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In case you hadn’t noticed, nostalgia is all the rage these days. On TV, we’ve got That ’90s Show, newly on the air, which reminds those of us of a certain age that it has been a quarter of a century since That ’70s Show began airing. In the fashion world, we’ve got scrunchies, high-waist jeans, and floral print dresses seen as hip again. And at fast-food restaurants across the nation in recent weeks we’ve seen many favorite, iconic items from the past return to menus.
Why the collective wave of nostalgia these days? Most likely it’s a response to the privations and stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, things tend to go in cycles naturally. Any way you cut it if it means these eats are back again, we’re good with it.
Pizza Hut’s The Big New Yorker Pizza came out right at the close of the 20th Century. It was only around for a few years, but it left such an impression on pizza fans that they were still clamoring for the return of the 16-inch pie two decades later. And Pizza Hut listened, announcing that, starting in February of 2023, this mighty pizza is coming back, though only for a limited run.
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First introduced in 1988, Burger King’s international line of chicken sandwiches originally included the American, the Italian, and the French. For the new lineup, the French sandwich has been replaced by an all-new Mexican offering. All three are on a long, toasted sesame seed bun and come with toppings that are inspired by their particular country. Curious about how they taste? Read our exclusive review.
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Along with the chicken sandwiches, Burger King also brought back a beloved burger in recent days. The Stackers are back on the menu, per Menu and Price, and that means the Double Stacker, Triple Stacker, and the Quad Stacker, a truly immense portion of beef and cheese indeed. Stackers were first seen in 2006.
In many ways, Taco Bell bringing back the Mexican Pizza, which happened in the latter half of 2022, wasn’t so much a cause for celebration as it was the righting of a wrong. Countless fans of the chain could scarcely believe it had ever been removed in the first place. When the chain restored it as a “permanent menu item [as of] September 15, 2022,” per the company website, a great hole in the fast-food world was filled in again. The beloved item first debuted in 1985.
Like the Mexican Pizza, this one came back in late 2022, but it made enough people happy enough that we’re mentioning it here in 2023. In the early fall of 2022, Wendy’s delighted burger fans everywhere with the announcement that the Pretzel Bacon Pub Burger was back on the menu. First introduced in 2013 and pulled in 2021, as of that September 2022 return, it seems these burgers are here to stay.
McD’s made some tough calls in 2020, as did we all during that peak pandemic year. Among those calls was dropping bagel sandwiches from the breakfast menu, which debuted all the way back in 1999. But then in late 2022, with surprisingly little fanfare, McDonald’s rolled them, back out, adding the sandwiches to the menu in many markets. They’re not nationwide, though—at least not yet.
Steven John
