15 Discontinued Fast Food Desserts We're Not Getting Back
Fast food chains dominate the food industry today. Many people have their favorites and love having their go-to menu items as part of their rotation. Aside from core menu items, many fast food chains thrive when it comes to satisfying the sweet tooth. Dessert items are excellent upsells that go with combo meals and also add sweetness to some of the more spicy or savory items that you get from the main menu.
Unfortunately, many good things must come to an end, as these fast food dessert menu items don't often stick around as often as we would like. Some of these desserts remained for years before being yanked from the menu, while others got pulled seemingly as quickly as they were created. Many of these desserts are infamous and have people petitioning and pining for a grand return. This guide will teach you about some of the most popular and interesting discontinued fast food dessert items that have come and gone throughout the years.
1. Taco Bell Choco Tacos
Taco Bell has a long tradition of both dessert items and cross-promotions. Many of the chain's desserts are Mexican-inspired (sometimes very loosely) to go along with the items on the main menu. The Choco Taco is one that the company had for several years before it was recently discontinued. It came out in the 1980s, inspired by chocolate tacos often featured in ice cream trucks. It was a frozen dessert item featuring a waffle taco shell, milk chocolate coating, and fudge, vanilla ice cream, and peanut filling.
The Taco Choco was a smashing success and a favorite in and out of Taco Bell. It was cross-promoted by Klondike and sold at Taco Bell locations all over the country. Klondike discontinued the Choco Taco in 2022, much to the chagrin of its die-hard fan base. The decision was made because Klondike had strong demand for its other products and had a tough decision to make. It was brought back for a short-term re-release the same year in 20 Taco Bells in California and Milwaukee. Taco Bell was blown away by the response to the discontinuation but said there are no definitive plans for bringing it back.
2. McDonald's cherry pies
Burger and fries and cherry pies. It's a combination so fundamental that these were lyrics from a popular song in the '70s. However, the strength of this combination wasn't enough for McDonald's to keep cherry pies on the menu. McDonald's has long been known for its hot baked apple pies, but cherry pies used to also be a mainstay. The company first released cherry pies in the '70s, and for years, cherry pies were sold alongside apple pies full-time. The cherry pie was eventually relegated to limited status before finally being pulled from the menu completely.
In 1992, McDonald's switched the recipe for its apple and cherry pies from fried to baked. While the apple pie hung around, this proved to be the nail in the coffin for the cherry pie. It's long been on the list of items that you had to be there for, and many McDonald's fans look back on the fried cherry pie with nostalgia.
3. Burger King Dutch apple pies
McDonald's has long been the fast food giant known for its apple pies. However, Burger King once threw its hat into the ring to go head-to-head with the McDonald's apple pie. This came in the form of a deep-dish, flaky, Dutch apple pie. Burger King's Dutch apple pie was wildly popular, which was why it was a serious blow to the public when the pie was removed from the menu in 2020. Fans loved the crispy crust of this pie, along with the contrast between the sweet baked apples and cinnamon.
Burger King never gave a definitive answer for why its popular apple pie was discontinued. However, it would appear that this was next in a long line of pandemic cuts that Burger King and several other restaurants had to make that year. Customers were crushed, and some even said that these pies were as good as the homemade stuff. In a taste test from Insider, the apple pie ranked heads and tails above several other Burger King desserts on the menu. Take the time to play taps for this beloved menu item, as it ranks highly among the list of discontinued fast food desserts.
4. Burger King Cupcake Sundae Shakes
What do you get when you mix the sugary goodness of cupcakes with the satisfying cold chill of a vanilla milkshake? Enter Burger King's Cupcake Sundae Shake, a discontinued item that first came out in 2009. It was made to compete with the popular shakes over at McDonald's, and all accounts were that this menu item was a smashing success with the public. This shake paired nicely with the Whopper combo or any other combination of burgers and fries you enjoy.
Customers clamor for the return of the Cupcake Sundae Shake because of the combination of the milkshake, whipped topping, icing, and sprinkles. When the shake was out, you had the chance to experience birthday bliss even if it wasn't your birthday. The shake was part of the cupcake craze, which began in 2000. Burger King rolled this item out to capitalize on it, replete with ice cream that tasted like yellow cake, and fans appreciated the rich and creamy combination. This is a fan favorite that unfortunately shows no signs of returning.
5. Shake Shack Concretes
If you have a Shake Shack in your area, you're probably used to quality 100% Angus beef burgers and quality milkshakes. The restaurant once sold frozen custard treats called Concretes. These dessert options came out in a variety of flavors and were popular among customers. A Shake Shack concrete was a frozen custard mixed with ice cream sold in a personal-sized cup. Customers were able to pile on plenty of toppings for these frozen treats, so they could customize them to their liking.
This puts flexibility into the hands of the customer, allowing them to start with a vanilla or chocolate base. From there, they could dress it up with any number of mix-ins. Like other fast food restaurants, Shake Shack had some tough decisions to make when 2020 rolled around. The restaurant trimmed its menu, and the Concretes were among the items clipped. Fans loved these tasty treats, but they don't appear to be coming back anytime soon.
6. KFC Apple Turnovers
KFC is known for its chicken, not its dessert, but the restaurant chain periodically comes out with unique menu items to compete with other fast food giants. The company has always had a willingness to try new things, including rolling out apple turnovers to compete with McDonald's and other apple pie offerings. KFC's apple turnover was a dessert item that paired well with any of the chicken items that the restaurant sells. It harkens back to summer picnics and barbecues, providing a hot, sweet treat to go with your favorite pieces of chicken.
The apple turnovers were extra sweet with a flaky crust and cinnamon. KFC served its pies hot, which was an excellent way to cap off your dinner. Though these pies were popular, they largely faded into obscurity after KFC discontinued the desserts. KFC still sells desserts like cookies and sundaes, but fans are still hoping for an apple turnover return.
7. Taco Bell caramel apple empanadas
Caramel apple empanadas were a popular dessert item that Taco Bell sold on its $1 menu. This was a dessert item that featured a baked empanada shell smothered with cinnamon and filled with baked apples and creamy caramel. Taco Bell sold these empanadas as a dessert mainstay for years before discontinuing them in 2019.
The company has sold dessert menu items for years, and the caramel apple empanada was a treat that fans enjoyed. Like KFC's apple turnover, it was a competitor to the apple pies sold at Burger King, McDonald's, and other restaurants, and the blowback from fans has shown how popular it was. A petition currently has about 6,000 signatures for people pushing Taco Bell to bring this dessert item back to the menu. The social media outcry was also massive on the day that Taco Bell announced this discontinuation. A few years have passed, and fans are still waiting, with no sign of a return.
8. Taco Bell Chocodillas
In 2017, Taco Bell unveiled the Chocodilla, a product that thrived on simplicity. As the name suggests, it was a quesadilla filled with hot, melted, gooey chocolate. This dessert came and went that year, without much buzz or fanfare. It was also part of a cross-promotion with Kit Kat and Twix. Customers had the option to fill their quesadilla with either melted chocolate bar in a similar dessert called the Chocoladilla. Other locations around the world used Nutella filling or melted chocolate chips.
Regardless of the variations, these desserts were largely the same and were similar to chocolate crepes. They weren't widely publicized and didn't last long, so you wouldn't be alone if you had never heard of the Chocodilla. It might not be the most imaginative dessert Taco Bell could offer, but it was on the dollar menu, which made it a decent snack. Nevertheless, it's highly unlikely that we will see a return of this chocolate treat anytime soon, if ever.
9. Burger King Cini-Minis
Burger King's Cini-Minis are not just one of the most sought-after discontinued items on Burger King's dessert menu — they're one of the Burger King menu items fans miss the most, period. These little cinnamon rolls came out in the late '90s and were pulled from the menu in 2016. The charm of these Cini-Minis is that they were just as fitting for breakfast paired with coffee as they were dessert items. Fans have circulated a petition with thousands of signatures in hopes to get Burger King to bring back the Cini-Minis.
As the name suggests, these were tiny cinnamon rolls, sprinkled with cinnamon, and drizzled with sweet icing. People with a sweet tooth used to love hitting the drive-thru window to enjoy Burger King's Cini-Minis, and many who hit social media in distress grew up on them. They made a brief limited-time return in 2018 through a promotion with Grubhub, but the restaurant has not discussed plans of bringing the Cini-Minis back to the full-time menu.
10. Taco Bell Cinnamon Crispas
Long before Taco Bell sold Cinnamon Twists, fans were treated to the Cinnamon Crispas. These menu items were popular in the 1980s before eventually being replaced by the Cinnamon Twists. The products were similar — the Cinnamon Crispas features baked tortilla chips sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. This menu item was a longtime staple that the restaurant sold as an upsell to combo meals.
It's also one of the most successful desserts in Taco Bell history, and another example of the Mexican-style desserts that the company has tried throughout the years. These tasty chips sold for only 39 cents and provided plenty of tasty satisfaction. They were discontinued in the late '80s to make way for the Cinnamon Twists. This might also represent a generational split between people who remember growing up on the Cinnmon Crispas ad those who grew up on Cinnamon Twists. Either way, the Crispas live on in the pantheon of beloved Taco Bell desserts that had their time and ran their course before being discontinued.
11. Chipotle Mexican chocolate shakes
Even Chipotle got into the dessert mix at one point. This fast-casual Mexican-style restaurant has ballooned in popularity throughout the years. At one point, the company tested a chocolate shake to go with its tacos, burritos, bowls, and other items. The Chipotle Mexican Chocolate Shake was a menu item the brand trialed in 2018 that was basically finished before it ever got started. It was a thick combination of dark chocolate, cinnamon, and warm spices that was comparable to Wendy's Frosty. After some testing in New York City, Chipotle pulled the plug on its Mexican Chocolate Shake.
Those who got the chance to try it widely call this shake an unfortunate case of what could have been. They loved the taste and consistency of these shakes and thought they would have been a dessert that could have given other fast food giants a run for their money. We're all left wondering what Chipotle would be like if this shake weren't discontinued before it could see the light of day.
12. Carl's Jr. Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwiches
Carl's Jr. is a company whose implied motto may as well be "Go big or go home." The company sells huge Angus burgers, features in-your-face advertising, and is never shy about trying new and unique menu items. At one point, the restaurant had a cross-promotion with Kellogg's in the form of its Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwich. As the name suggests, this dessert took the sweet sprinkles, filling, and crispiness of a Pop-Tart and combined it with vanilla ice cream filling.
The Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwich was originally tested in select Southern California locations. Fans took to social media to post about the dessert, which sparked the interest of people all over the country. Carl's Jr. soon after had a nationwide launch for this dessert in 2013. Customers were even able to get a free ice cream sandwich for a limited time when they purchased the Super Bacon Cheeseburger combo. Though the dessert went viral, the Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwich didn't last long and was quietly discontinued shortly after.
13. McDonald's Cinnamon Melts
McDonald's also had its own gooey cinnamon dessert item that customers loved and appreciated. This was your go-to fast food dessert if these ingredient combinations are your speed. In addition to the sweet breaded dessert, McDonald's also topped it with a baked cream cheese topping, which offered the ideal complement. You could order these Cinnamon Melts as a wonderfully sweet addition to your Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, or other menu items.
This was a dessert option that the restaurant discontinued quietly, and it's unclear on the exact date. What is clear is that when news trickled down to fans one by one, the Cinnamon Melts were sorely missed. A petition for bringing it back has more than 16,000 signatures today. In the meantime, many people have created copycat recipes in an attempt to mimic the dessert. Those copycats will have to do for now, as it would appear that McDonald's cinnamon roll is the long-term replacement for the Cinnamon Melts.
14. Wendy's Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosties
Wendy's has long had a winning dessert offering in the form of the Frosty. It's a simple chocolate shake that pleases the tastebuds and seems to go perfectly with a burger or chicken sandwich combo meal. Wendy's once attempted to capitalize on the success of the Frosty by combining it with a dose of caffeine. What we got was the Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty. This was a Frosty that included frozen coffee and toffee, along with the original Frosty flavor. Wendy's released this dessert in 2009, and it was discontinued in 2011, going the way of the mix-in Frosty.
People who got the chance to try this Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty appreciated the mixture of flavors along with the energy boost it provided. They loved no longer having to make two trips whenever they wanted both burgers and a tasty frozen coffee. All we're left with is our memories and a music video commercial that fans call one of Wendy's best.
15. Burger King Bacon Sundaes
Who would think to put bacon in a dessert? Burger King, of course. The Burger King Bacon Sundae was another of the King's ambitious menu item concoctions. It took the savory flavor of bacon, mixed it with the sweetness of vanilla ice cream, and doused the whole thing with caramel and chocolate fudge. This sundae was released as part of Burger King's summer menu in 2012. It received a nationwide release and was met with mixed reviews.
Many people gravitated to the sundae out of sheer curiosity, but ultimately, this was a dessert that came and went. Rather than making the list as a dessert that people miss, the Burger King Bacon Sundae is more frequently cited for its outrageousness and the disbelief that it ever existed. As such, and because it's been more than a decade since the release, don't expect this one to reappear on Burger King menus any time soon.