I’m Not Lovin’ It: McDonald’s Menu Items That Failed

Although the world’s largest fast food chain has managed to stay on top for years, it is not to say that it hasn't experienced its fair share of menu failures. McDonald’s occasionally rolls out new menu items, some of them destined for success, others, well, destined to fail before they even begin. Take a look at some of the chain’s worst products that eventually vanished from the menu. Feel free to add comments to your favorite flops.

The Hula Burger

The famous Hula Burger was introduced by Ray Krok, the man who took over McDonald’s early on and transformed it into the success that it is today. The burger was debuted in 1963 in order to accommodate strict Catholics who couldn’t eat meat on Friday’s. Replacing hamburger meat with a slice of pineapple and throwing a piece of cheese on top didn’t catch on and turned into a disaster.

McPizza

In the nineties, McDonald’s introduced McPizza to its menu as a ‘dinner’ option and alternative to burgers. The result was a product failure that set McDonald’s back millions of dollars in wasted costs for ovens. The real reason for the flop was that customers did not associate the chain with pizza and preferred to go to an actual pizza parlour.

Arch Deluxe

The Arch Deluxe debuted in 1996 with a $100 million ad campaign that, frankly, fell flat. The idea was to create a product marketed towards sophisticated adults. However, the problem was that the McDonald’s brand wasn’t built upon the image of sophistication. A ‘not so lovin’ it’ pricey mistake!

McLean Deluxe

Believe it or not, at one point McDonald's tried to help customers shrink their waistlines. In the early nineties, the fast-food giant was under fire by nutritionists for what they considered to be an unhealthy menu. In response to this criticism, the McLean Deluxe was created. This burger was in fact healthier- 91% fat free according to the ads. However, the problem was the taste. Fat replaced with seaweed water turned out to be repulsive to customers.

McLobster

Another case where McDonald’s unsuccessfully tried to expand its menu offering beyond its fast food image was with McLobster- the most expensive item on the menu with a $5.99 price tag. What made the company think it could convince people of a quality product considering its brand?

McHot Dog

McHot Dogs flopped in the nineties regardless of previous research linking it to a potential cash-in. Despite revival attempts, the idea never stuck around.

McSpaghetti

McDonald's should take the cue for thorough R&D before a product release because customers will go elsewhere for their lasagna, spaghetti, and fettuccine alfredo. Recently, McSpaghetti was trialed in New Zealand and Australia, which led to a failure due to low demand.