Alaina McConnell and Kim Bhasin  |  Business Insider

By randar on Flickr

Fast food menu items come and go, but only a select few develop a cult-like fan base.

Some have disappeared from the fast food world, leaving raging fans pleading with the companies to one day resurrect their beloved foods. Others strive on — either as limited-time offerings or permanent menu stalwarts.

We’ve compiled a bunch of menu items that have developed true cult followings.

KFC’s Double Down

By Mike Saechang on Flickr

KFC originally promoted the Double Down in an April Fools press release, but the sandwich received such a positive response that the chain decided to leave the item on the menu.

Consisting of two thick slabs of bacon, two slices of cheese, and the Colonel’s Sauce all sandwiched between two deep fried chicken breasts, KFC’s Double Down is considered to be “so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!” 

It’s also considered to be one of the nation’s most unhealthy sandwiches.  But popular demand in America and abroad have kept this 540-calorie menu item alive.

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

Starbucks

It’s practically a national holiday for Pumpkin Spice Latte lovers when Starbucks releases its fall drink menu each September. 

However, this year there was so much demand for the sweet treat that Starbucks ran out of latte making supplies and declared a “pumpkin emergency,” much to the dismay of its loyal customers. 

In attempts to get their pumpkin and caffeine fix, some thirsty fans resorted to making homemade pumpkin spice lattes until Starbucks was able to avert the crisis.

Sonic’s Cherry Limeade

Two whole limes go into Sonic’s Cherry Limeade which is, perhaps, one of the reasons why this sweet beverage has been so successful. 

But fans also gush over the tiny ice pellets, which have a slushier quality than regular ice chips, and the Styrofoam cup, which is said to keep in the chill.

Still not convinced? You can always try one at half price everyday from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. during Sonic’s Happy Hour.

Taco Bell’s Beefy Crunch Burrito

Youtube

Taco Bell’s Beefy Crunch Burrito sent burrito lovers into an absolute frenzy. Comprised of layers of ground beef, nacho cheese, sour cream, rice, and Flamin’ Hot Fritos all wrapped in a flour tortilla, this menu item is considered to be one of the more economic and spicier choices. 

At just 99 cents a pop, the burrito was especially popular with the late night or “fourth meal” crowd. When the price was hiked to $1.49, one customer was so mad that he reportedly ended up getting into a shootout with police with an air gun.

Alas, the limited-time offering didn’t last forever. Dismayed burrito fans are still trying to bring back the Beefy Crunch Burrito with various social media campaigns.

 

McDonald’s Pizza

In the 1990s, McDonald’s dished out family-sized and personal pan pizzas to hungry customers across Canada, earning a reputation as one of the best fast pizza providers around.

However, when the food chain suddenly discontinued the item, loyal customers were outraged and began an online petition to bring pizza back to Canadian McDonald’s. 

Their efforts have been in vain, however. McDonald’s currently has no plans to bring back pizza to its menu.

Jollibee’s Tuna Pie

Like the McDonald’s McRib and the Shamrock Shake, the Jollibee’s Tuna Pie is an exclusive menu item only available several months out of the year and found in California, New York, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, and the chain’s home country the Philippines, where it is said to have a cult-like fan base.

This savory pie has a flaky, golden brown crust and is stuffed with tuna chunks and assorted vegetables. It is particularly popular with fast foodies who want an alternative to a red meat meal.

McDonald’s Shamrock Shake

McDonald’s Shamrock Shake

krynsky / Flickr

McDonald’s decades-old extreme green Shamrock Shake returned nationally in January of 2012 after shake aficionados complained about lack of availability.  

Its “exotic” hue and flavor, which can be attributed to the combination of mint ice cream and whipped cream, have captured the palates of Americans across the country who look forward to the three months each year when they can get ahold of this St. Patrick’s Day-themed treat.

Culver’s Butter Burger

@joefoodie/Flickr

The Culver’s Butter Burger gets its name from its toasted and lightly buttered bun which started winning hearts in Wisconsin back in 1984.

Popular demand for the chain’s burgers as well as its homemade frozen custard prompted Culver’s to expand and now the restaurant has locales that span as far west as Arizona and as far east as Ohio.

The restaurant currently has numerous fan pages and over 325,000 “likes” on Facebook.

Wendy’s Premium Fish Fillet

The Premium Fish Fillet sandwich returns to Wendy’s each year just in time for Lent, giving health-conscious- but-hungry customers a nice alternative to the chain’s traditional beef patty burgers.

While other fast food giants, such as Burger King, McDonald’s, and KFC also offer a variety of seafood options around the same time, Wendy’s fish fillet is made with North Pacific Cod, breaded with panko crumbs, and deep fried.

McDonald’s McRib

Peter Bright on Flickr

The McRib is McDonald’s legendary boneless pork sandwich, loved by millions for its sweet, tangy taste and its uncanny resemblance to an actual rack of ribs.  

Since its debut in the early 1980s, the McRib has captured the hearts and taste buds of fast food fanatics, yet its presence on McDonald’s menus is sporadic. The McRib is an exclusive item which resurfaces from time to time to the delight of sandwich enthusiasts, only to disappear after several months.

The sandwich has numerous pages on Facebook as well as several fan websites that are used to keep track of McRib sightings around the country.

 

In-N-Out Burger’s Double Double

Wikimedia Commons

In-N-Out Burger began as a small burger joint in Baldwin Park, California but has become a corporate entity with nearly 260 restaurants in five other west coast states. The Double Double, with double meat and double cheese, is the chain’s most popular burger.

Burger fanatics call it the “best burger chain ever” and a “must-eat-at restaurant,” but the craze doesn’t stop there. 

Some diehard fans have taken to ordering frozen burgers, which are sold and shipped in packs of two for a whopping $56, so that even folks thousands of miles from the nearest restaurant can get the goods.

 

Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos

Business Insider / Matthew Lynley

To say that Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Taco has a cult-like following may be an understatement. This extremely popular menu item, which made its debut in March 2012, is the single most popular item on the Taco Bell menu now. 

The $1.29 taco is stuffed with  beef, lettuce and tomatoes and is served in a Doritos-branded taco jacket.

Within four months of its release, the company had sold over 200 million Doritos Locos Tacos, a major factor in the chain’s 13 percent revenue increase.

 

 

 

 

 

White Castle’s Sweet Potato Fries

Jason Lam/Flickr

Only available during the fall and winter months, White Castle’s Sweet Potato Fries are a definite crowd pleaser. At $2 to $4 a serving, they’re kind to your wallet too. 

Often accompanied with sweet cinnamon dipping sauce, these sweet and salty treats offer holiday-esque flavors that customers go positively nuts for.

A food blogger from the Chicago Tribune recently gushed, “And, as if these vitamin-packed fries aren’t delicious enough on their own, just wait to see what happens to your taste buds — and your entire mood — when you dip them in the little tub of cinnamon sauce.” 

 

 

Marijuana deals, the pain of Happy Meals and how to get a free Big Mac: 

Daniel Bates |  Daily Mail uk

A McDonald’s worker has lifted the lid on what it is really like to work at one of the restaurants in the chain in a candid and hilarious Internet conversation.

The unnamed man claims that some staff at his branch deal marijuana from the parking lot and that if somebody comes in high they will ‘practically give you free food’.

Burgers and chicken are left to stew for ‘hours on end’ whilst staff moan about having to make Happy Meals as they are time-consuming.

Exposed: A McDonald’s worker has revealed what it is really like to work at the fast-food chain; he claims that some staff deal marijuana from the parking lot and that if somebody comes in high they will ¿practically give you free food¿

Staff jokingly call their company ‘The Party’ after the totalitarian political group in George Orwell’s 1984.

And to get through the day they keep telling themselves: ‘Never, ever underestimate the ignorance of the customer.’

Contrary to popular myth, the worker also claims he has never seen anybody put anything in the food - and says the tables are wiped down every 10 minutes.

The man’s conversation appeared on Reddit.com and quickly went viral as it confirmed some people’s worst fears about the company.

He has not revealed his identity or where he lives but said he is leaving his restaurant - one of the top 500 in the country - in two months to go to college.

Revelations: Staff at one McDonald’s branch get through the day by telling themselves: ¿Never, ever underestimate the ignorance of the customer¿ (file photo)

The worker said that the worst thing he ever saw was his colleague selling marijuana to another employee just outside the restaurant.

But he added: ‘If you came to our Mcdonald’s high, we would practically give you free food.

‘Everyone makes mistakes, so yeah it might of been embarrassing to screw up your change, but there is no way in hell anyone would turn you in.

‘Our Mcdonalds parking lot is a notorious spot for Ents (people who smoke marijuana) to hang out, because if you just sit in your car and blaze, it simply (at night, at least) looks like kids just eating food they just got in the drive thru. The perfect alibi.’

The worker claims that ‘nobody’ at his restaurant messes with the food as it would be ‘the biggest d*** move ever’.

Yet he tells people to avoid the double quarter pounder with cheese as it is the unhealthiest thing on the menu with the highest amount of sodium, carbohydrate and calories.

Misery Meal: The worker writes that Happy Meals are the biggest bore because you have to work out the toy, the drink and what dessert goes with it

The worker claims that few people order the grilled chicken items so it can remain there for two hours under a steamer set on ‘high’.

And if a customer orders a Happy Meal staff roll their eyes as they are ‘the biggest pain in the ass’ because you have to work out the toy, the drink and what dessert goes with it.

Apart from Happy Meals, oatmeal and iced coffee take the most time to make.

Burgers too can be left out for far longer than people would like.

The worker writes: ‘I cannot stress enough that things differ from location to location (Based on rankings, staff, overall “prestige” if you will of the McDonalds), but for ours, 10 minutes tops (if already made).

‘Otherwise, the patties can sit in the steamers for up to an hour before they lose structural integrity (meaning, 1 out of 100 people might be able to tell it doesn’t taste fresh).

‘Our McDonalds is one of the top 500 in America though, so we go hard in the paint, so to speak. If you go to some “s*****” one, maybe out in the boonies of nowhere, they could have their burgers sitting out for hours on end.’

Insider secrets: Contrary to popular myth, the worker also claims he has never seen anybody put anything in the food

Over the course of the conversation on Reddit, the worker claimed that the customers caused most of the problems, such as the man who once tried to pay with board game money.

Another came in wearing white y-fronts and nothing else whilst one man ‘nearly made it to second base’ with his girlfriend whilst waiting in line.

Then there are the abusive customers, one of whom threw and ice cream at him or screamed ‘I oughta mothaf***** kill you’.

People who do not understand English also pose problems as they hold up the drive thru line, although the man who drove up in the exact replica of the Mystery Machine drew much mirth.

Then there were the two families who started rowing in the parking lot, causing half the restaurant to go outside and watch.

When the manager threatened to call the police they went to a neighbouring parking lot and carried on fighting.

Recounting one episode, he writes: ‘One time I was working front counter when a mom and her kid were in the lobby filling up their drinks at the drink station.

‘The kid was whining about something, and the mom wasn’t really paying attention to the kid. Kid walks over to the sweet tea container, and holds down the auto-lock handle. Me, just watching this ensue, does not move, does not even say: ‘Hey! stop!’

‘I just watch the kid go unnoticed for about 20 seconds, draining 2 gallons of sweet tea onto himself, and onto the floor. The lady turns around, flips s*** and I am still standing there with the same expression on my face of ‘well, that kids a dumbass’.

‘2 gallons of sweet tea on the floor, I walk over there and asked her if she wanted any napkins.’

On another occasion a customer who tried to get behind the counter was stopped by a 6ft 4in maintenance man called ‘Big Tim’ who picked him up and took him outside.

Then there are the games they play to pass the time, such as ‘guess the race’.

He writes: ‘Since we cannot see the people (only hear them on the drive thru headset, until they pull around), all employees play “guess the race” games most days.

‘I’ve personally gotten pretty good, certain races order certain food items together, and combined with the makes of their car, we are able to guess accurately before we see them face to face.

‘(Pontiac, dodge, or chevy are almost all driven by blacks)’

In his final thoughts, the worker writes: ‘Never, ever underestimate the ignorance of the customer. 

‘I know that sounds bad, but the key to enjoying the job, is to keep calm, and be chill about everything.

‘The last thing you want to do is instigate an argument by yelling or something, because that evens out the playing field.

‘If you act chill, and act like you ain’t even mad about anything, everyone will respect you, and make your life (for the most part) easier.

His appraisal of working at McDonald’s is also surprisingly upbeat.

He writes: ‘If anything is to be taken from this though, I’ve said honestly this has been the best job experience ever.

‘The workers and employees I’ve worked with, have been the most diverse and colourful personalities I have ever met.

‘It’s been great job experience prepping myself for the real world in/after college work life. Everything has been amazing, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. If they fire me for the truth, so be it.’

MailOnline has reached out to McDonald’s for comment.