✔ Updated · new lost menu collection
Here are 18 discontinued McDonald's items, from the 1963 Hula Burger to the Arch Deluxe, with when they left and whether they ever came back. Where I have a copycat recipe it's linked, and the rest get a quick make-it-at-home note.
Well-known discontinued McDonald's items include the Hula Burger (1963), Onion Nuggets, the McDLT, McPizza, the McLean Deluxe, the Arch Deluxe (1996 to 2000), McSalad Shakers and Fish McBites. Others changed or come and go: the fried apple pie switched to baked in 1992, the fries left beef tallow in 1990, and Szechuan Sauce and the McRib return for limited runs.
The 1960s and 1970s
1. Hula Burger
A grilled pineapple slice with cheese on a bun, tested in 1963 as a meatless option for Fridays in Lent. The way the story is usually told, it lost to the fish sandwich that became the Filet-O-Fish. Make it at home: Grill a thick pineapple ring until charred, top with a slice of American cheese to melt and serve on a toasted bun.
Off the menu
2. McSpaghetti
Spaghetti with a sweet-leaning tomato meat sauce. It debuted in 1970, was dropped in the US in the 1980s, and is still sold in the Philippines. Make it at home: Toss spaghetti with a quick tomato and ground beef sauce sweetened with a spoonful of ketchup, then top with grated cheese.
Off the US menu
3. Onion Nuggets
Chunks of onion in a nugget-style batter, sold only in a few US markets in 1978 and 1979. A few years later McDonald's tried the nugget idea again with chicken. Make it at home: Dip chunky onion pieces in seasoned flour, egg and fine breadcrumbs and fry at 350°F until golden.
Off the menu
4. Fried Apple Pie
On the menu since 1968 and fried until 1992, when most US restaurants switched to a baked pie. The fried version has had short US comebacks since, and some countries still fry theirs.
Back for short runs
The 1980s
5. McDLT
A burger served in a two-sided foam box: hot patty on one side, cool lettuce and tomato on the other. It was gone by the early 1990s, around the time McDonald's moved away from foam packaging. Make it at home: Keep the cold lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo on the bun top and stack them onto the hot cheeseburger right before you eat.
Off the menu
6. McPizza
McDonald's pizza push started in 1989, but 11 to 16 minute bake times did not suit a drive-thru, and it was largely gone by 2000. Make it at home: Bake a family-size pepperoni pizza on a thin, soft crust at 450°F until the cheese browns in spots.
Off the menu
7. The Original Beef Tallow Fries
Until 1990 the fries were cooked in a blend that was mostly beef tallow. Then McDonald's switched to vegetable oil with added beef flavoring. My recipe page has a 1980s-style tallow pot.
Changed
The 1990s
8. McLean Deluxe
A lower-fat burger launched in 1991 that used carrageenan, a seaweed-based thickener, to replace some of the fat. People found it bland, and it was gone by 1996. Make it at home: Use 93/7 beef with a spoonful of grated onion for moisture, cook to 160°F and dress with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles.
Off the menu
9. Mighty Wings
Spicy bone-in wings sold on and off from 1990 to 2003, with brief revivals in 2013 and 2016. Make it at home: Toss wings in buttermilk and cayenne, dredge in seasoned flour and fry until the thickest piece reads 165°F.
Off the menu
10. McHotDog
A hot dog that launched after Ray Kroc's death, even though he had been against it. It flopped in the US and now survives mainly in Japan. Make it at home: Grill an all-beef frank, tuck it into a soft toasted bun and keep it simple with ketchup, mustard and onion.
Off the US menu
11. Arch Deluxe
The burger for grown-ups: launched in 1996 with peppered bacon, leaf lettuce, a potato bun and a Dijon and mayo sauce. By 2000 it was gone.
Off the menu
12. Szechuan Sauce
A 1998 movie tie-in dipping sauce made famous again by an animated TV show. When it returned in 2017 demand far outran supply, and it has come back a few times since, always for a limited time.
Back for short runs
The 2000s and Later
13. McSalad Shakers
Salads layered in a tall cup, launched in 2000. You poured in the dressing, put the lid on and shook. Customers never quite took to them. Make it at home: Layer chopped romaine, cheese, egg or grilled chicken and croutons in a tall jar, add dressing, seal and shake.
Off the menu
14. Hot Mustard
The sharp, slightly sweet nugget dip was dropped nationally around 2014, though a few restaurants kept stocking it.
Off the menu (a few franchisees)
15. Fish McBites
Bite-size breaded pollock pieces sold in 2013 and discontinued the same year. Make it at home: Cut cod or pollock into 1-inch pieces, bread them, fry at 350°F until the fish reaches 145°F and serve with tartar sauce.
Off the menu
16. Travis Scott Burger
A celebrity meal from September and October 2020 built on a Quarter Pounder with bacon and lettuce. It was always meant to be limited.
Off the menu
Comes and Goes, or Came Back
17. McRib
The boneless pork sandwich in tangy barbecue sauce with onions and pickles disappears for long stretches, then returns for a few weeks, most recently in November 2025.
Back for short runs
18. Snack Wrap
It disappeared from US menus, people kept asking, and in July 2025 McDonald's brought it back as a permanent item. Make it at home: Wrap a crispy chicken strip, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese and ranch or spicy sauce in a warm flour tortilla.
Back for good
Why Does McDonald’s Discontinue Menu Items?
From the stories behind these items, the same few reasons come up again and again: the item was slow to make at drive-thru speed (McPizza), it never sold the way it was supposed to (Arch Deluxe, McLean Deluxe), or the packaging or ingredients fell out of favor (the McDLT foam box, the beef tallow fries).
Some items were never meant to stay. The Szechuan Sauce, the McRib and the Travis Scott meal were built as limited runs, and scarcity is part of the fun. And sometimes enough people ask: the Snack Wrap came back for good.
More McDonald’s and Fast-Food Copycats
You'll find every burger, fry, sauce and dessert I've recreated in my McDonald's copycat recipes collection. For the bigger picture, my list of discontinued fast food items you can still make covers lost favorites from every chain, and there's a whole page of discontinued Taco Bell items too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What McDonald's items were discontinued?
Some of the best known are the Hula Burger, Onion Nuggets, McSpaghetti in the US, the McDLT, McPizza, the McLean Deluxe, the Arch Deluxe, the McHotDog, Mighty Wings, McSalad Shakers and Fish McBites. Hot Mustard was dropped nationally around 2014, though a few restaurants kept it.
Why did McDonald's stop frying fries in beef tallow?
Under pressure over saturated fat, McDonald's announced in 1990 that it would switch from a frying blend that was mostly beef tallow to vegetable oil, adding beef flavoring to keep some of the familiar taste. My french fries recipe has a 1980s-style tallow version.
When did McDonald's stop selling fried apple pies?
In 1992 most US McDonald's restaurants switched from the fried apple pie to a baked one. The fried version has had short US comebacks since, and some countries still fry theirs. My copycat recipe shows the fried method and a baked option.
Is the Arch Deluxe coming back?
There's no sign of that. The Arch Deluxe launched in 1996 and was gone by 2000. A 2018 Archburger test briefly brought back its mustard and mayo sauce at a handful of restaurants. You can make my copycat Arch Deluxe at home in about 35 minutes.
Is the Snack Wrap discontinued?
Not anymore. It disappeared from US menus, and in July 2025 McDonald's brought the Snack Wrap back as a permanent item. Menus change, so check the McDonald's app near you.
Why does the McRib keep disappearing?
The McRib is sold as a limited-time item, so it returns for a few weeks and then leaves again. Its most recent national run started in November 2025. My copycat McRib lets you have it any time.
