select locations, but this is limited to just 10 states.
The Beyond Breakfast Sandwich was a staple on the menu at Dunkin' since 2019; it included the
plant-based sausage patty, an egg, and a slice of cheese on an English muffin. This was a solid
option for veggies in a world filled with meaty fast food. For now, though, most vegetarians
looking to stop through the Dunkin' drive-thru will have to stick to the sweeter menu items.
"Best part of my day is when I'm at Dunkin'. You think that's sad?"
"Yes, very." "Real customers know the holidays run on Dunkin'."
Basically every fast food restaurant with a breakfast menu is obligated to serve hash browns,
mostly because they constitute the only acceptable way to eat fried
potatoes before lunchtime. McDonald's hash browns might be the most popular, of course,
but Arby's potato cakes have always been an underrated option. Or they were, at least.
The folks over at Arby's have confirmed that potato cakes were taken off the menu in 2021.
Arby's might be known for its roast beef sandwiches, but they rock the potato game
pretty hard, and it's a real shame to see this menu item disappear. At least they won't
be forgotten anytime soon — in fact, there's actually a Change.org petition floating around
the internet calling for their return. You know what they say: be the change you want to see.
When it comes to the vast array of fast food breakfast menus, Chick-fil-A is pretty underrated.
Sadly, if you're the type who simply cannot go a morning without a good bagel, Chick-fil-A is
no longer the place to be. The chain decided to eliminate bagels from the menu this year,
streamlining their options to improve efficiency in a time of staffing shortages and supply issues.
While a chicken, egg, and cheese bagel sandwich might not sound like your typical breakfast fare,
it was actually a surprisingly good and filling way to start the day.
It's tempting to say "don't knock it until you try it," but, well… you know.
Over the years, Wendy's has tried to keep things interesting by offering unique
sandwich combinations, especially with their famous square patties.
One surprisingly delicious option was their Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburger,
complete with beer cheese sauce, fried onions, and all the fixings.
“Wendy's new pretzel bacon pub cheeseburger: you wanna smash
it right in your mouth. Hard." "Yeah, that's not the line."
The burger was accompanied by a chicken sandwich version and some Bacon Pub Fries,
too — but as of this fall, the unexpectedly tasty Pub menu is no more.
Currently, Wendy's are offering two unique burgers on their menu:
the Big Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger and the Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger. It's an acceptable replacement
for the Pub Burger for now, but fans of the chain will still mourn that particular loss.
Chick-fil-A has also decided that decaf coffee is a no-go as of 2021. Obviously,
decaf coffee is never going to be the most popular offering at any restaurant, unless you're at a
cafe or well-known coffee spot. Chick-fil-A's coffee doesn't exactly have a rave reputation,
either — it's not bad, per se, but it's not really remarkable, either. Are that many people really
heading to Chick-fil-A just for the coffee, and of those, are there that many ordering decaf?
Well, apparently not. Anyone looking for a warm cup of joe without any caffeine
will have to go elsewhere as of 2022, because Chick-fil-A
is all about the full-caffeine coffee. It's not as big of a loss as some of
the other menu items disappearing this year, but hey — it's a loss nonetheless.
Foodies across the U.S. know by now that 2020 was the year of the chicken sandwich wars.
Popeyes kicked it off with their internet-breaking chicken sandwich,
and basically everyone else soon followed suit. Even those chains that already had chicken
sandwiches on the menu decided to revamp them in the hopes of grabbing headlines.
Back in February, Burger King stuck the word "hand-breaded" in front of its classic
Crispy Chicken Sandwich and slapped it back on the menu. And sure, the tangible differences between
this and the old version are up for debate, but it's still a marked change to the original menu.
If nothing else, at least, you'd hope that the "hand-breaded" version would taste better… right?
Popeyes' decision to remove Cajun Rice from its menu was nothing less than devastating.
The chain recently decided to revamp its offerings, taking away this classic side
dish in the process. Mashed potatoes and mac and cheese get all the hype,
sure, but the Cajun Rice at Popeyes was an A+ option — one that will clearly be sorely missed.
Thankfully, copycat recipes still exist, should you want to make this side item
at home. But nothing beats going through the drive-thru and getting
all that deliciousness in a take-out cup within minutes. Cajun Rice is gone,
but never forgotten. Here's hoping that Popeyes decides to bring it back one day.
Taco Bell has mastered the art of taking a few staple ingredients and offering them
in as many combinations as possible. And one of the company's favorite ways to do
that is by taking two already existing menu items and mashing them into a new creation.
"It's alive, it's alive! It's alive!"
Take the Quesalupa, for example. It's crunchy, oozing with cheese, and undeniably delicious.
Unfortunately, it's also about to leave the menu for the time being.
2021 was actually the year the Quesalupa made its triumphant return, having first appeared on
Taco Bell menus as early as in 2016 and removed again some time later. And it's been a hit with
fans ever since — making it all the sadder that it's now destined for the scrap heap.
Still, Taco Bell loves removing menu items and bringing them back
for a limited time only, so maybe this isn't so much a "goodbye" as it is a "see you later."
Arby's has decided to remove a few of the chain's sandwich options from the
menu this year, the most significant being the Loaded Italian Sandwich.
This monster of a sandwich was loaded with deli meat, LTO, banana peppers,
melty cheese, and more. Sadly, it has now fallen victim to the Arby's chopping block.
Arby's has been streamlining its menu this year in an attempt to
remove unnecessary ingredients in its kitchens. Consequently,
the chain has also done away with the Pizza Slider and the Ham Slider, as pepperoni, salami,
and ham have been taken off the menu. Let's call this what it is: an absolute massacre.
It's hard to understate the long reach of the chicken sandwich wars.
Even Taco Bell decided to get in on the moment, even though their whole shtick is supposed to
be Mexican-inspired cuisine. The result? Say hello to the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco.
This unusual taco was a bit of a weak attempt for the chain — it featured a fluffy shell, a crispy
piece of chicken, and some chipotle sauce thrown in to spice things up. Honestly, the Naked Chicken
Chalupa was a better attempt as the taco shell on that one was literally made out of a piece
of chicken. Little surprise, then, that Taco Bell removed the former item from its menu this year.
It's worth remembering that this particular menu item was essentially a gimmick.
Now that the chicken sandwich hype is dying down, there's just no place for it.
In another effort to streamline its menu, Chick-fil-A has made a one-size-fits-all
for its frozen beverages: As of this year, Chick-fil-A only serves its milkshakes,
iced coffees and frosted beverages in a 16-ounce cup. While this isn't a proper
loss for the menu when that kind of mood strikes, now there's only one option,
which arguably takes some of the fun out of ordering one big shake for yourself.
Additionally, Chick-fil-A has done away with large Icedream cups and cones,
which is also kind of a bummer. This seems like a change that could be temporary, at least,
and even if it's not people will probably get used to it. But it does sting.
These days, the fast food dollar menu seems like a relic from the past,
since most of the mainstream fast food chains have opted for their own variation of a value
menu with items at various prices. But bless Del Taco for sticking to tradition
and keeping $1 menu options available for those looking for a cheap bite.
However, 2021 saw the loss of one Del Taco dollar favorite that had fans up in arms.
Yes, Del Taco has said goodbye to the Chicken Crunch Burrito. This item included chicken, rice,
and crispy tortilla pieces, and it was a delicious bite for just one buck. Gone too soon, indeed.
Wendy's has introduced and removed many beloved items from its menu
over the years. While 2021 didn't see any replacements that were too drastic,
the chain did remove one item that broke the hearts of many fans.
If you love drowning your Wendy's chicken nuggets in the chain's Creamy Sriracha, well,
sorry — because those days are over. Wendy's very subtly removed the sauce from its menu this year,
to considerable outcry on social media. This pushback might lead to Wendy's bringing the
sauce back one day, but for now, fans of the dip will have to find a new favorite on the menu.
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