8 Discontinued Fast-Food Sides You'll Never See Again
Pop quiz time! What's the best-selling item from McDonald's? It's not the Big Mac, the McNuggets, or the Quarter Pounder with Cheese. It is, of course, the fries. Fries have been McD's biggest hit for generations and there's no sign of that changing any time soon. The Big Mac is #2, by the way, according to Reader's Digest. And funny enough, fries are #2 at Burger King, where the Whopper rules supreme.
There are many sides to choose from when you're ordering off of a fast-food menu, and many are as much of a staple as the burgers, burritos, or sandwiches that anchor the meal. After all, "anchor" food notwithstanding, it's the sides that make it a meal. Just not any of the sides featured here—not anymore, anyway—because these once-popular discontinued fast-food sides are gone for good.
Burger King Cini-Minis
Want to make your breakfast meal that much more amazing and not too concerned about excess fat and calories? Then Burger King's Cini-Minis were your jam. We say were because these little rolls of tasty pastry that came with an icing dip are gone. But that's probably for the better, as a four-piece serving had 410 calories and 14 grams of fat, including six grams of saturated fat, via Brand Eating.
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McDonalds McSalad Shakers
A mini-meal unto themselves or a perfect lighter alternative to fries when you got that Big Mac or Chicken Sandwich, McDonald's McShakers salads were only around for a glimmer in the early 2000s, according to Business Insider. They were replaced by larger "Premium Salads" in 2003. These were later dropped as well, and not replaced.
Taco Bell Cinnamon Crisps
Taco Bell's Cinnamon Crisps were delicious in and of themselves, but they were a bit hard to square up with the rest of the meal you'd get. The Cinnamon Crisps were sweet and, as the name suggests, spiced and crunchy, more like a cookie than a side. So they just didn't quite work beside a beefy burrito or cheesy gordita. Or a taco.
KFC Potato Wedges
Maybe it makes sense KFC got rid of their Potato Wedges: after all, they were essentially steak fries, and KFC is a chicken chain. Besides, according to FOX Business, the chain replaced their potato wedges with their "Secret Recipe Fries" which have proven to be a hit, so it's not like they left customers high and dry.
Popeyes Cajun Rice
Rice is not a fast food, in the technical sense of things. It takes a while to cook it properly, in other words. Which is all the more reason it was impressive that Popeyes' Cajun Rice was consistently good. But what of it, for now it's gone, according to Thrillist. The chain did away with this delectably spiced starchy side last year, right at about the same time they also did away with their Green Beans as a side option as well.
McDonald's Onion Nuggets
McD's Onion Nuggets came and went back in the 1970s, so your chance to try them is a good four decades in the rearview and then some, according to BuzzFeed. And it's really not surprising they didn't make it, not with a name like "Onion Nuggets." We're willing to guess that with better branding this side might still be around because we all know deep-fried onions are a delight.
Jack in the Box Cheesy Macaroni Bites
According to a Jack in the Box Fandom page, the chain's Cheesy Macaroni Bites were a "short lived" menu item that, as you can guess, "consisted of battered, deep-fried triangles filled with macaroni and cheese." Which sounds equal parts amazing and unhealthy. They made a splash in 2008 but were gone by 2009, lamented by some who shouted out on Twitter, but forgotten by most today.
Sonic Drive-In's Pickle-Os
The Pickle-O's from Sonic Drive-In is yet another menu item that probably could have survived with better naming and marketing. (Looking at you, Onion Nuggets.) And in fact, according to Hack the Menu, you can still request these deep-fried pickles at some Sonic locations, you just need to have employees willing to go off-menu and prepare them from scratch. But as an official side, Pickle-Os have rolled up to their last window.
