McDonald's has dished out decades of wild ideas, fan obsessions, and short-lived legends. Some items blazed in with hype and left just as fast, but wow, did they leave a mark? Let's rewind and relive the greatest McDonald's items that came, conquered, and left everyone wanting more.
Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich
Credit: Facebook
In 1979, McDonald's introduced one of its boldest menu moves: the Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich. It was designed for dinnertime only and was available after 4 p.m. It even came with a branded steak knife—yes, really.
Onion Nuggets
Credit: Reddit
Long before Chicken McNuggets took over the world, McDonald's took a crunchy leap with Onion Nuggets. These were made from real onion chunks—battered, fried, and totally snackable. They were the brainchild of René Arend, the same chef who once cooked for Queen Elizabeth II.
McRib
Credit: Facebook
One day, it's gone; the next, it's back—and suddenly, everyone's acting like it's barbecue Christmas. That's the power of the McRib. It vanished in 1985, but fans refused to let it fade. It occasionally drops in like a seasonal celebrity.
Arch Deluxe
Credit: X
McDonald's went full grown-up in 1996 with the Arch Deluxe—a burger designed to impress adult taste buds. It had a quarter-pound patty, peppered bacon, Dijonnaise, and a fancy potato flour bun, so you felt like you'd leveled up. The burger was launched with a $300 million push but didn't last.
Chicken Selects
Credit: flickr
Unlike the bite-sized McNuggets, Chicken Selects were thick, crispy strips made from whole cuts of white meat. Their irregular shapes gave them a hand-breaded, almost restaurant-quality vibe—more like something you'd find in a sit-down spot than under golden arches. They were seasoned with a bold, peppery blend and served with upscale dipping sauces like creamy ranch and chipotle BBQ.
Szechuan Sauce
Credit: Reddit
In 1998, McDonald's introduced a Szechuan dipping Sauce to hype the release of Disney's Mulan. Nearly two decades later, Rick and Morty lit the internet on fire with a single line, and fans went full sauce-hunting mode. The hype brought it back in 2017 (chaos) and again in 2022 (briefly).
Fish McBites
Credit: flickr
McDonald's took a detour from regular meat in 2013 and served up Fish McBites—a fun-sized seafood that made fast food more adventurous. It was made with wild-caught Alaskan pollock and wrapped in a golden, seasoned crunch, and it even made it into Happy Meals.
Spicy Chicken McNuggets
Credit: Instagram
The day McDonald's decided to give its nuggets a kick was fast food history in the making. Spicy Chicken McNuggets came in 2020—they were coated in tempura batter with cayenne and chili that actually brought the heat. And the Mighty Hot Sauce was pretty potent on its own, too.
McSpaghetti
Credit: Instagram
Somewhere in a McDonald's test kitchen in the late 1970s, someone clearly had a wild lunch break and said, "Let's throw spaghetti on the menu." It didn't exactly take off stateside, but the Philippines turned it into a fast-food legend with their sweet, hot-dog version.
Big Mac Bacon
Credit: Reddit
In 2019, McDonald's tried messing with the Big Mac–not in a bad way. They tossed in three thick strips of Applewood smoked bacon and made the already legendary burger even more irresistible.
Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry
Credit: Instagram
The Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry was released in 2023. It was sweet, bold, and totally different from the usual swirl. Some folks were all in, and others had notes, but either way, it made waves.
Chicken Snack Wrap
Credit: Facebook
It started as a humble wrap, but by 2006, the Chicken Snack Wrap had made its mark on the McDonald's menu. It quickly became a go-to for snackers and light lunch lovers alike. After a quiet exit in 2020, fans didn't let it go. It's officially set to return in 2025 as the McCrispy Snack Wrap.
All-Day Breakfast
Credit: X
The chain finally unleashed All-Day Breakfast in 2015 and allowed customers to crush hotcakes at 5 p.m. or choose a late-night Egg McMuffin without shame. Sales soared, fans cheered, and it was all good for a while until it ended in 2020.
Salad
Credit: flickr
Fast food and health don’t usually mix well, but no one gave McDonald’s the memo. In 1987, salads joined the menu, and by 2000, things got wild with McSalad Shakers—yes, salads in cups you shook like a protein drink before devouring them.
Super Hero Burger
Credit: Reddit
The Super Hero Burger was a three-patty, double-cheese, sub-bun item loaded with lettuce, tomato, onions, and mayo. It launched alongside Batman Forever and felt like a fast-food comic book crossover.
