1. Pizza Hut’s Stuffed Crust Pizza
Back in the mid-1990s, Pizza Hut pulled off one of the boldest stunts in fast food history: the stuffed crust pizza. The idea of putting cheese inside the crust sounded outrageous at the time, but the gamble paid off in a huge way. Commercials even showed people eating pizza backward just to get to the crust first, which felt like pure marketing magic. Suddenly, what used to be the “throwaway part” of pizza became the star of the show.
It was such a success that nearly every pizza chain eventually copied the gimmick. Pizza Hut’s sales skyrocketed, and stuffed crust is still around decades later. It’s proof that sometimes customers don’t need subtlety, they just need extra cheese. And really, who among us hasn’t caved to the temptation of melted cheese hiding in the crust?
2. The McDLT
In the 1980s, McDonald’s tried something truly wild with the McDLT. The concept was simple but ridiculous: keep the hot side hot and the cold side cold in a special two-compartment Styrofoam container. Customers were supposed to assemble the sandwich themselves, which added an unnecessary step to fast food dining.
Still, the novelty worked for a while. People were intrigued by the packaging and the idea of “freshness” it promised. Unfortunately, the container was an environmental nightmare, and the McDLT was eventually discontinued. But for a brief moment, folks were happily paying extra for a hamburger puzzle.
3. Burger King’s Satisfries
In 2013, Burger King decided to offer “healthier” fries called Satisfries. They looked and tasted like regular fries but supposedly had fewer calories and less fat. The idea was that people could still indulge without feeling guilty, but most customers just didn’t care. If you’re going to Burger King, chances are you’re not counting calories on French fries.
The gimmick fizzled quickly, but it got people talking. For a short time, some customers really did buy into the promise that these fries were somehow “better.” In the end, though, Satisfries proved that no one actually wants “diet fries” from a fast food joint.
4. Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos
When Taco Bell announced it was making taco shells out of Doritos, people thought it was a joke. But in 2012, the Doritos Locos Taco became a reality and turned into one of the chain’s biggest hits ever. The crunchy, cheesy shell was messy, but that was part of the fun. Fans lined up to try it, and sales were through the roof.
The taco was such a hit that multiple flavors followed, including Cool Ranch and Fiery. It may have seemed outrageous, but it made perfect sense to combine two late-night snack favorites. Customers absolutely fell for it, and Taco Bell laughed all the way to the bank.
5. McDonald’s Monopoly Game
Starting in 1987, McDonald’s rolled out its now-famous Monopoly game, and it became one of the most addictive fast food promotions ever. Customers collected game pieces attached to drinks, fries, and burgers, hoping to win prizes that ranged from free food to cars and even cash. People went wild for it, buying more food than they needed just for the chance to peel another sticker.
The game was a massive success, but it wasn’t without controversy. A huge fraud scandal in the early 2000s revealed that insiders had rigged the game, which shook public trust. Still, customers loved it so much that McDonald’s kept bringing it back. It was marketing brilliance, plain and simple.
6. Burger King’s Halloween Whopper
In 2015, Burger King introduced a black-bunned Whopper for Halloween. The bun was made with A.1. sauce and food dye, which gave it a spooky appearance. Customers flocked to try it, curious to see if the flavor matched the shocking look.
But the real gimmick came later when people realized the dye turned their bathroom visits neon green. Social media exploded with jokes, memes, and complaints. Instead of scaring people away, though, the weird side effect made the sandwich infamous. For one Halloween season, Burger King owned the headlines.
7. Pizza Hut’s Hot Dog Bites Pizza
Pizza Hut once decided that pizza crust wasn’t enough and added pigs in a blanket to it. The Hot Dog Bites Pizza featured tiny hot dogs baked into the crust, making it look more like a party platter than dinner. Customers were equal parts fascinated and horrified, but they still bought it.
It was one of those “try it once” gimmicks that people couldn’t resist. Even though most agreed it was too over-the-top to become a regular item, it got everyone talking. Pizza Hut proved that when it comes to fast food, outrageous often equals profitable.
8. The KFC Double Down
In 2010, KFC shocked the world with the Double Down. Instead of bread, this “sandwich” used two fried chicken fillets as the bun, with bacon, cheese, and sauce stuffed in between. Health experts were horrified, but customers lined up in droves to try it.
It was messy, indulgent, and exactly what you’d expect from a fast food stunt. Even though it wasn’t on the menu for long, the Double Down became legendary. People still talk about it today, which proves how effective the gimmick really was.
9. Burger King’s Subservient Chicken
In 2004, Burger King launched an online campaign featuring a man in a chicken suit that would “obey” commands typed by users. It was bizarre, interactive, and unlike anything else at the time. Millions of people visited the site to see what the Subservient Chicken would do.
It didn’t even sell a specific product directly but was tied loosely to BK’s chicken menu. The gimmick worked because it was so strange and shareable. Customers fell for it, spending hours typing commands just to see a guy in a suit dance awkwardly in a living room.
10. Taco Bell’s Bell Beefer
Taco Bell once tried to compete with McDonald’s by offering a loose-meat hamburger-style sandwich called the Bell Beefer. It was basically taco filling slapped onto a bun, which confused customers who went to Taco Bell for tacos. Still, people gave it a shot, intrigued by the odd mashup.
For a while, it had a following, especially among those who wanted something different than tacos. Eventually, though, it faded away. Customers may have fallen for it once, but in the end, Taco Bell is tacos, not burgers.
11. McDonald’s Arch Deluxe
In the 1990s, McDonald’s tried to appeal to adults with the Arch Deluxe. It was marketed as a “sophisticated” burger, complete with Dijon mustard sauce and fancy advertising. The campaign cost millions and featured kids rejecting the burger because it was “too grown-up.”
Customers were curious, but the burger never caught on. Still, the sheer scale of the campaign made people try it at least once. McDonald’s learned that no matter how much you market it, people don’t go there for sophistication.
12. Pizza Hut’s Big New Yorker
In the late 1990s, Pizza Hut launched the Big New Yorker, a huge 16-inch pizza with wide slices you were supposed to fold like authentic New York pizza. The chain went all-in on the gimmick, even showing actors folding slices in commercials. For many people outside New York, it was their first time experiencing pizza that way.
It was a novelty that customers fell for, even if actual New Yorkers rolled their eyes. The Big New Yorker didn’t last long, but it left a mark. In fact, Pizza Hut even brought it back in recent years due to customer nostalgia.
13. The Whopper Detour
In 2018, Burger King ran a brilliant digital gimmick called the Whopper Detour. The deal gave customers a Whopper for one cent if they ordered it through the BK app while sitting near a McDonald’s. People literally drove into McDonald’s parking lots just to unlock the deal.
It was outrageous and hilarious, and customers loved the game-like aspect. For a short time, BK’s app skyrocketed in downloads. It showed how a fast food chain could blend technology with old-school rivalry to create the ultimate gimmick.
14. Taco Bell’s Volcano Menu
In the 1990s, Taco Bell rolled out its Volcano Taco, which featured a bright red shell and fiery sauce. The eye-catching look alone got people talking, and spice-lovers couldn’t resist giving it a try. It was more of a novelty than a permanent menu staple, but customers fell for the dramatic presentation.
The Volcano Menu has even made occasional comebacks because of fan demand. It shows how sometimes the outrageous element is simply food coloring and clever marketing. People still reminisce about it like it was some mythical fast food challenge.
15. McDonald’s Shamrock Shake
Every March, McDonald’s rolls out the bright green Shamrock Shake. It’s just a minty milkshake, but the limited-time nature makes it feel special. Customers have been falling for it since the 1970s, lining up year after year for that neon-green treat.
It’s the definition of a gimmick that stuck. The hype builds every year, and people mark their calendars for its return. Somehow, a simple seasonal milkshake became one of McDonald’s most iconic promotions ever.