# Which fast food items still taste the same as they used to, let's say 20 years ago or longer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [February 8, 2024, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328 "2024-02-08T21:53:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2024, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/61 "2024-02-11T02:07:23Z")
There is no hesitation in my answer because I think about it all the time. My first Taco Bell taco would have been as a teenager in the mid 70’s. I thought it was the most perfect fast food item ever. I know it sounds weird but every time I get one it takes me back to that day. The sense of smell and taste create powerful memory links. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2024, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/62 "2024-02-11T08:38:32Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I would think your taste buds would lose some of their sensitivity over a span of twenty years and things would naturally taste “different”. My dad had a Big Mac one week ago (Washington state), while he was in the hospital. He didn’t think it was as good as before. I do wonder if his tastebuds were/are messed up due to new medication, or if that particular McDonalds has quality issues. I had a Big Mac last week, and it seemed about the same as ever. But I’m in Switzerland, so I got to pay more. [Big Mac Index](https://www.economist.com/big-mac-index). Thanks to the app I only paid 5 CHF (5.7 USD). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/63 "2024-02-12T01:18:56Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > My dad had a Big Mac one week ago (Washington state), while he was in the hospital. He didn’t think it was as good as before. I do wonder if his tastebuds were/are messed up due to new medication, or if that particular McDonalds has quality issues. I think it tastes the same, but the did shrink them. Didn’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/64 "2024-02-12T01:24:44Z")
It certainly _feels_ like they shrunk the Big Mac. When I was a kid, it seemed enormous but now it seems tiny. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/65 "2024-02-12T01:24:51Z")
Twenty years ago isn’t very long; I would guess MOST fast food items would be indistinguishable between 2004 and 2024. ---
**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, 2024, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/66 "2024-02-12T02:00:55Z")
They’ve always been 10-to-1 patties, so far as I researched this last time. I think we’re just used to much bigger burgers now. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/67 "2024-02-12T02:56:36Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > As I understand it, Subway changed their meatball recipe in the last year and it’s now a beef & pork mix. I had one last week and it didn’t taste that different to me - they might have changed the seasoning in the meatballs somewhat, but they’re still the same size and texture. ETA: I compared the ingredients list on Subway’s website to an archived version from 2022, and the only change in the ingredients is that they now contain pork. ---
**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, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/68 "2024-02-12T20:57:18Z")
Did they used to be all beef? That’s interesting because with meatballs, I typically think of a mix of meats, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/69 "2024-02-12T21:03:01Z")
Yes, the old recipe was all beef. Most meatball recipes I’ve seen call for various proportions of beef, pork, and veal (which I don’t use at home). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/70 "2024-02-12T21:04:05Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The sense of smell and taste create powerful memory links. This is call “Proustian” after the French writer Marcel Proust. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/71 "2024-02-12T21:11:01Z")
Popeyes fried Chicken. I started eating it in the mid 1990’s. I don’t think the mild recipe has changed. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/72 "2024-02-14T02:13:43Z")
I was surprised to find the Dodger Dog tastes the same as it always has even though they fired Farmer John a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/73 "2024-02-14T04:18:15Z")
Has Taco Bells basic hard 🌮 changed? I had three tonight and they seem exactly the same. I used to buy them regularly in college in the 80’s. It was the cheapest take out. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/74 "2024-02-14T05:07:05Z")
Pizza Hut seemed noticeably better at one time. A long time ago. When we were kids, Shakey’s had a pretty decent pie. But they didn’t have delivery service was the constant complaint. Pizza Hut was a distant second, but they did deliver. Dominos was a fair bit cheaper than Pizza hut, though not especially very good. In recent years Dominos has upped their game, which probably isn’t saying much. I recall it being a little bit better than the box it came in. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/75 "2024-02-14T13:03:41Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > Dominos was a fair bit cheaper than Pizza hut, though not especially very good. In recent years Dominos has upped their game, which probably isn’t saying much. I recall it being a little bit better than the box it came in. Domino’s has always been trash and even though they revamped their recipe, it did not improve it in any way that made it good. I’m one of the minority, I think, who believe Little Caesar’s pizza is great. ---
**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 14, 2024, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/76 "2024-02-14T13:17:08Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > I recall it being a little bit better than the box it came in. Exactly. That was my opinion of it in college back in the 90s. I think it has gotten much, _much_ better, and is now actually edible. Went from 0/10 pizza to maybe 3.5/10 pizza. Hell, if I want cheap-ass pizza to keep myself and the kids fed, I’ll choose Domino’s every single time over any other option. (Though the kids also like Pizza Hut, so sometimes I have to be a good father and order from there. 🙂 ) I’ll even choose it over some independent places I don’t like. That’s a statement I never would have made 30 years ago, when they and Taco Bell were the two establishments I refused to frequent unless I was with a group that insisted. So moral is, try it for yourself. I actually crave the Philly cheesesteak pizza. If taste were objective, it’s probably not objectively _good_, but I love the damn thing. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/77 "2024-02-14T15:19:01Z")
I can’t figure out why none of the chains can supply a half fast decent crust. It ain’t rocket science. The crust is maybe 50% of what makes a decent pizza in the first place. Dough needs to age a day or two to develop flavor, that’s part of it. They seem to use some sort of injection molded food-like substance these days. Blech. Strangely they have a gazillion choices for toppings, styles, ingredients. “extra cheese” etc, but the product is fairly rancid. I have to actually specify garlic and parmesan at one outlet, or it isn’t included. It used to be (You kids get off my lawn!) we just ordered a pepperoni or sausage pizza, and they did a pretty good job. Core competencies are sadly lacking. ---
**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 14, 2024, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/78 "2024-02-14T15:31:27Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > I can’t figure out why none of the chains can supply a half fast decent crust. It ain’t rocket science. The crust is maybe 50% of what makes a decent pizza in the first place. I’d say more like 90%–make a good pizza dough and you could put anything or nothing on it and it’ll taste great–but I absolutely agree with the rest. Domino’s gets its own dough that takes 16 hours from dough order to arrival at store. They apparently proof it for up to 4 days in their stores. Cites: > **[The secret behind the US’s most successful pizza chain is a hyper-efficient...](https://classic.qz.com/perfect-company-2/1148899/the-secret-behind-the-uss-most-successful-pizza-chain-is-a-hyper-efficient-dough-factory/)** > > Since Domino's Pizza redid its recipe in 2009, stock has outperformed Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon. This cite I got access denied on, but it’s from Domino’s UK: [https://www.dominos.co.uk/blog/snackmasters-7-things-you-didnt-know-about-dominos-pizza-recipe/](https://www.dominos.co.uk/blog/snackmasters-7-things-you-didnt-know-about-dominos-pizza-recipe/) It states (according to a Google preview): > We allow our dough to proof for **up to four days at a cold temperature** , so that it rises slowly. This helps the yeast to react gradually, giving your pizza a more consistent colour and texture when cooked. I don’t know what temps their ovens are at, but I bet that dough would improve with higher temperature. Ya know, I maybe should ask someone at Domino’s if I could buy their dough and see how it cooks up here at my place, where I have some proper pizza stones (quarry tile, actually) on a grill that could cook up a crust in about 2-3 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/79 "2024-02-14T15:45:32Z")
Exactly! If it’s a good crust, then it’s 90% of the way there, put it like that. Crispy crackly, redolent of garlic and parm - good enough by itself, almost. Drop it in a blazing hot oven with a peel, done in just a minute or two. That’s what I recall made the Shakey’s pizza so good. Probably didn’t compare to NYC pies, but as soon as you walked in their restaurant the aroma was awesome. I think they had brick lined ovens running pretty hot. If the oven is hot enough a pizza only takes about 90 seconds or so start to finish. ---
**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 14, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328/80 "2024-02-14T15:51:11Z")
Yeah, that’s for Neapolitan style. I doubt Shakey’s runs their ovens that hot, and standard NY pizza isn’t run anywhere near that hot, either. You do have brick oven joints that are wood or coal-fired, but that seems to be the exception rather than the rule. NYC pizzas are typically cooked at 500-550F. Shakey’s is/was very good. (I haven’t seen one in ages; apparently there are a few on the west coast.) If I remember right, they have more of a crackery crust? You don’t need to do those in a super hot oven. The Midwest has plenty of this style of pie. (Random anecdote: About ten years ago I was in Hoboken visiting a friend of mine, and I can’t remember if we were on the Jersey side or New York side, but we found a little joint proudly advertising “wood-fired pizza,” so I decided, that’s a nice place to try. We go on in; sure enough, they have a nice, fancy brick oven. I’m a bit excited now. I start chatting up the owner, and he’s all excited because he had just recently acquired this oven. I asked him how long it takes him to make a pizza in there; he replied something like 8-10 minutes. I’m thinking, huh, that’s odd. What temp you run that thing at? Oh, we got it going at 450, 500.) I didn’t say anything to him, but I’m like what’s the point of having that thing if you’re not going to crank the temps up? And, yeah, the pizza was pretty middle-of-the-road.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-items-still-taste-the-same-as-they-used-to-lets-say-20-years-ago-or-longer/997328.md?page=5)