12 Discontinued Fast Food Chicken Items We All Miss

We all have those specific fast food items that we enjoy so much they become our absolute favorites and go-to orders. We choose these dishes above anything else, and rattling off their names while ordering feels like second nature. This attachment, however, is what makes it so heartbreaking when fast food restaurants decide to revamp their offerings and your favorite food item doesn't make the cut. It's almost harder when you fall in love with a seasonal item, because you already know that sooner or later it will disappear, possibly forever.

To reminisce, we decided to research and compile a list of fast food chicken items that were discontinued and left customers yearning, hoping their favorite order might one day make a return. We determined which items made the list by taking note of the dishes that customers consistently mentioned and pined over online or that were highlighted by publications.

At one point, Wendy's had a Pretzel Bacon Pub Chicken Sandwich that customers could get classic or spicy. The sandwich came with a piece of breaded chicken, beer cheese sauce, applewood smoked bacon, smoky honey mustard, fried onions, pickles, and a slice of Muenster cheese on a pretzel bun. It made its debut in October of 2013, just a few months after the Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburger was introduced and saw success. The restaurant chain brought the sandwich back a few times throughout the years, but it has not seen a return since the fall of 2022.

During its most recent return, one customer on Reddit who loved the chicken sandwich posted, "I gained 20 lbs since they introduced the pretzel bacon pub chicken sandwich, and now it's gone. I had mostly stopped with fast food, but I tried the pretzel bacon pub [sandwich] some months back and got hooked ... I ate 3-4 per week."

Several other enthusiasts across Reddit asked if Wendy's would ever reintroduce the offering, raving that it was the one item they wanted the chain to bring back. Employee opinions on the chicken sandwich were mixed, however. Some agreed that it was delicious, and one even said that they would eat it every shift. Meanwhile, others complained about how hard it was to make.

While the grilled chicken sandwiches from McDonald's are still available for those who live in Canada, they're not on the fast food chain's menu in the U.S. and customers are not happy about it. In Canada, the sandwich consists of a piece of grilled chicken topped with shredded lettuce and a creamy mayo-style sauce served on a potato bun. Meanwhile, the U.S. version was called the Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich and was served on a multigrain bun topped with vinaigrette. It was discontinued in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At the time, the vice president of operations told Business Insider that the menu was reduced to prioritize best sellers and make things easier for staff.

Fast food grilled chicken often tastes bad due to the filler ingredients that many restaurants add. If you have any allergies, always check the ingredient lists to avoid any unwelcome surprises. Nevertheless, many people shared that they miss the McDonald's grilled chicken sandwich and would like to see it return. One customer craving the sandwich took to Reddit to ask others for recommendations of similar fast food items to satisfy their craving. Throughout 2025, a graphic circulating on the internet featured a variety of McDonald's chicken menu items purportedly being tested at select locations in Chicago. Redditors were ecstatic about the idea of the item making a comeback. "Don't play with my emotions," one commented. "If grilled chicken is coming back I'll cry."

Taco Bell already offers a variety of chicken options that customers can choose from, including its slow-roasted Cantina, crispy, and regular. However, the chain once had shredded chicken, which was used to make the shredded chicken burrito. In addition to the poultry, the burrito was made with cheese, rice, and avocado ranch. Unfortunately, the shredded chicken burrito was discontinued in November of 2020 when Taco Bell, like many other chains, decided to streamline its menu.

There were multiple Reddit threads where people questioned why the fast food chain got rid of the offering and asked for it to be brought back. Some expressed disappointment that it wasn't reintroduced for Taco Bell's Decades Menu. In fact, some diehards even started a petition to reinstate the shredded chicken burrito (although it currently has only 69 signatures). Online fans recommended how to alter other chicken burritos on the menu to taste similar to the shredded chicken burrito. Many bloggers have shared copycat recipes for those who would rather try making it at home.

Another slightly healthier item from Wendy's that we may never forget is the discontinued Fresh Stuffed Pitas, specifically the chicken Caesar flavor. The restaurant chain served the item from 1997 to 2000. The pita bread was filled with veggies and chunks of chicken that were tossed in sauce. In addition to Caesar dressing, customers could also choose between Greek and ranch. A purported former general manager at Wendy's shared on Reddit, "They were intended to be a replacement for the discontinuation of the Salad Bars. They were not very good sellers, used pretty expensive ingredients, and had lots of waste."

Despite their poor performance, throughout Reddit discussions on the Wendy's discontinued menu item, the chicken caesar was highlighted as being especially missed. Commenters described it as delicious, boasting an ample amount of dressing and a soft, chewy pita. Multiple people online have shared copycat recipes for others to try and recreate. One of these contributors was even a former Wendy's employee who worked for the chain when it served the pitas. They recommended warming a Greek-style pita and adding romaine mix, warmed diced chicken, and shredded parmesan. Top it off with a creamy parmesan salad dressing.

The Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich may be a forgotten Wendy's menu item from the '90s, but many fans are refusing to let go. The fast food item consisted of a fried chicken breast filet, thinly sliced ham, Swiss cheese, Grey Poupon Dijon mustard, and mayonnaise on a Kaiser bun. Introduced at the chain in 1991, the Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich was only around for a few limited runs and was apparently discontinued due to low sales.

Although it's been more than three decades since the fast food chain retired the chicken sandwich, customers on Reddit are still reminiscing about how good it was. "I got one of these every visit to Wendy's in the late 90's," wrote one Redditor. There were also numerous calls for the fast food chain to bring it back. Some commenters mentioned that Arby's currently sells a similar offering, but it does not include any mustard.

Panera's Tuscan Chicken Sandwich was another item that fell victim to the trend of fast food restaurants changing their menu during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sandwich was made with sliced grilled chicken, grated parmesan, arugula, tomato confit, and pesto mayo on ciabatta bread. While it was available, customers seemed to really enjoy the offering.

Following its disappearance from Panera's menu, customers quickly took to Reddit to discover what had happened to the chicken sandwich. They were met with the unfortunate news that it had been removed. Reported employees on the threads added that customers could customize different items to be similar to the retired sandwich, as the chain still had most of the ingredients. "The Tuscan can also be ordered fairly readily, even though the tomato confit and basil mayo are gone, with grape/sliced tomatoes and regular mayo, maybe even some fresh basil," suggested one commenter. Another Redditor even created a poll asking which Panera original sandwich was the best, and while the Bacon Turkey Bravo won, the Tuscan Chicken Sandwich did get some love from voters. There are also some recipes online that provide those who miss the sandwich a way to make a dupe version at home.

One menu item that you might not have expected McDonald's to offer is chicken fajitas. However, the fast food chain launched the chicken item in the '90s, and it was even featured on the restaurant's "Taste of the Month" in 1993 and 1995 before being discontinued. The fajitas consisted of spicy grilled chicken, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and cheese in a soft flour tortilla and were served with a packet of salsa.

While it's unclear why McDonald's discontinued the fajitas, a purported employee on Reddit wrote, "They left the menu a long time ago because they were poor sellers, required too much prep work, and took too much time to make on the table." Despite the assertion that they didn't sell well, many customers have expressed how much they miss the Mexican-inspired dish and would like to see it return. Some even pointed out that the fajitas might sell better now due to healthier food trends. Customers who tried the chicken fajitas described them as tasty, stating that they were a delicious go-to choice at the time. To satisfy that decades-long craving, one commenter recommended, "Yall, the chicken fajitas taco at bucees is a VERY close twin. Just saying."

Despite its name, Burger King does currently offer a variety of chicken items on its menu, including an Original Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Fries, Nuggets, a Chicken Jr, and a Classic or Spicy Royal Crispy Chicken. However, the restaurant also used to have tenders, which it launched in 1985. Although they were discontinued in 2012 and replaced with nuggets, Redditors still miss this menu item from Burger King. 

Many people on Reddit recalled how delicious and unique the chain's tenders were. Customers specifically noted their peppery flavor, highlighting that it was what set them apart from other similar fast food offerings. Some apparent former employees admitted that they used to make extra chicken tenders so that they would sit out too long and be marked as waste, then eat them on the way home. There were many calls for the fast food chain to bring them back. One commenter claimed that the original chicken tenders recipe was still served at Burger King in Puerto Rico, to which another Redditor responded, "No lie, you just gave me a valid reason to go to Puerto Rico."

Chick-fil-A offers a variety of nuggets, strips, and wraps on its current menu, along with six different kinds of fried and grilled chicken sandwiches. In fact, the chain's classic may be one of the best fast food fried chicken sandwiches out there. Some poultry enthusiasts remember, however, that Chick-fil-A used to offer a chicken salad sandwich.

Customers who got to try the sandwich have been very vocal about wishing it would return. One even offered to start a petition for it to be brought back, adding that it blows Chicken Salad Chick — a fast food chain that specializes in chicken salad — out of the water. Across Facebook and Reddit, people reminisced about the sandwich, noting that it was a nice break from the rest of the menu. "It was pickle-y and delicious," described another Redditor. 

The chicken salad sandwich was phased out in 2017 in an effort to revitalize the menu, according to Chick-fil-A (via Today). Nevertheless, purported employees across Reddit explained that it was discontinued because it was too time-consuming and expensive to make, and not many customers ordered it. Luckily for lovers of the item, Chick-fil-A did end up sharing the recipe for the Chicken Salad Sandwich on its website. Some employees  noted, however, that at the restaurant, they would use day-old leftover grilled chicken to make the salad. For those willing to travel, the Chick-fil-A Dwarf House location in Hapeville, Georgia, still serves chicken salad. It contains finely chopped chicken, relish, celery, and mayo.

While Popeye's may be one of the fast food chains with the lowest quality chicken, that hasn't stopped customers from yearning for the restaurant's Chicken Po' Boy Sandwich. The sandwich consisted of two of the chain's chicken tenders, shredded lettuce, pickles, and mayonnaise on a French bread roll. The sandwich was launched nationwide in 2003 but discontinued in 2019. It was replaced with the Classic Chicken Sandwich, which comes with a hand-battered chicken breast, pickles, and mayo on a toasted brioche bun.

"The bread melted in your mouth, and the chicken was completely complemented by the wrappings and fillings of the roll," described one blogger who tried to remake the chicken po' boy at home. This enthusiast wasn't the only one who created a copycat recipe of the chicken sandwich to satisfy their craving. Customers on Reddit begged the restaurant to bring back the offering, calling it the best chicken sandwich ever and stating that it was better than its replacement. Another Redditor said that as a Louisiana restaurant, Popeyes should have a po' boy, and this particular customer stopped going after the chain removed it.

Obviously, KFC serves a wide variety of chicken items, but one that customers in the U.S. miss is the Twister. There were three different versions of this fried chicken wrap when it was first released, including Caesar, Club, and Buffalo. It was pulled from menus in 2014. The Twister is, however, sold in various other countries, including the U.K., South Africa, Australia, and Canada.

Over the years, KFC has launched and tested new or different versions of the Twister in specific areas of the nation, like Atlanta and Nashville, but it has never earned a permanent spot on the menu. We aren't necessarily surprised that the new renditions didn't stick, as some customers felt the Twisters were uninspired and lacking when KFC brought back the fried chicken wraps in 2022.

Many patrons on Reddit and Facebook praised KFC's original Twister, commenting on how good it was and how much they enjoyed it. In fact, a fair number were disappointed that it hadn't made a proper return. Enthusiasts even started a petition for the item to return to the U.S., amassing over 2,500 signatures.

Another discontinued Taco Bell chicken item that popped up in our research was the Baja Chicken Chalupa. Seasoned ground beef was layered into a crispy shell with a three-cheese blend, salsa, and the Baja pepperjack sauce. The chalupa was available throughout the early 2000s until the Baja sauce was replaced with spicy ranch around 2014. Customers shared that even after the item was removed from the menu, they were still able to customize other chalupas and make a similar version. However, one Redditor wrote that this menu hack became increasingly expensive, "The last time I ordered it with all the upgrades it came to over $6. It just isn't worth it anymore."

On top of the price, others complained that Taco Bell's spicy ranch just didn't hit the spot. Although one commenter mentioned the Taco Bell-branded Baja sauce at Target as a potential solution, some users described this offering as lacking. One enthusiast even spent the time attempting to recreate a Baja sauce recipe, while others simply decided to craft their own versions of the chalupa at home to satisfy their cravings.

Overall, it was clear that Taco Bell customers would like to see the Baja Chicken Chalupa return to the menu. A poll on Reddit supported this, as a majority of the voters said they wanted it to make a comeback.