12 Discontinued Breakfast Items From Popular Fast Food Chains

It's been a long week, and you've had a rough night as well. When you roll over in the morning, the last thing you want to do is make breakfast for yourself. Fast food restaurants are fantastic for getting the job done, and you don't have to spend a fortune to get fed either. But unfortunately, these chains seem to giveth and taketh away, with random breakfast menu items vanishing without a trace. This can be frustrating if you're on a mission to satisfy a certain craving!

Maybe you already know what's no longer available from your favorite fast food restaurant's breakfast menu and want to reminisce about the good times, or maybe you aren't sure what's persisted through the years and need an update. Either way, it's a good idea to confirm or update your knowledge so you're not disappointed the next time you pull up to the drive-thru window. Here are 12 discontinued breakfast items from popular fast food chains.

In 2013, McDonald's upped its breakfast game by introducing the Egg White Delight McMuffin, which featured Canadian bacon, white cheddar cheese, and egg whites on a toasted English muffin. The breakfast item was under 300 calories, making it a fantastic start to your day if you were looking for something that wasn't too dense. However, five years later, this McMuffin disappeared from the McDonald's breakfast menu.

Thankfully, former McDonald's corporate chef Mike Harcz had some answers. Essentially, people didn't buy enough of the Egg White Delight McMuffin! In a TikTok video, he said, "Every time McDonald's comes out with healthier things, with cleaner label ingredients, all the people that were vocal about the changes don't go to the restaurant and don't buy the things they wanted from the restaurant, so sales [drop], and they get pulled off the menu." He also said that the white cheese and egg whites used for the McMuffin took up extra spots in the restaurant, and they had to go to make way for more popular menu items: "Taking those out and using those spots for extra nuggets, extra burgers, more yellow cheese for other menu items is a lot more efficient for the restaurant."

Many of us need a hot cup of coffee in the morning to fully wake up, so we putter over to Starbucks, where its lattes definitely do the trick (if you ever want a stronger flavored one, use this simple ordering hack). But the best part of going to Starbucks is browsing the display cabinets full of baked goodies. You never quite know what's going to be in there, as it seems like the chain rotates items in and out frequently. 

If you've been going to Starbucks for a while, then you might remember the Morning Bun. It was like a cinnamon bun since it had the same swirly dough, but there was no sugary icing on top. People noticed that the Morning Bun was missing in late 2020, and no one knows why. Some speculate that the discontinuation may have been due to the global supply chain issues many businesses faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that the Morning Bun still has its own product page on the company's site, so perhaps the chain will bring it back someday.

Speaking of cinnamon buns, every fast food restaurant that serves breakfast is bound to have its own version, and McDonald's definitely threw its hat in the ring. In 2007, it had Cinnamon Melts on the menu (better known as Cinnamelts by fans), which were tiny pastries covered in brown sugar, cinnamon, and gooey cream cheese icing. You could pick up a fork and easily dig in without getting your hands dirty, which was what was so appealing about this breakfast item.

However, much to diners' disappointment, Cinnamon Melts were discontinued before July 14, 2016, as McDonaldsCanada tweeted, "Our Cinnamon Melts are sorely missed" on that date. These treats were so popular that there's a Change.org petition to bring them back. McDonald's did release the Cinnamon Roll with Cream Cheese Icing in 2020 as part of its McCafé Bakery menu, but that didn't last long either. In July 2023, the restaurant phased out its last three McCafé Bakery menu items, which included the Cinnamon Roll. 

:Our Cinnamon Melts are sorely missed, but we're sure you'll find a new breakfast sweet with the new desserts coming soon!

— McDonald's 🇨🇦 (@McDonaldsCanada) July 13, 2016

Are you missing McDonald's Cinnamon Melts? Then bake your own cinnamon buns at home on a lazy Sunday morning. You can make the fluffiest cinnamon buns ever with this secret ingredient.

McDonald's is famous for its McGriddles sandwiches, and naturally, other chains wanted in on this action. This was why Jack in the Box released a limited-time Breakfast Waffle Sandwich in July 2012. This breakfast item was very similar to the McGriddle in that it had grilled sausage and egg patties, as well as melted American cheese, but the main difference was the maple syrup-soaked waffle patties. 

Although it was set to be a rival for McDonald's McGriddles breakfast sandwiches, the Breakfast Waffle Sandwich never exploded in popularity in the same way. It's possible that Jack in the Box couldn't nail the sweet and savory combination as well as McD's did. In any case, the chain never gave a reason for discontinuing it, even though it still has a breakfast menu today (maybe it was always intended for only a short run). If you're now wondering when Jack in the Box stops serving breakfast, you'll be pleased to know you can stop by any time, even if it's the afternoon!

In late 2000, McDonald's went through a "brand reinvention program" since its profits were slowing down. The chain tested new products at select locations, hoping that the successful ones would become permanent fixtures on its national menu and bring home the bacon. One of the test items was the Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait. 

The new menu item came in a small plastic container and layered yogurt, fresh fruits, and granola. All you needed was a spoon, and you could dig in wherever you were. And you didn't need to spend much money for breakfast either, as it only cost a couple of bucks. 

Despite having many fans, the Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait was discontinued in 2020 during the pandemic since McDonald's wanted to work with a smaller menu. As of 2024, McDonald's hasn't made any announcements to bring back this treat, but we can only hope it will do so in the future.

In 2012, Wendy's ran a year-long experiment to see if it could make it in the breakfast world. At a conference in May 2013, Chief Financial Officer Stephen Hare told investors, "We're the only major hamburger chain in QSR that's not a participant in the breakfast category," (via AdAge). So the chain brought out a breakfast menu, which included the Mornin' Melt Panini. This sandwich featured sourdough bread, Asiago cheese, Cheddar cheese, meat (sausage or bacon), tomato, and eggs.

Sadly, Wendy's nixed not only the Mornin' Melt Panini in 2013, but also the entire breakfast menu in most locations. It left a measly 300 to 400 restaurants with breakfast out of 5,800 stores. The good news is that in 2020, Wendy's brought back its breakfast menu after customers begged for its return. The bad news? No Mornin' Melt Panini.

If you feel like you've missed out, grab your panini press and use it to elevate your own breakfast sandwich. You'll be able to add any ingredients you like so it rivals any breakfast panini from Wendy's!

Apple pie was added to McDonald's menu in 1968, making it the first dessert available at the chain. It was a favorite for many diners since it was deep-fried, meaning the outside layer had a crispy texture while the inside was soft and gooey. However, in 1992, the dessert was discontinued at most US locations. 

Today, you can only get the Fried Apple Pie in two states: Hawaii and California. The Hawaiian locations did initially switch to Baked Apple Pies in 1992, but that move didn't fare well, so they went back to the original fried versions. And in California, you'll have to specifically go to the McDonald's in Downey since that's the only store that serves these treats. 

Don't want to trek across the country for these fried desserts? Then bake your own apple pies at home. Just make sure to avoid these 14 mistakes that everyone makes.

Taco Bell is yet another fast food chain you might not immediately associate with breakfast. While it has a reputation as a late-night craving satisfier, it also wanted to edge into the breakfast world in an effort to nab customers from other restaurants, such as McDonald's. This prompted Taco Bell to test out breakfast items in 2013, which included the Waffle Taco.

As the name implies, the Waffle Taco had an outer "shell" made of a waffle. Stuffed inside was sausage and scrambled eggs, and you could drizzle the dish with a side of syrup. The Waffle Taco was popular during test runs in Southern California markets, and was the top-selling item on the breakfast menu. While it went through several changes before making it onto the official breakfast menu in 2014, sadly, it didn't last long. The Waffle Taco was eventually replaced by the Biscuit Taco in 2015.

A leap year occurred in 2008, but not everyone remembers it as such. This year was also when McDonald's came out with the McSkillet Burrito, and it cleverly promoted this new breakfast item on February 28 and 29. Anyone who bought a medium or large drink got a free McSkillet Burrito thrown into their order (2 million free burritos were given out). This tortilla wrap came with sausage, peppers, onions, scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheese, and Salsa Roja. And at $2.49 a pop, it was a fantastic deal to fill your stomach with something tasty.

All of this makes it baffling as to why McDonald's discontinued the burrito shortly after, but it may have been because it was only meant to be on a trial run for a few months. The McSkillet Burrito probably didn't do well enough for McDonald's to keep selling it. People were up in arms though, and there's even a Change.org petition for the chain to put it back on the menu. As for now, you'll have to make do with the Sausage Burrito, which is almost-but-not-quite the same thing, as it's smaller and missing the Salsa Roja and potatoes.

The Starbucks Eggnog Latte is so iconic and rich that it can be breakfast on its own, so it earned a place on this list. Considering that it's a holiday drink, the Eggnog Latte is only available for a few months each year, meaning that customers wait with anticipation for it's arrival. So, of course, people becameupset when Starbucks announced that the Eggnog Latte wouldn't be available in winter 2014. Not only did they air their grievances to the baristas, but they also flooded the company with complaints. 

These actions worked, as the public outcry forced Starbucks to bring the popular beverage back. According to a company statement by Linda Mills (via USA Today), the company misstepped, saying, "We made a mistake. We are very sorry." From then on, the Eggnog Latte came back yearly — that is, until 2021. Starbucks tweeted that the drink wouldn't return, much to our disappointment. Since then, we've been waiting, hoping that the Eggnog Latte will grace the Starbucks menu again.

Eggnog latte is not returning to this year. If you're looking for a nostalgic Holiday flavor, we recommend our new Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte, in the US, for a modern twist on a Holiday classic!

— Starbucks (@Starbucks) November 3, 2021

You might think Dunkin' started off selling only donuts and that it only began offering other menu items in recent years. However, that isn't true at all. When Dunkin' was first founded in 1948 (under the name "Open Kettle"), the establishment served coffee and sandwiches in addition to donuts and other pastries. And in 1950, the company was renamed "Dunkin' Donuts."

As with any business, Dunkin' grew its products to increase profits and reach more consumers, and thus launched the Angus Steak & Egg Sandwich in 2013. This hot sandwich provided diners with an Angus patty, melted American cheese, and eggs on a bagel. But Dunkin' experienced growing pains and decided to whittle down its menu in early 2018. The Angus Steak & Egg Sandwich and the Big 'n Toasted Breakfast Sandwich were two breakfast items that didn't make the cut. Dunkin' hoped that by shrinking its menu, it could provide customers with better service. While we're on the topic of Dunkin's discontinued items, here are 22 we wish would come back.

The Jack in the Box Grande Sausage Breakfast Burrito was certainly an interesting one. It followed the tried-and-true formula of breakfast foods in that it had sausage, bacon, potatoes, eggs, and cheese. Wrap all this goodness up in a tortilla, and you've surely got a winner in your hands. But the cherry on top that really made this burrito stand out was this secret ingredient: creamy Sriracha.

After this item was on Jack in the Box's menu for nearly a decade, it suddenly disappeared in late 2023. People were so devastated that they created a Change.org petition pleading with the chain to revive this mouthwatering burrito. While Jack in the Box never came out and said the reason it discontinued this breakfast item, interestingly enough, there was a Sriracha shortage that began in July 2020 and is still ongoing. We can only guess, but this crucial ingredient's short supply may have been one of the causes behind the chain's discontinuation of this spicy burrito.