8 New Fast Food Items That Totally Bombed In 2026 (So Far)

Every fast food chain has a few longstanding menu items that will always be there, barring something drastic. You've got your Big Macs from McDonald's, your Whoppers from Burger King, your roast beef sandwiches from Arby's, and so on and so forth. But sooner or later, customers will want something new, which is why fast food chains have research and development departments to come up with delicious new menu items. Some of the fast food items that came out in 2026 really hit, while others ... well, not so much.

Of course, food is subjective, so these eight items certainly have a few defenders. In a world where Swedish people happily eat pungent black licorice, it stands to reason that something made to be more broadly palatable would have some fans. But on the whole, these are generally seen as pretty major whiffs on the part of their respective chains. Some of them are still on the menu, while others are long gone — and after reading about them, you may understand why they should stay that way.

The Big Arch, a McDonald's menu item that's popular at international locations, seemed like a no-brainer to bring to America. It's similar to a Big Mac, with the addition of crispy onions as well as slivered ones, white cheddar cheese instead of American, and a special Arch sauce. But that similarity turned out to be a drawback when the price is accounted for, with one Redditor noting,"It's the blandest thing I've ever tasted." Another wrote, "I had it once and it was fine but I couldn't justify paying $3 more than every variation of the Double QPC," said one Redditor. Add in that infamous viral video fumble where McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski gingerly (and hilariously) bit into the burger, and its goose was cooked.

Thanks to the likes of Crumbl, Mormon influencers, and now the dirty soda trend, Utah is having a bit of a moment. But that wasn't enough to make Dunkin's limited offer Dirty Soda more than a misfire. Customers largely bounced off of this mix of Pepsi, milk, and sweet cold foam, with one Reddit comment complaining. "I found it super gross. Barely any Pepsi and felt like pure sugar." While it was always supposed to be seasonal, no one was especially surprised to see it go.

It sure sounds delicious, doesn't it? Actual steakhouse burgers may have a mixed track record, but the idea of a richer, more luxurious burger experience from a fast food chain is appealing. Unfortunately, this Whopper from Burger King, filled with onion rings and a peppery aioli, fell short of its promise. "The burger itself was dry and lifeless, and somehow way too salty at the same time, overpowering any chance of real flavor," said one review on Facebook. The burger was inspired by a concept suggested by Burger King guests, so we suppose we have no one to blame but ourselves.

One could argue that we're cheating with this one, because Wendy's has carried a spicy chicken sandwich for some time. But in 2026, it changed its recipe, boasting that it got an upgrade. Unfortunately for Wendy's, most customers disagreed. "Massive fall from grace from what it used to be," lamented one Redditor. "Such a mid sandwich." According to another Redditor who loved the old chicken sandwich, "mid" is too kind. "My first bite of the sandwich was directly into a mouthful of 'woody' chicken, and I instantly spit it out. Threw the whole sandwich out immediately."

Arby's has served brisket sandwiches before; in fact, it once aired a 13-hour commercial showing a brisket being smoked in real time. But apparently, practice doesn't necessarily make perfect, because its new version of the chopped brisket sandwich left much to be desired. One point of contention was that it took the beloved Smokehouse Brisket Sandwich off the menu while it was being offered; another was that, well, it just wasn't very good. "You should be able to eat brisket without adding sauce and have it not be dry and mostly tasteless. This wasn't that," said one Redditor.

Hardee's Frisco Breakfast Burger features a burger patty on sourdough bread with egg, bacon, and a side of hash rounds. The response has been mixed, for the most part; it's certainly not as bad as Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich, and it has some fans, but there have also been some complaints regarding its dryness. When you've got a burger, eggs, bacon, and bread, a little dollop of ketchup is not going to cut it.

This is another entry that has its fans; in fact, the Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper had been around before, and was brought back after customers demanded it. But the second time around didn't go quite as smoothly. For one thing, the sauce was much, much too sweet. "Was way too sweet and rich for me," said one Redditor. "That sauce was nasty imo." For another thing, Burger King decided to offer a plant-based version — then topped that vegetarian option with non-vegetarian bacon. Whoops.

It sounds pretty hard to mess up, right? All you have to do is take some kind of dough and stuff it with something gooey and sweet. Heck, Taco Bell already enjoyed some success with caramel apple empanadas. But these two items, which hit the menu in 2026, fall well short of expectations. "They weren't dusted with a sugar or anything, so when you have naked fried dough that was overcooked, it tastes like I'm eating a cardboard box that just happens to be filled with filling," said one review on Reddit. The chocolate fudge is seen as marginally better than the caramel, but neither are worth it.