12 Classic ’80s Maine Fast-Food Sandwiches That Should’ve Never Left Menus
Growing up in Maine during the 1980s meant spending lazy Saturday afternoons at fast-food joints that felt like mini-adventures. I can still picture the neon signs glowing against the coastal fog and the excitement of unwrapping something new and delicious.
My favorite memory? Begging my dad to take me to McDonald’s so I could watch him wrestle with that quirky two-part foam box holding the McDLT—a marvel of ‘80s innovation that kept the hot side hot and the cool side cool.
Those sandwiches weren’t just quick bites; they were icons of a simpler, tastier time. So, let’s take a flavorful stroll through twelve beloved fast-food sandwiches that Maine locals still miss to this day.
1. McDonald’s McDLT (Portland)
Walking into the Portland McDonald’s on Saint John Street in 1986 felt like stepping onto a spaceship when you ordered the McDLT. That double-sided foam clamshell wasn’t just packaging—it was theater. One side kept your beef patty piping hot while the other kept lettuce, tomato, and sauce garden-fresh.
My older brother and I would race to see who could assemble theirs faster without making a mess. Spoiler alert: we always made a mess. The whole concept screamed innovation, even if it was just a fancy way to serve a cheeseburger.
McDonald’s pulled the plug in the early ’90s, citing environmental concerns about all that foam. Honestly, I’d trade a dozen Big Macs for one more bite of that perfectly temperature-balanced masterpiece.
2. McDonald’s Cheddar Melt (South Portland)
Picture this: 1988, Waterman Drive in South Portland, and McDonald’s drops the Cheddar Melt like it’s the hottest mixtape of the year. This wasn’t your average Quarter Pounder. They swapped the sesame seed bun for rye, drowning the whole thing in gooey cheddar sauce and sweet grilled onions that could make a grown man weep.
I convinced my mom it counted as a sophisticated meal because of the rye bread. She wasn’t buying it, but she still drove me there every Friday after school. The tangy sharpness of that cheese sauce paired with caramelized onions created pure magic.
When it vanished from menus, I felt personally betrayed. Some sandwiches just deserve immortality.
3. McDonald’s Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich (Portland)
Before the McDLT stole the show, there was this oddball creation at the Portland location that made you wonder if McDonald’s was trying to compete with steakhouses. The Chopped Beefsteak Sandwich featured a long, rectangular beef patty slathered in tangy steak sauce, all tucked inside a soft roll that barely contained the meat.
My uncle swore it was the manliest thing on the menu when it debuted in late ’79. He’d order two at a time and act like he’d conquered Everest. The sandwich had this working-class charm—nothing fancy, just honest beef and sauce doing their best work together.
It faded into the early ’80s like a forgotten one-hit wonder, but those who remember still talk about it.
4. McDonald’s Onion Nuggets (Portland)
Yes, you read that right—onion nuggets were an actual thing, and they were glorious. Before Chicken McNuggets became the superstar, McDonald’s experimented with bite-sized fried onion pieces that tasted like county fair food in a Happy Meal box. Crispy on the outside, sweet and tender inside, they were the perfect salty sidekick to any burger.
My aunt still brings them up at family dinners, claiming nothing McDonald’s has made since comes close. She’s probably right. These little golden treasures disappeared by the early ’80s, victims of the chicken nugget revolution.
Sometimes I wonder what the world would look like if we’d chosen onions over poultry. Probably more tears, but way more flavor.
5. KFC Original Chicken Littles (Augusta)
Civic Center Drive in Augusta was home to the tiniest, mightiest sandwiches known to mankind. KFC’s original Chicken Littles were pint-sized perfection—crispy chicken on a soft mini bun with just enough mayo to make every bite sing. You could demolish three before realizing you’d barely started lunch.
My cousin and I would pool our allowance money to buy a dozen and feel like royalty. They were simple, unpretentious, and utterly addictive. When KFC brought back a version years later, it just wasn’t the same—different breading, different vibe, different soul.
The late ’80s originals had a magic that can’t be replicated. Some things are meant to stay in the past, untouched and perfect.
6. Burger King Yumbo (Augusta)
Western Avenue in Augusta became hallowed ground when Burger King served the Yumbo during their Specialty Sandwich era. Hot ham and melted cheese on a toasted bun might sound basic now, but back then it felt revolutionary. This wasn’t just a sandwich—it was Burger King admitting that not everything needed to be flame-grilled beef.
My neighbor worked there and would sneak me extra cheese slices, making me feel like I’d won the lottery. The Yumbo had this comforting, homestyle quality that fast food rarely achieves. When it vanished, then briefly returned, then disappeared again, it felt like losing a friend twice.
Some classics deserve a permanent spot, not a revolving door.
7. Burger King Veal Parmigiana (South Portland)
Nothing screams ’80s experimentation louder than Burger King slapping veal parmigiana on their menu in 1982. Gorham Road in South Portland became ground zero for this wild ride—a breaded veal patty topped with marinara and melted cheese, served on a regular burger bun like it was no big deal.
My dad tried it once and declared it “confused but delicious,” which pretty much summed up the whole decade. It was ambitious, weird, and totally unnecessary, yet somehow it worked. The sandwich didn’t last long, probably because people couldn’t decide if they were at a fast-food joint or an Italian wedding.
Still, you’ve got to respect Burger King for taking that swing, even if it struck out.
8. Wendy’s Big Classic (South Portland)
When Wendy’s dropped the Big Classic in 1986 at their Main Mall Road location, they were throwing down the gauntlet to every other burger chain. This wasn’t just big—it was bold, stacked high with fresh toppings on a Kaiser roll that could barely contain the quarter-pound patty inside.
I remember my first bite like it was yesterday: juice running down my chin, pickles sliding everywhere, pure chaos and pure joy. Wendy’s marketed it as their answer to the Big Mac and Whopper, and honestly, it delivered. The Big Classic had substance and style, a rare combo in the fast-food universe.
When it retired years later, a little piece of burger greatness went with it.
9. Arby’s Super Roast Beef (Auburn)
Center Street in Auburn held a secret that only true Arby’s fans knew: the Super Roast Beef was the ultimate upgrade. Bigger, meatier, and dressed with all the fixings, this sandwich made the regular roast beef look like an appetizer. It wasn’t officially on every menu, but if you knew to ask, they’d hook you up.
My high school friends and I treated it like insider knowledge, ordering it with the confidence of people who’d cracked the code. The extra roast beef made all the difference, turning a simple sandwich into a full meal that stuck with you for hours.
Now it’s mostly secret menu lore, whispered about by fans who remember when Arby’s went bigger and better.
10. Pizza Hut Toasted Subs (Westbrook)
Main Street in Westbrook was home to a Pizza Hut that served more than just pizza—they had toasted subs that could rival any sandwich shop in town. During the ’80s lunch rush, you could order a hot, cheesy sub from their dine-in combo menu and feel like you’d discovered a hidden treasure.
My mom would take me there after doctor appointments, and I’d always choose the sub over pizza just to be different. The bread came out crispy and golden, stuffed with gooey cheese and whatever toppings you wanted. It felt special, like Pizza Hut was letting you in on a secret side hustle.
When they phased out the subs, the Hut lost a little bit of its magic.
11. Taco Bell Bell Beefer (Portland)
Washington Avenue in Portland was where Taco Bell got weird and wonderful with the Bell Beefer, a sloppy joe-style sandwich that made you question everything you thought you knew about Mexican fast food. Seasoned beef, cheese, lettuce, and tomato piled onto a hamburger bun—it was Taco Bell’s way of saying, “We can do sandwiches too.”
My friends and I would order them ironically at first, then genuinely, because they were actually pretty tasty. The Bell Beefer stuck around through the ’80s before disappearing into the ’90s, leaving behind only memories and napkin-covered shirts. It was messy, strange, and totally unnecessary.
But wasn’t that the whole point of the ’80s anyway?
12. Subway Pizza Sub (South Portland & Portland)
Subway landed in Maine during the ’80s with fresh-baked bread and big ambitions, including novelty subs like the Pizza Sub that tried to merge two food worlds into one glorious creation. Marinara sauce, pepperoni, melted mozzarella, all packed into a toasted sub roll—it was bold, it was strange, it was everything the decade represented.
I tried one at a South Portland location and couldn’t decide if it was genius or madness. Maybe it was both. The Pizza Sub didn’t last long in the rotation, probably because people couldn’t wrap their heads around pizza in sandwich form.
Still, those early Subway experiments showed a willingness to take risks that modern menus seem to lack. Sometimes I miss that fearless, weird energy.