Like all other fast food restaurants, McDonald’s has been rotating items in and out of the menu for several decades. And, according to restaurant patrons, they miss some menu options more than others. Gaming research company Plejmo conducted a recent study, looking at the monthly online search date for over 70 discontinued McDonald’s items, ranking them in popularity. Here are the 10 McDonald’s items fans want back the most, ranked from least to most popular.
McPizza
The tenth most requested item is the McPizza, introduced by Chicago-based McDonald’s in the mid-1980s. The item, which was mostly discontinued around 2000, is reportedly available at only one location in the country – the world’s largest McDonald’s in Orlando, Florida. In A YouTube video, one restaurantgoer showed the digital ordering platform in which you can select your toppings, sauce, and cheese type. In the survey, the McPizza racked up 4,033 searches.
Hot Mustard
Condiments are also missed by McDonald’s patrons, with Hot Mustard the ninth most searched-for item. If you don’t remember it, one Redditor describes the chicken dipping sauce as “not hot really or spicy” but “unique and delightful.” However, here is some insider information: You can still get hot mustard at a few McDonald’s franchises in Wisconsin, according to Redditors. Fox Valley and Green Bay locations, run by the same franchisee, reportedly carry it.
Cinnamon Melts/Cinnamelts
Once upon a time back in 2007 McDonald’s McDonald’s offered their version of bite-size cinnamon rolls on the breakfast menu, dubbed Cinnamon Melts/Cinnamelts. According to the survey, 5,533 searched for the sweet treats. These aren’t to be confused with McDonald’s cinnamon rolls, which were also on the menu for a short period of time.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
The seventh most requested item on the survey is the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, and, considering McDonald’s is amping up their chicken offerings, there’s a chance it could come back. On a recent investors call, Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s president, chairman and CEO elaborated on the resurrection of The Snack Wrap, revealing that chicken has been a hit for the chain. “We’re excited about the significant opportunity we see within our chicken portfolio and see the potential to add another point of chicken market share by the end of 2026,” he said. “This year, there is incredible energy for the return of Snack Wraps in the U.S., along with a few other markets,” he said. “My U.S. team would kill me if I gave any more details about the when and the exact specifics of how we’re going to plan on doing that, but certainly expect that to come online later in the year,” he said.
Szechuan Sauce
Another popular condiment people want back? Szechuan Sauce, a dipping sauce for Chicken McNuggets. In 2022, McDonald’s actually brought the Asian-inspired “savory and slightly sweet” sauce, back for a limited time, exclusively on their app. They described it as having “hints of soy, garlic, ginger and mild vinegar notes.” Aside from the brief offering a few years ago, it’s only been in restaurants three other times in the past 27 years.
The Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait
The number five most requested back item is the Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait, a mainstay on the menu for decades. “I genuinely loved the fruit and yogurt parfait, and I think McDonald’s should bring it back,” one Redditor recently wrote. “Something about the slightly soggy frozen fruit, with the sweet yogurt, and granola was just so good. You can’t really make anything that compares at home though.” A former employee agreed that it was really good. “When I worked there around 2014 I loved making them,” they wrote. “The fruit was put in frozen- a scoop of strawberries and FIVE blueberries- and the yogurt was a very sweet vanilla.”
McDLT
The McDLT ranked fourth with 8,748 searches. In case you don’t remember, the cheeseburger debuted in 1985 and was served in a two-part container separating the warm components, the burger and bun, from the chilled ones, the cheese, lettuce, and tomato. According to reports, the item was discontinued due to the not-so-eco-friendly packaging.
Spicy Chicken Nuggets
Spicy Chicken Nuggets, which were basically Chicken McNuggets with a kick, launched in 2020. The OG crispy breading was spiked with cayenne and chili pepper, satisfying spicy tastebuds. If you like a spicier nugget, head over to McDonald’s Singapore, which just announced the first-ever Curry Chicken McNuggets, coated in a crispy batter infused with “fragrant, aromatic curry spices,” according to one Singaporean publication. According to the survey, 10,093 people searched for them.
McDonald’s Snack Wraps
Lucky for the 41,950 people who searched for McDonald’s Snack Wraps, their wish is coming true. McDonald’s announced recently that Snack Wraps will be back later this year. The popular item is a warm flour tortilla filled with chicken, lettuce, and cheese. According to McDonald’s USA Joe Erlingerthe Snack Wrap “has a cult following. I get so many emails into my inbox about this product. It will be back in 2025,” he said in an interview confirming the comeback.
McRib
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that the most requested item to make a permanent return to the McDonald’s menu is the McRib. While the brand regularly brings it back to select locations, the item is a crowd-pleaser. The boneless poke sandwich smothered in McDonald’s barbeque sauce generates an average of 94,425 monthly searches.
