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Take a tasty trip back to the '80s as we explore some of the most memorable and beloved fast-food items that only appeared for a limited time. From McDonald’s iconic McRib to Taco Bell’s unique Pizzazz Pizza, these nostalgic bites combined creativity, bold flavors, and a dash of experimentation. Whether you crave cheesy melts, mini sliders, or Tex-Mex twists, these are the limited-edition fast-food gems that left a lasting impression!
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00:00When he heard the news, he left in haste. Didn't want to miss that big bowl, Taylor.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the most iconic and well-liked limited-time
00:11fast food items that were first made available during the 1980s.
00:15For this list, we're including both items that were officially marketed as limited-time, as well as items that weren't
00:21marketed that way but didn't last long at all.
00:24How long have you had them?
00:26I just got them at Burger King. They're flame-broiled, just like the big ones.
00:31Number 10. Beef Fajita Pita. Jack in the Box.
00:35The only thing I like better than saying fajita pita is eating fajita pita.
00:42The uniqueness of the pita as a fast food sandwich vessel warrants bonus points for Jack in the Box's fajita
00:47pita, which came out in 1987.
00:50On top of that, this sandwich combined two culinary avenues in Tex-Mex and Mediterranean.
00:55I could tell you about it, but you really got to eat a fajita pita to know what a treat
01:01of fajita pita is.
01:05Is that clear?
01:06The fajita pita consisted of marinated beef, cheddar cheese, a few different veggies, and either guacamole or salsa.
01:13It was a distinct Jack in the Box item that could be viewed as a lighter and fresh fast food
01:18option.
01:19Unfortunately, it didn't last long.
01:21The year after its debut, the beef in the fajita pita was swapped out for chicken.
01:25I've had it broiled, boiled, baked, basted, roasted, and barbecued.
01:29Skewered, stewed, grilled, chilled, fried, diced, spiced, and sliced.
01:33Heck, I even had it flambéed.
01:35But I never had it fajita pitaed before.
01:37Number 9. McChicken, McDonald's
01:40New McChicken is a tender chicken patty, topped with creamy sauce and fresh lettuce, all on a toasted sesame seed
01:47bun.
01:47The chicken sandwich has been a staple menu option at McDonald's for quite some time,
01:51but it was not originally a success following its debut in 1980.
01:55Low sales led to the McChicken being replaced by Chicken McNuggets in 1983.
02:00Surprise, surprise, those were a hit.
02:02So if Chicken Nuggets are doing so well, why not give the Chicken Sammy another try, right?
02:07Well, that's what Mickey D's did in 1988.
02:10Chicken.
02:10Oh, tender, juicy chicken cooked to a golden crunch.
02:13Oh, I know. A McChicken sandwich.
02:16The main differences between the original McChicken and the current version are the seasoning and bun.
02:21Nowadays, McDonald's offers multiple kinds of chicken sandwiches.
02:24So back in the early 80s, the McChicken was more special.
02:28It's a great McChicken sandwich.
02:30That's great, McDonald's, right?
02:32Number 8. Steak fajitas, Taco Bell.
02:35A $1.69 for a steak fajita?
02:37That was what it'd take to get this Tex-Mex item at Taco Bell in 1987,
02:41when the chain first added it to its menu.
02:44Steak fajitas, Taco Bell, tonight?
02:47Taco Bell then seriously considered getting even deeper into the fajita game with options besides steak.
02:56And so they started offering a chicken fajita as well.
02:58Juicy marinated strips of tender chicken.
03:02One bite of our new grilled chicken fajitas and you'll never cross back.
03:05The steak version gets the spot on our list mainly because it predated the chicken one.
03:10But either way, these things were phased out in the early 90s before later being replaced by new fajita wraps.
03:16And they just weren't the same.
03:17Wrap it up!
03:19Sink your teeth into Taco Bell fajita wraps.
03:21Marinated grilled steak or chicken and roasted fresh veggies all wrapped up and ready to rumba.
03:26Number 7. McDLT, McDonald's.
03:29Hey, you say you're getting tired of lettuce and tomato hamburgers that don't quite make it?
03:33Yeah!
03:33Then look at McDonald's new McDLT.
03:35Competing with Burger King's Whopper would not be an easy task, but that was what McDonald's tried with the McDLT.
03:42The dual-component package design was aimed to keep the hot burger and cold toppings separate before the customer would
03:48assemble it.
03:49They're kept apart until I put them together.
03:52That's why the McDLT tastes so good and fresh.
03:55The idea was to help maintain the crispness of the lettuce and juiciness of the tomato.
04:00Sounds reasonable, right?
04:01Sure, but the styrofoam container proved a problem.
04:04Its size was a logistical issue in McDonald's kitchens, and it was not ideal for maintaining the heat of the
04:10beef patty.
04:11It was also criticized from an environmental standpoint.
04:14That's largely why the McDLT, which had been rolled out nationally in 1985, only lasted six years.
04:21It's a good time for the great taste of McDonald's new McDLT!
04:25Number 6. Pizazz Pizza, Taco Bell.
04:29Get struck by the never-before taste of new Pizazz Pizza.
04:33It's only at Taco Bell.
04:34Before the beloved Mexican pizza, Taco Bell was serving up the Pizazz Pizza.
04:39With two tostada shells, cheese, tomato sauce, beef, and various toppings, this thing really did have some unique Pizazz to
04:46it.
04:47Getting struck by Pizazz is such a fulfilling experience.
04:50The Pizazz Pizza came out in 1985.
04:54Unlike today's Mexican pizza at Taco Bell, this thing included olives and green onions.
04:59So if you like those toppings, you might still be longing for that extra Pizazz, and understandably so.
05:05But in 1988, it was out with the Pizazz Pizza and in with the Mexican pizza.
05:09Sure it was, and still is, quite similar.
05:12But the nostalgia for the original version is real.
05:16Can Pizazz strike twice.
05:20Only when you're standing in the right place.
05:23Number 5. Priazzo Pizza Hut.
05:26In Italy, they discovered long ago that to make the perfect Italian pie, you must start with the perfect recipe.
05:34The debut of this pizza was a serious event.
05:36Pizza Hut customers in Oklahoma City sampled the new Priazzo while opera played, and they were told the pizza used
05:43to be served to nobility in ancient Rome.
05:45Talk about setting the mood.
05:46Mmm, it's quite tasty.
05:49Emily, we should have this more often.
05:51What?
05:51Perhaps instead of that horrible salmon that keeps showing up.
05:54By 1985, the Priazzo was available across the U.S. Pizza Hut landscape.
05:59The deep dish pizza came in a few different varieties, including the meat-heavy Roma, which contained Italian sausage and
06:05pepperoni, and the Milano, which had the same meats, plus bacon.
06:09But likely due to the long prep time and expensive equipment, Pizza Hut stopped making Priazzo's after just a few
06:16years.
06:16Priazzo doesn't actually mean anything in Italian, but it sure made a name for itself in a short time.
06:22And now that the people of Bracciano have experienced them, we invite you to do the same.
06:35If you like cheesy, this limited-time burger at McDonald's may have been just the meal for you.
06:41The Cheddar Melt was rolled out nationwide in the late 80s, but it was only for a short stint.
06:46It didn't even stick around for a full year by all accounts, but the quarter-pound burger definitely felt like
06:51an original.
06:51Bring on the beef, spread on the cheddar.
06:54Old and saucy, mmm, much better now.
06:57Grill up the onion, stack it on a rye bun.
06:59Cheddar Melt!
07:00So, yeah, it was not your typical cheese, bun, or topping compared to other burger offerings at Mickey D's and
07:07other fast food chains.
07:08We can appreciate the experiment, but that's basically all it was.
07:12Even though there's surely a fair share of customers who wish it would have amounted to more.
07:16Cheddar Melt!
07:18Cheddar Melt, for a limited time.
07:21To go, at McDonald's?
07:24Number 3, Burger Bundles, Burger King.
07:27Wow!
07:28What's new?
07:29New flame-broiled mini cheeseburgers.
07:32Only at Burger King.
07:34Devoted fans of the slider can appreciate this.
07:36Burger Bundles were mini White Castle-like burgers that hit Burger King menus in 1987.
07:41These things picked up some steam, outperforming industry expectations.
07:45Particularly among kids, Burger Bundles were a hit.
07:49Come on, of course they were.
07:50They were mini burgers.
07:52I just want to squeeze them.
07:55Squeeze away.
07:57Good performance and all, there was a major issue.
08:00The burgers were too small for the company's automated broiler chain.
08:03So they would often fall through during preparation.
08:06And so, Burger King discontinued Burger Bundles before the end of the year.
08:10The fast food giant has tried new sliders with different names and different formats since.
08:15But those too were short-lived.
08:17BK Burger Shots.
08:18Tiny burgers.
08:19Big flame-broiled taste.
08:20Number 2, Chicken Littles, KFC.
08:23As KFC itself would say...
08:30Chicken Littles went for just 39 cents a pop back in 1987, the year of their release.
08:36Even adjusted for the times, that was a phenomenal deal.
08:39You taste so very nice.
08:42Love your 11 herbs and spices.
08:45And your little 39 cent price.
08:48Unfortunately though, Chicken Littles were short-lived, as the profit just wasn't there.
08:53Nowadays, people have hungry nostalgia for these mini chicken sandwiches.
08:56Plenty of users on Reddit and Facebook have highlighted fond memories and expressed a desire for the return of Chicken
09:03Littles.
09:04We get it.
09:04Chicken Littles look good, look good, taste fine, taste fine.
09:09Only 39 cents, gotta have them all the time.
09:24Before we continue, check out this single from Sound Mojo's Adia, Songs from Iran,
09:30reimagining Persian melodies as modern rock, metal, and pop songs.
09:34Check out the full track and album below.
09:36Call it madness if you must.
09:39I came back because my soul came back to you.
09:52Number 1. McRib, McDonald's.
09:56Barbecue? Right now?
09:59Bag it? McDonald's?
10:02This is, perhaps, the most famous limited-time sandwich in fast food history.
10:07The McRib has made many limited-time returns throughout the 21st century,
10:11but it all dates back to 1981, the first time it appeared at select locations.
10:16The following year, it was made available nationwide.
10:19What'd you say this was again?
10:21McDonald's calls it the McRib sandwich.
10:23It's a new kind of cue.
10:24McRib? I don't see any bones.
10:27The McRib was originally a limited-time offering that came about as a result of McDonald's
10:31looking for a new non-chicken product due to a chicken shortage.
10:34The sandwich, a boneless pork patty with barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles,
10:39was initially considered a McFlop.
10:41It only lasted a few years before McDonald's ditched it,
10:44only to later bring it back for limited-time returns again and again,
10:48much to the delight of its large fan base.
10:50Lois! Lois, it's back!
10:52I heard, Peter! I heard!
10:54Kids! Kids, it's happening! Get your coats!
10:56This is what we practiced for!
10:57I love you, Dad!
11:01I love you too, sweetheart! None of the past matters!
11:04Which of these fast food items do you have the fondest memories of?
11:07Let us know in the comments.
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