12 Classic Pennsylvania Fast-Food Sandwiches That Disappeared For Good
Remember those mouthwatering fast-food sandwiches we used to devour after school or during lunch breaks?
Pennsylvania had some real gems that vanished from menus, leaving only memories and cravings behind.
I still dream about some of these discontinued delights that were once staples of the Keystone State’s fast-food scene.
Join me on this tasty trip down memory lane as we revisit 12 beloved Pennsylvania sandwiches that sadly disappeared forever.
1. McDonald’s Cheddar Melt
Oh man, the Cheddar Melt was my Friday night reward back in high school! This regional McDonald’s masterpiece featured a quarter-pound beef patty smothered in sautéed onions and topped with a gooey cheddar cheese sauce on a light rye bun.
Pennsylvania was one of the lucky test markets in the late ’80s, and we fell hard for this sandwich. The cheese wasn’t your typical slice but a velvety sauce that oozed deliciously with each bite. The sautéed onions added a sweet caramelized flavor that perfectly balanced the savory beef.
Despite several limited comebacks in the ’90s, this cheesy wonder eventually disappeared from our McDonald’s forever around 2004. Sometimes I still catch myself scanning the menu, hoping for its miraculous return.
2. Burger King’s Yumbo Ham Sandwich
My first job was at a Burger King in Erie, and I snuck Yumbos during every shift. This hot ham and cheese sandwich was a BK legend that disappeared in the 1970s, only to make a brief, tantalizing comeback in 2014 before vanishing again.
The Yumbo was beautifully simple – warm, thin-sliced ham piled high with two melty American cheese slices on a soft, toasted sub roll. What made it special was how they heated it just enough to make the cheese perfectly gooey without drying out the ham. Pennsylvania BK locations sold these like crazy during their heyday.
The sandwich’s revival wasn’t quite the same as the original that captured our hearts decades earlier. Different bread, different cheese ratio – close, but no cigar as my grandpa would say.
3. Wendy’s SuperBar Sandwich Combinations
The Wendy’s SuperBar wasn’t technically a sandwich, but hear me out! As a broke college student in Pittsburgh, I discovered you could create your own epic sandwiches from this magnificent buffet for just $2.99. The pasta bar, Mexican bar, and salad bar opened up endless DIY sandwich possibilities.
My personal creation? A hamburger bun loaded with taco meat, pasta sauce, shredded cheese, and those crunchy tortilla strips. My roommates thought I was crazy until they tried it. The SuperBar was a Pennsylvania college student’s dream – unlimited food with infinite customization options.
Sadly, by the mid-90s, Wendy’s phased out this beautiful monument to excess. Health concerns and food waste probably killed it, but those of us who experienced the SuperBar sandwich hack will forever cherish its memory.
4. Roy Rogers’ Gold Rush Chicken Sandwich
Growing up in Lancaster County, stopping at Roy Rogers after Little League games meant one thing: the Gold Rush Chicken Sandwich. Unlike other fast-food chicken offerings, this beauty featured a whole chicken breast (not processed patties) dipped in their signature gold rush honey sauce.
The sandwich came on a corn-dusted Kaiser roll with lettuce and tomato. What made it magical was that sweet-savory balance – the honey sauce had a slight tanginess that complemented the juicy chicken perfectly. Roy Rogers had a strong Pennsylvania presence before many locations converted to Hardee’s in the early 2000s.
I tried recreating this at home countless times, but never quite captured that distinct honey sauce. With most Roy Rogers locations gone from PA, this golden treasure remains just a sticky-sweet memory of post-game celebrations.
5. Arby’s Roast Chicken Club
Back when I worked at the King of Prussia Mall, the Arby’s Roast Chicken Club was my lunch salvation. Unlike their famous roast beef, this underappreciated gem featured slices of actual roasted chicken breast – not the processed stuff – stacked with pepper bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a sesame seed bun.
The chicken was tender and seasoned perfectly with herbs you could actually see. Pennsylvania Arby’s locations seemed to perfect this sandwich more than others – maybe it was our proximity to Amish country that made them step up their poultry game.
Around 2005, Arby’s revamped their menu and this beauty disappeared. They’ve since introduced other chicken offerings, but nothing matches the simple perfection of that original club. Sometimes the classics really are irreplaceable.
6. Sheetz Meatball Sub (Original Recipe)
Few things warmed up a cold Pennsylvania winter night like Sheetz’s original meatball sub. As a truck driver in the early 2000s, I practically lived on these during overnight hauls across the Turnpike. The original recipe featured these perfectly spiced, slightly fennel-forward meatballs swimming in a rich marinara that had visible chunks of tomato and herbs.
Sheetz loaded them onto a toasted Italian roll with provolone cheese that melted just right. What made this version special was the meatballs themselves – they had that homemade quality with a slight resistance when you bit into them, not the mushy uniformity of mass-produced ones.
Around 2010, the recipe changed noticeably. The new version isn’t bad, but those original meatballs had a distinct flavor profile that felt like something your Italian grandmother would make.
7. Wawa Hot Turkey Bowl Sandwich
Thanksgiving in sandwich form existed at Wawa, and my college roommates and I mourned for weeks when it disappeared. During my years at Penn State, the Wawa Hot Turkey Bowl Sandwich was my go-to comfort food – shredded roast turkey swimming in savory gravy, topped with a scoop of homestyle mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, all stuffed into a fresh Amoroso roll.
The genius was in the construction. They hollowed out part of the roll to create a bowl effect that contained all that saucy goodness. Each bite delivered the perfect ratio of soft bread, tender turkey, creamy potatoes, and tart cranberries.
When Wawa revamped their hot food menu around 2012, this beautiful mess of a sandwich vanished. Their current hot turkey offerings just can’t compare to that original masterpiece that saved me from many a hangover.
8. Hardee’s Steakhouse Thickburger (Mid-Atlantic Version)
The Steakhouse Thickburger that graced Pennsylvania Hardee’s locations wasn’t the same as the national version – ours was better! After my Friday night bowling league in Allentown, this was my reward for breaking 200.
The Mid-Atlantic version featured a massive 2/3-pound Angus beef patty topped with crispy onion tanglers, Swiss cheese, and A.1. steak sauce, but the secret difference was our special horseradish sauce instead of the mayo used elsewhere. That spicy kick perfectly cut through the richness of the meat and complemented the sweet tanglers.
When Hardee’s standardized their menu nationwide around 2008, our regional specialty disappeared. I’ve ordered the regular version while traveling in other states, and it’s just not the same without that horseradish punch that made the Pennsylvania version legendary.
9. Dairy Queen’s Hot Dog Sandwich
Summer vacations in the Poconos weren’t complete without Dairy Queen’s bizarre and wonderful Hot Dog Sandwich. My grandpa introduced me to this Pennsylvania oddity in the early ’90s – a toasted hamburger bun containing two grilled hot dogs split lengthwise, topped with melted American cheese, pickle relish, and a squiggle of mustard.
What made it genius was how they butterflied those dogs to maximize the grilled surface area. The extra charred bits added amazing flavor! This wasn’t a national menu item but thrived in Pennsylvania DQs, especially in vacation spots and rural areas.
By the late ’90s, as Dairy Queen standardized their menu and focused more on Blizzards, this regional treat faded away. My kids don’t believe it ever existed, but I’m still hoping for a revival of this summer sandwich that perfectly bridged the burger-hot dog divide.
10. McDonald’s Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel (Philly Rollout)
Before it went national, McDonald’s tested their Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel in Philadelphia with a unique twist that never made it to the wider release. As a morning radio DJ in the late ’90s, this was my pre-show fuel at 4 AM.
The Philly test version featured shaved ribeye steak (much like a cheesesteak), scrambled egg, white American cheese, and a special smoky sauce on a fresh everything bagel. The national version that eventually rolled out used a different cut of beef and Swiss cheese, losing that authentic Philadelphia flavor profile that made the original so special.
While the standard version survived until COVID-19 prompted McDonald’s to streamline their breakfast menu, true Philadelphians know we had the superior version first. That regional test sandwich with its cheesesteak vibes remains the one that got away.
11. KFC Double Down Dog (PA Test Locations)
KFC’s regular Double Down made headlines across the country, but few realize that Pennsylvania was ground zero for something even bolder: the elusive Double Down Dog, quietly tested at select locations in 2015. A friend of mine, who managed a KFC in Harrisburg, let me try one before they vanished for good.
This over-the-top creation featured a seasoned fried chicken breast shaped like a hot dog bun, hugging an all-beef frank and finished with warm cheese sauce and crispy bacon crumbles. It was the kind of mashup that left you both surprised and oddly satisfied—definitely unlike anything else on the menu.
After just two weeks, the test run ended quietly. Whether the idea was ahead of its time or simply too bold for mass rollout, the Double Down Dog lives on in fast-food legend—especially for those of us lucky enough to try it.
12. Taco Bell’s Bell Beefer (Pennsylvania’s Last Holdout)
While most of America lost the Bell Beefer in the early ’90s, a handful of Pennsylvania Taco Bell locations were the last holdouts serving this burger-taco hybrid until around 1996. My little league team celebrated every victory with these at the Taco Bell in Scranton, one of the final restaurants to keep it on the menu.
The Bell Beefer was essentially a taco on a bun – seasoned ground beef, diced onions, shredded lettuce, and mild sauce on a steamed hamburger bun. Think Sloppy Joe meets taco, and it was glorious in its messy perfection. Our local version added a sprinkle of their three-cheese blend on top, making it even more irresistible.
When the last PA locations finally discontinued it, I tried making knockoffs at home, but something about that unique Taco Bell beef seasoning couldn’t be replicated. This sandwich proved Taco Bell could have dominated the burger market if they’d wanted to.