# What discontinued fast food item would you bring back? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [February 1, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783 "2017-02-01T22:53:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/141 "2017-02-10T05:20:51Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Not imaginary…[and not discontinued apparently.](McDonald’s Steak, Egg and Cheese Bagel) Whoa! Turns out the franchisees can put it on the menu if they want. I wonder if I actually care enough to hassle my local McD? ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/142 "2017-02-10T17:05:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Not imaginary…[and not discontinued apparently.](McDonald’s Steak, Egg and Cheese Bagel) Yep we have them here in the crossroads. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/143 "2017-02-10T17:49:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > KFC’s original gravy, before they changed it to library paste in the early 70’s. I agree with The Colonel who, after tasting the new corporate recipe gravy, said “How do you serve this God-damned slop? With a straw?” According to William Poundston’e book **Big Secrets** , the Colonel said of the original gravy that “it was so good you could throw away the chicken and just eat the gravy”. Good to see he has corroboration. I was under the impression that the original gravy recipe didn’t survive franchisation, but your post indicates that it apparently did. Sorry I never got a chance to taste it. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/144 "2017-02-10T17:55:41Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > According to William Poundston’e book **Big Secrets** , the Colonel said of the original gravy that “it was so good you could throw away the chicken and just eat the gravy”. Good to see he has corroboration. I was under the impression that the original gravy recipe didn’t survive franchisation, but your post indicates that it apparently did. Sorry I never got a chance to taste it. It was delicious!! And it’s true, a visit to KFC was worth it just for the gravy on potatoes and biscuits. Now I’ll indulge in KFC a couple times a year for their original recipe coating, but otherwise, meh. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/145 "2017-02-10T18:05:41Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It was delicious!! And it’s true, a visit to KFC was worth it just for the gravy on potatoes and biscuits. > > Now I’ll indulge in KFC a couple times a year for their original recipe coating, but otherwise, meh. And the biscuits were larger and flakier, too. Damn fine biscuits and gravy back then. ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/146 "2017-02-10T18:09:53Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Already mentioned once - but the McDonald’s fried apple pies. Especially if they were just out of the fryer, and you had to nibble at them because the apple filling was surface of the sun hot. I don’t know how hot the baked ones are, but perhaps the temperature was an issue. Especially after the coffee lawsuit. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/147 "2017-02-10T18:45:42Z")
I’d like to bring back a whole damned franchise: **[Bill Knapp’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Knapp's)**. Popular in the Midwest, I loved their biscuits and honey, their au gratin potatoes, their soups and desserts, and just their overall emphasis on making really good comfort food. They died out in 2002 after tossing all their original recipes in an attempt to capture a younger demographic. ---
**Author:** ![GinoC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f4b2a3/32.png) [@GinoC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GinoC)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/148 "2017-02-11T02:08:11Z")
Goodness, not one vote for the McRib? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/149 "2017-02-11T02:12:38Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’d like to bring back a whole damned franchise: **[Bill Knapp’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Knapp's)**. Popular in the Midwest, I loved their biscuits and honey, their au gratin potatoes, their soups and desserts, and just their overall emphasis on making really good comfort food. They died out in 2002 after tossing all their original recipes in an attempt to capture a younger demographic. One might argue that their demise wasn’t due to trying to accommodate a younger demographic, but that their traditional demographic was already unprofitable as it way dying out. That is, if you’re already successful, why tinker with success? The desire to attract others was certainly an expression of their declining market share. ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/150 "2017-02-11T02:17:58Z")
> [@GinoC](#): > > Goodness, not one vote for the McRib? Well, it is the McRib. It is only good because it comes around once a year or so. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/151 "2017-02-11T08:19:37Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Apparently, [onion nuggets](http://grist.org/food/mcdonalds-tried-to-make-onion-nuggets-happen/) used to a thing at McDonald’s. I love onions, so I would also be up for bringing that back just to see what the heck these things were like. They couldn’t compete with white castles onion chips. You like onions? You will love those then ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/152 "2017-02-11T15:51:07Z")
> [@Weisshund](#): > > They couldn’t compete with white castles onion chips. > You like onions? You will love those then I love White Castle and never noticed they even had onion chips. My order there is usually so reflexive (4 jalapeno cheeseburgers and maybe a diet coke) that I haven’t bothered looking at the menu in ages. I’ll check it out next time. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/153 "2017-02-11T17:04:48Z")
McDonald’s chicken sandwiches, the Ranch BLT in particular. Haven’t been to one since those were discontinued. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/154 "2017-02-11T17:30:45Z")
Far from individual items, there are entire chains that I wish had a location nearby — Waffle House, White Castle, Steak & Shake, Skyline Chili, Marion’s Piazza, … I’ll end this tangent ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/155 "2017-02-11T19:29:17Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Far from individual items, there are entire chains that I wish had a location nearby — Waffle House, White Castle, Steak & Shake, Skyline Chili, Marion’s Piazza, … I’ll end this tangent I’d be so fat if we had an In N Out anywhere near me. Anyhow, I was surprised the other day when I saw Skyline Chili in my local grocer’s freezer. I haven’t bought it (I’ve had the real thing in Cincinnati), but I didn’t realize they had a frozen version of it. We have plenty of White Castles here, but the frozen product actually is not too far from the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/156 "2017-02-11T19:33:37Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’d be so fat if we had an In N Out anywhere near me. Anyhow, I was surprised the other day when I saw Skyline Chili in my local grocer’s freezer. I haven’t bought it (I’ve had the real thing in Cincinnati), but I didn’t realize they had a frozen version of it. We have plenty of White Castles here, but the frozen product actually is not too far from the real thing. Actually, I think I’ve had Skyline both canned and frozen. Canned is better. I do occasionally get frozen White Castles, but there’s nothing like the real experience. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/157 "2017-02-12T00:18:13Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I love White Castle and never noticed they even had onion chips. My order there is usually so reflexive (4 jalapeno cheeseburgers and maybe a diet coke) that I haven’t bothered looking at the menu in ages. I’ll check it out next time. 2 Dbl Cheese with extra pickles Sack of onion chips And a sack of chicken rings for later ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/158 "2017-02-12T00:25:18Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’d be so fat if we had an In N Out anywhere near me. Anyhow, I was surprised the other day when I saw Skyline Chili in my local grocer’s freezer. I haven’t bought it (I’ve had the real thing in Cincinnati), but I didn’t realize they had a frozen version of it. We have plenty of White Castles here, but the frozen product actually is not too far from the real thing. being from Cincinnati, i have to say you may be disappointed in the frozen skyline Not sure why but is just not quite the same, it’s kind of bland. I can give you a recipe for making it yourself though, it will be about 98% correct Not 100% because they wont say the exact amounts of the spices they put in their mix. But ive got it pretty darned close. I’d be in heaven if magically there appeared a LaRossa’s, Friches Bigboy, Skyline, and a White Castle on my street, i would never leave, if Cincinnati ever becomes tropical, i may move back. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/159 "2017-02-12T04:13:06Z")
> [@Weisshund](#): > > being from Cincinnati, i have to say you may be disappointed in the frozen skyline > Not sure why but is just not quite the same, it’s kind of bland. > > I can give you a recipe for making it yourself though, it will be about 98% correct > Not 100% because they wont say the exact amounts of the spices they put in their mix. > But ive got it pretty darned close. > > I’d be in heaven if magically there appeared a LaRossa’s, Friches Bigboy, Skyline, and a White Castle on my street, i would never leave, if Cincinnati ever becomes tropical, i may move back. Sure, bring on the recipe! I remember I made one that came close right after I came back from my Cincinnati trip, but I can’t remember what recipe I used, and I probably tweaked it a little as my memory of Skyline chili was very fresh at the time. Now, unfortunately, I don’t really have a strong reference point. I do remember a few things: do not brown the meat; it’s a lot soupier than what you think of as a chili, almost approaching a spaghetti sauce; and, of course, the spicing which had your usual cumin and cayenne, but also cinnamon and a hint of either allspice or cloves or both. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783/160 "2017-02-12T04:17:57Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Actually, I think I’ve had Skyline both canned and frozen. Canned is better. I do occasionally get frozen White Castles, but there’s nothing like the real experience. Sure, it’s not exactly the real deal White Castles, but, to me at any rate, it’s surprisingly close for a frozen fast food hamburger. Of course, it helps that WC’s are basically steamed burgers, so preparing them in the microwave with the plastic wrap on them works out pretty well. The main issue I have is sometimes the bottom of the bun goes from being steamy and fluffy to crunchy in the microwave. But they taste and smell like WC burgers, to me at any rate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-discontinued-fast-food-item-would-you-bring-back/778783.md?page=9)