The top menu items that Burger King, McDonald's, Taco Bell have brought back from the dead
What's old is new again — at least for fast food giants fighting for customer loyalty.
On Thursday, Burger King (QSR) brought back its cult classic French Toast Sandwich to stores nationwide. The breakfast snack is nestled between two slices of French Toast (because, obviously), and includes eggs, American cheese, and a choice of sausage, bacon or ham. This time around, Burger King added a Buttery Maple Spread for an extra dash of sweetness.
The latest breakfast option clocks in between 380 - 510 calories, depending on the choice of meat. That's not quite as diet-busting as Burger King’s Double Croissan’wich with Sausage (710 calories), its Egg-Normous Burrito (930 calories) and the BK Ultimate Breakfast Platter (a whopping 1,170 calories).
In addition to the French Toast Sandwich, the chain announced a limited return of its sourdough bread (found on its famous Sourdough King Sandwich) along with Cheesy Tots — which has not made an appearance on menus since 2019.
Over the past year, there has been a big push to bring back fan favorites from the past. Still, Burger King is not the only one giving customers what they want. In fact, many fast food giants — locked in an all out battle for customers — are tapping into a deep reservoir of public nostalgia, reviving past menu items in the hopes of reaping future profits.
McDonald's Trifecta
Last year, McDonald's (MCD) brought back its famous McRib sandwich — much to the delight of its die-hard fans.
Having fallen off the fast-food radar for nearly a decade, the McRib — which is made of seasoned boneless pork, barbecue sauce, onions and pickles on a bun — returned to the Golden Arches on December 2. It had a limited return in October 2019, but had not been available nationwide since 2012.
Just a few months later, McDonald's announced a limited return of another cult classic: Spicy Chicken McNuggets and Mighty Hot Sauce.
The fiery McNuggets, breaded with a cayenne and chili pepper tempura coating, landed at stores February 1. And it's not just food: Nearly four years after it retired the flavor, McDonald’s Hi-C Orange Lavaburst made a triumphant return to menus last month.
The iconic drink will be available at participating restaurants across the country by June and customers can find out where to purchase by inputting their zip code at McdFinder.com.
Taco Bell goes all in on cheesy eats
In a break from the chicken sandwich wars, Taco Bell (YUM) re-introduced the fan favorite Quesalupa earlier this month for the first time in nearly five years.
The cheesy item, available for a limited time, includes a crispy chalupa, flatbread shell and is stuffed with a blend of melted pepper jack and mozzarella cheeses. Inside are Taco Bell’s signature flavors like seasoned beef, shredded cheddar cheese, and reduced fat sour cream.
And let's not forget about the Cheese Fiesta Potatoes and Spicy Potato Soft Taco.
After the items were removed from Taco Bell menus in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the offerings officially reappeared on March 11.
“The return of our beloved potatoes is just the first step in showing our fans the strong continued commitment to vegetarian we are making this year,” Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer Liz Matthews said at the time of the re-launch.
The chain previously revealed it will partner will Beyond Meat (BYND) to create a plant-based meat option that will test in the next year.
Alexandra is a Producer & Entertainment Correspondent at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alliecanal8193
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