Don’t be fooled by the name, Miami-born fast food joint Burger King offers more than bread and beef. In fact, its famous Whopper is about the least exciting item it’s given us since its inception in 1954. We’ve had fast food mash-ups such as Chicken Fries Rings (basically chicken nugget onion rings) and Poutine á la Burger, as well as high-end launches (read less “fast”) such as pork ribs and sweet potato fries. From the flying successes to the hilarious flops, these are the Burger King favorites we long to come back – mostly from the USA, with a couple from further afield.
During Yumbo’s heyday – which launched in 1968 – we were all wearing bell bottom pants and listening to Marvin Gaye. The hot ham and cheese sandwich had a six-year run before it was discontinued. It was brought back briefly in 2014, with a modern update in the form of lettuce, mayo and a hoagie bun (a long, flat roll). It had so much retro appeal and its adverts playfully featured a “Yumbo hotline” in a throwback to the analogue era.
You may think you recognize these Bacon Cheesy Tots from last year as they’re extremely similar to another of Burger King’s classics – Cheesy Tots. The history of Cheesy Tots goes like this. The delightful dish featuring warm, cheesy potato in a breadcrumb coating was launched in 2013, only to disappear and reappear a multitude of times. However, in 2019, it was given an innovative twist to pull carnivorous fans in, with hickory bacon placed in the middle. Hence, Bacon Cheesy Tots were born.
Something remarkable happened in 2010 – Burger King launched bone-in pork ribs, a dish which is usually only ever attempted by barbecue restaurants. They were charred, smoky, tender and lightly-glazed in sauce and a huge 10 million were sold. So, the big mystery is, why has this item never reappeared? We can only speculate on this one.
Do you remember McDonald’s famous rib-themed offering the McRib? Probably. Now, try to remember Burger King’s version, the Rib Sandwich, which debuted in 2013. It’s a bit harder, isn’t it? Three years after the success of its Fire-Grilled Ribs, Burger King trialed a sandwich featuring a juicy, boneless rib patty, sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, and pickles in a toasted, artisan bun as part of its “Summer BBQ Menu”.
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Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork also featured on the “Summer BBQ Menu”, packed with braised pork mixed with BK’s Memphis BBQ sauce, sliced onions and sweet Southern dressing in an artisan bun. Debuting in 2012, it's also a part of a run of pulled pork items launched by the chain, such as the Extra Long Pulled Pork Sandwich in 2015 and the Pulled Pork King in 2019.
Intended to be “the Whopper of hot dogs”, Burger King’s beef hot dog had two tasty options: Classic, with mustard, ketchup, relish and onions; and Chili Cheese, the same ingredients, plus Cheddar and chili. What made them Whopper-like was that you could add or remove toppings according to your taste. Neither massively took off – perhaps because the branding didn’t quite work when there were two of them, or maybe it was because people already had their favorite fast food vendor? Either way, we wouldn’t say no to one.
The name was right. This 2005 breakfast item was simply enormous. Made up of two cooked eggs, cheese, bacon and sausage on a long sesame seed roll, it was guaranteed to keep you full until lunchtime. Sadly, at 700 calories, you needed to be running a marathon or similar afterwards to justify making this breakfast choice.
There’s no better way to cool down on a hot day than with a glass of refreshing lemonade. Burger King thought so when it released its sweet and sour Frozen Lemonade and Frozen Strawberry Lemonade during the summer months between 2012-2014. The fast food chain let fans know the cooler was limited-edition, but that didn’t make it any easier when it was discontinued September each year.
During the great sweet potato craze in the 2010s, the bright orange dish that was meant to be a “nutritious option” appeared everywhere, and fast food chains weren’t an exception. Burger King's Sweet Potato Fries were launched as part of its Southern-inspired barbecue menu in 2012 and, despite all the eye rolling, we enjoyed the alternative texture to regular fries.
Alongside Sweet Potato Fries, was a crunchier and more decadent version in 2012, the Sweet Potato Curly Fries. But there was a twist, Sweet Potato Curly Fries were not savory, they were dusted in cinnamon sugar. We’re not sure if they were actually “healthy” (it’s quite unlikely), but they were definitely delicious.
Another epic addition to the summer menu in 2012 was the Bacon Sundae – vanilla soft-serve ice cream topped with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce and thick-cut, smoked bacon. As a 500-calorie treat, it was described by some as a monstrosity, but equally, it was adored by fans for its sweet and savory combination.
Canada’s national dish poutine is incredible – crispy fries, cheese curds and hot gravy in one dish. What more could you ask for? Well, a whole lot more, according to Burger King Canada. Poutine á la Burger took traditional poutine and topped it with a deconstructed Whopper (think chopped beef patty, pickles, mustard and ketchup), adding it to its menu in 2014. It was a heinous move to some people but a genius one to others.
When you were feeling peckish but not hungry enough for a whole meal, a Burger King Burger Shot was the ideal snack. Available in 2008, these miniature burgers featuring a little patty and pickle were sold in two-packs and six-packs. These days, Burger King fans have had to make do with White Castle’s offering in order to get their slider fix.
The Nineties was the decade when TV show Friends was still on air, the boyband Backstreet Boys were cool and denim-on-denim was a good look. Plus, Cini-Minis – tasty miniature cinnamon rolls touted as "the best part of the cinnamon roll in every bite" – launched at Burger King in 1998. The best part? A pack of four cost 99 cents.
Who doesn’t love crinkle-cut fries? Believe it or not, you could once get these old-school beauties from Burger King outlets. The item was meant to be a healthier choice with 40% less fat and 30% fewer calories than regular fries. Available in 2013, the item didn’t really take off and the following year they were slowly phased out.
You’ve heard of Tex-Mex-inspired burgers – just add guacamole, salsa and jalapeños – but have you eaten a burger-inspired burrito? Unless you have tried the Whopperrito from Burger King in 2016, it’s very unlikely. Following the theme of the chain’s best-selling burger, it featured ground beef, tomato, onions, lettuce and pickles in a flour tortilla. It shouldn’t have worked but it really did.
If you’ve never tried Burger King's Chicken Fries, you're probably thinking what in the world is this mysterious dish? To get you up to speed, Chicken Fries are tube-shaped chicken nuggets, and they are now a permanent fixture on the menu at the chain. Chicken Fries Rings, on the other hand, were a limited-edition onion ring-shaped spin on the increasingly popular chicken-based side dish, innovated in 2016.
Burger King’s biggest rival McDonald’s might be known for its breakfast menu, which features hash browns and the world-famous Egg McMuffin. However, the home of the Whopper has given it a run for its money a few times – 2019 was a worrying year for the golden arches when Burger King launched not one but three Maple Waffle Sandwiches. The dish featured fluffy eggs, American cheese and a choice of bacon, sausage or ham between two waffles.
The Maple Waffle Sandwiches weren’t the only highly competitive breakfast dish Burger King launched that year. The French Toast Sandwich also came with a choice of sausage, bacon or ham, plus Burger King's traditional fluffy folded eggs and American cheese between two pieces of French Toast. What’s more, when the chain temporarily reintroduced the item in 2021, it came with the tasty addition of maple butter sauce.
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Remember us describing Chicken Fries – the tube-shaped chicken nugget on Burger King’s menu? Well, Buffalo Chicken Fries, along with Fiery Chicken Fries and Pretzel Chicken Fries, were a limited-edition iteration of the chicken-based side dish. With “a mild but dippable” buffalo wing flavor that paired well with both buffalo and blue cheese sauce, according to reviews, they were far superior to the overly-spicy Fiery Chicken Fries and plain regular Chicken Fries.
The novelty food mash-up Mac n’ Cheetos, which combined popular childhood snack Cheetos with the mac ‘n’ cheese trend, equally shocked and impressed Burger King fans when it was launched in 2016. However, it also made sense. It was just one dish in a whole series of attention-grabbing fast food creations including KFC's Double Down sandwich in 2010 and Pizza Hut's Hot Dog Stuffed Crust Pizza in 2012.
A garish red milkshake that looked like something that would launch for Halloween, the Red Velvet Oreo Shake from 2015 was deceptively delicious. It was a chocolate shake with Oreo cookie crumbles and a refreshing twist thanks to the addition of cream cheese. Some enthusiastic fans heralded it the best shake they’d ever tasted.
Another unholy milkshake creation, but this time from 2017. It took one of the nation’s favorite and most nostalgic cereals, Froot Loops, and turned it into beverage form. Picture the delicious taste of cereal milk mixed with velvety vanilla soft serve, cereal chunks and a sweet sauce and you’re there.
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For a while it looked like the molten chocolate cake trend was never going to disappear and then it arrived on the menu at fast food chains such as Dominos, Arby’s and Burger King. Nonetheless, it was still delicious, and, if anything, improved the dish as it cost less. We particularly loved the Molten Fudge Sundae with molten brownie balls, vanilla soft serve and chocolate-caramel sauce, which launched in 2013.
Back in 2012, Burger King went European on us with the launch of the Italian Breakfast Burrito. The on-the-go meal, featuring scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage and melted mozzarella, had a fresh Mediterranean flavor thanks to its marinara sauce and a medley of chopped red and green bell peppers and onion. Wait a minute – aren’t cappuccinos and pastries the traditional continental breakfast?
Around 10 years ago, Burger King was a much healthier place than it is now. In 2012, it offered Garden Fresh Salads, which were perfect for the days we craved fast food but wanted to be healthy. Options included Chicken Caesar, Chicken BLT, and fan favorite Chicken, Apple and Cranberry. Sadly, these options were eliminated quietly in recent years.
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The intimidatingly-named Angry Whopper – a tasty bacon cheeseburger topped with crispy onions, Angry Sauce, shredded lettuce, tomato and jalapeños – launched in the UK in 2008. The word “angry” was meant to imply spicy, but in reality, customers found it more zesty than red hot. It made its way to The States in 2009 where it earned a solid fan base. It is one of the chain’s most popular limited-edition items and has reappeared in both countries a number of times.
An upmarket offering from Burger King UK, the Lamb Flatbread was packed with a spiced, flame-grilled lamb patty, an ample helping of salad, chili ketchup and mint yogurt tucked into a rosemary flatbread. It was available in 2012, but we’d love to get our hands on it to switch up the boring beef and chicken rotation the chain has got going on right now.
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In the UK, Brits have recently celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. However, to honor the royal’s Diamond Jubilee, which was 10 years ago, Burger King launched a burger with a royal twist. The Coronation Chicken Royale featured a crispy chicken breast patty, iceberg lettuce and a sweet curry-flavored sauce. The regal sandwich is just as relevant today as it was back then.
Possibly the most mouth-watering Burger King menu item of all time, the Italian Original Chicken Sandwich is inspired by the popular Italian American restaurant's best-selling chicken parm. It features breaded chicken coated in marinara and mozzarella inside a long sesame seed bun. It first appeared in 2014 and it was brought back in 2021 much to hungry fans’ delight.
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