The 1970s was a time when fast‑food chains threw caution (and common sense) to the wind. From pineapple patties to sloppy‑joe tacos, these menu experiments dared to be audacious—and mostly flopped. We’ll revisit six now‑legendary sandwiches that debuted with bravado and then quietly vanished. Think of it as fast‑food’s hall of fame for culinary missteps—curious, nostalgic, and slightly absurd.
KFC’s Roast Beef Experiment
In 1968, KFC spun off “Kentucky Roast Beef & Ham.” The star: a roast‑beef sandwich slathered in gravy. Sounds comfy, but beef costs and lack of KFC flair sank it fast. By 1970, the entire chain was gone.
McDonald’s Pineapple Patty?
McDonald’s tried a bold move: the “Hula Burger,” a grilled pineapple slice with cheese on a bun, meant to win over meat‑abstaining Catholics during Lent. It competed head‑to‑head with the now‑iconic Filet‑O‑Fish, which crushed it in sales. The pineapple oddball never stood a chance, and mercifully faded fast.
McDonald’s ‘Grown-Up’ Sandwich Flop
In 1979, McDonald’s tried “adulting” with the Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich: a sirloin patty on a French roll, slivered onions, steak sauce, only served after 4 PM. Verdict: too fancy for fast‑food fans. It vanished by 1980.
Taco Bell’s Burger Throw-back
Taco Bell played with concept: their Chili Burger, one of the chain’s original 1962 items, evolved into the Bell Burger in the early ’70s, then became the Bell Beefer by 1977. Think sloppy‑joe tacos—ground beef, lettuce, diced onions, mild sauce on a soft bun.
Bell Beefer’s Cult Status
Though it vanished by the mid‑’90s, the Bell Beefer still has a quirky, cult following among old‑school Taco Bell fans and remains a weird badge of fast‑food history.
Burger Chef’s Big Deal Burger
Burger Chef, with over 1,000 locations, served the Big Shef: a double‑decker cheeseburger with pickles and a secret sauce that suspiciously echoed the Big Mac. It was the chain’s signature… until Hardee’s bought the company and the Shef disappeared.
Hardee’s Teases Big Shef Fans
Hardee’s has resurrected the Big Shef here and there, but veterans say nothing quite matches the original double‑wrapped, wax‑papered version. It’s a nostalgia warzone.
Filet-O-Fish: The Smarter Choice
The Filet‑O‑Fish—breaded fish fillet, tartar sauce, cheese on a steamed bun—was originally a test against the Hula Burger. Unsurprisingly, it won and remains on menus to this day. Irony: pineapple lost out to fish.
Burger King’s Yumbo Craze
Enter the Yumbo in 1971: hot ham and cheese, lettuce, mayo on a hoagie‑style roll. It was novelty on a bun, and even came in a heat‑holding container. It was a ‘70s hit that vanished by the mid‑’70s.
Yumbo’s Retro Comeback… Briefly
Fast‑forward: in December 2014, the Yumbo returned, for nostalgia’s sake, with 1970s ads, lava lamps, and bell‑bottom vibes. Fans got their fix for a short while, but the sandwich didn’t stick long.
Why It All Worked… Then Didn’t
These sandwiches rode ’70s boldness and fast-food experimentation. But shifting tastes, cost issues, and menu identity all played villains, leading to silent exits. It’s a lesson in how far a chain can drift before snapping back to its core.
What Survived (and What Didn’t)
Out of all this culinary chaos, only Filet-O-Fish survived the era. Everything else? Gone or occasionally ghosted back into existence. Sometimes the weird ones leave the biggest mark.
