Get ready for a nostalgic trip down fast food memory lane! We're diving into the most iconic menu items that defined the 1980s culinary landscape. From McDonald's innovative packaging to Taco Bell's messy delights, these legendary fast food creations will have you craving a time machine and a big appetite!
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00:00How do I look? Delicious. Golden brown is your color.
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the fast food
00:07menu choices that helped define a decade. The beef stays hot, the cool stays crisp.
00:12Put it together, you can't resist.
00:16Number 10. McPizza. McDonald's.
00:19Your personal memories of the McPizza probably all come down to your age.
00:26This is because McDonald's has actually been rolling out versions of the McPizza
00:29since back in the late 70s. This largely discontinued food item probably gained its
00:34strongest traction with consumers during the 80s, however, thanks largely to small personal size.
00:39Right now at McDonald's, we've got a surprise. You can get a personal size pepperoni pizza
00:48for just 99 cents.
00:49The first iteration of the McPizza was sort of a handheld pocket pizza affair,
00:54while the strongest selling 80s version was basically a pizza for one.
00:57The McPizza had its devoted fans, but the item was mostly phased out in the 90s.
01:02Luckily, some things are good and true, like the McDonald's family size pepperoni pizza,
01:07smothered in cheese and pepperoni for only $5.99 or two for $10.
01:11Only one McDonald's location in Orlando, Florida still offers the McPizza up for sale.
01:17Number 9. Five for $5. Arby's.
01:20Our money certainly doesn't stretch the way it used to, but this five for $5 deal from Arby's
01:25was a ridiculous value, even back in the 80s. Today, the idea of five roast beef sandwiches
01:44for a buck each seems incredible, but hey, Arby's was trying to compete in a crowded market.
01:49This promotion certainly seemed to work, especially since the chain was offering
01:53freshly sliced roast beef, as opposed to burgers. Arby's is, of course, still around today,
02:06and we absolutely love the fact that the chain has occasionally brought this deal back to the
02:10market, if only for the sake of nostalgia. Right now, five Arby's roast beefs are just $5.95.
02:23Number 8. Enchirito. Taco Bell.
02:25There's a laundry list of Taco Bell menu favorites that many fans of the chain would
02:29like to see make a full-time return. The Bell Beefer is certainly one of those,
02:36but the Enchirito has actually made headlines during its occasional menu reappearances.
02:41These modern Enchiritos are not quite the same as the ones that first won over Taco
02:45Bell customers back in the 1970s and 80s. This big, beefy bonanza of indulgence was
02:53basically all its name implied, a burrito mixed with an enchilada. You needed a fork,
02:59or rather a spork, to eat this bad boy, even if it was only used to pick off the olives.
03:03However you consumed the Enchirito, you were guaranteed a yummy, messy time.
03:10Number 7. Chicken Littles. KFC.
03:13It was the best of times, it was the tastiest of times.
03:22It was the time of the Chicken Little, in an age before sliders caused fast food
03:26aficionados to forget this humbly delicious KFC concoction.
03:29There wasn't anything particularly fancy about the Chicken Little.
03:32It was more the fact that Colonel Sanders and his 11 Herbs and Spices nailed the ratio of fried
03:47chicken, bun, and sauce. That little mayo tang was absolutely perfect, while the bun was slightly
03:52sweet and oh so fluffy. We can still remember digging into our bags of 80s KFC in the back
03:57seats of our parents' station wagon, unable to wait to get to the dinner table for a Kentucky
04:02Fried Treat. Number 6. Personal Pan Pizza. Pizza Hut.
04:09You might have headed to Pizza Hut after a Little League Baseball game.
04:16Or maybe you earned a trip thanks to a solid report card. Whatever the occasion,
04:20Pizza Hut dining today isn't the same without the sit-down aspect of the franchise's heyday.
04:33The decor of Pizza Hut's just hit different back during this decade,
04:36from the lighting and booth setup to that amazing salad bar. Personal Pan Pizzas were
04:40among the very best rewards for us 80s kids, perhaps second only to a meatlover's shared
04:45with our folks. Sure, the Hut is still making pizza today, but these Personal Pans made
04:50every sit-down visit an event. Number 5. Chicken McNuggets. McDonald's.
05:02The McNugget was fully rolled out by the McDonald's Corporation back in 1983.
05:14The fast food landscape was never the same again. This wasn't the only chicken nugget game in town,
05:19of course, but it certainly felt that way back in the 80s. How else could we justify consuming
05:24an entire 20-piece on our own? We also remember how the McNugget revolutionized the sauce game,
05:43embracing everything from holiday cranberries to teriyaki. The Chicken McNuggets even managed to
05:48become a beloved part of the McDonaldland family, thanks to some absolutely adorable
05:53appearances for Halloween. Number 4. Superbar. Wendy's. This may have been intended for sides,
06:07but with salad, Mexican food, and pasta on offer, the Superbar was the main course for
06:12plenty of families. On the surface, it was there to supplement your Wendy's experience,
06:21but it quickly grew to become the Wendy's experience for many fans.
06:30Because there was always so much more than salad at the Superbar. It was also a Tex-Mex destination,
06:36a soup haven, and a place for chili fixins, because everybody loved that Wendy's chili.
06:41Plus, it was all you can eat. Is there anything more American?
06:51Number 3. Blizzard. Dairy Queen. We've touched on a lot of savory options thus far,
06:58but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the love for Dairy Queen's iconic frozen treat,
07:02the Blizzard. There are just so many options for toppings when the DQ staff whip your frozen,
07:15soft-serve snack into a work of sugary sweet art. It didn't really matter if you were ordering a
07:20Blizzard after a meal of burgers and fries or hitting up your local Dairy Queen just for a
07:24Blizzard. You were probably already reciting that perfect recipe in your head prior to walking up
07:35to the counter. Oreos? Reese's Pieces? Chopped Nuts or Heath Bar Bits? What was your Blizzard go-to?
07:41Number 2. Whopper Jr. with Cheese. Burger King. This beloved sandwich may have originated by
07:51accident way back in 1963, but that doesn't mean that 80s kids didn't feel a certain sense of
07:56ownership over the BK classic. This decade, after all, was a period when many fast food
08:08companies were ramping up their competitive streaks. The Whopper Jr. felt like the ultimate
08:13reward after a long day at school or work. This franchise has always leaned into their
08:24flame-broiled pedigree, and no fast food burger quite has the same taste as a Whopper. What can
08:30we say? This one is a no-brainer. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
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08:46occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings
08:50and switch on notifications. Number 1. McDLT. McDonald's. Every now and then,
08:58McDonald's achieves a perfect storm of fast food form and function. The McRib has certainly earned
09:09its culinary legacy. Meanwhile, the advertising for the McDLT set it all with its catchy jingle.
09:15The McDLT kept the hot side hot and the cold side cold via its very specific packaging.
09:20No longer would any Mickey D's customers grumble about soggy lettuce.
09:28The McDLT was designed so those cold and crisp veggies hit your hot and juicy patty at the
09:40perfect time. This ensured maximum flavor impact on that first bite and for every bite thereafter,
09:46until the McDLT was devoured.
09:58Which discontinued menu item do you want to bring back? Let us know in the comments.
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