These Beloved ’80s Pennsylvania Fast-Food Sandwiches Should Never Have Disappeared
Close your eyes. Can you still taste it? That perfect combination of warm bun, melted cheese, and a secret sauce that defined your ’80s Pennsylvania childhood.
Lunch breaks, after-school fuel, late-night cravings – these sandwiches were more than just food; they were edible monuments to a simpler, more delicious time. Then, without warning, they were gone.
Poof!
Vanished into the corporate abyss, leaving behind only the ghost of a flavor and a profound sense of culinary betrayal. It’s time to stop mourning in silence. Let’s celebrate (and perhaps rage just a little) over 11 iconic PA fast-food sandwiches we desperately wish were still here!
1. Hardee’s Steakhouse Thickburger (Mid-Atlantic Version)
Pennsylvania’s regional spin on the Steakhouse Thickburger was a carnivore’s dream come true. Unlike its national counterpart, this local variation boasted crispy onion tanglers that added satisfying crunch with each bite.
The secret weapon was its distinctive horseradish sauce that packed a sinus-clearing punch, perfectly balanced by the richness of melted Swiss cheese. A generous slathering of A.1. steak sauce completed the flavor profile, creating a burger that felt more like steakhouse fare than fast food.
Hardee’s eventually standardized their menu nationwide, and this Pennsylvania specialty faded into fast-food history.
2. McDLT – McDonald’s
The McDLT wasn’t just a sandwich – it was an engineering marvel that promised “hot side hot, cool side cool.” Introduced in 1984, it came in a revolutionary two-compartment Styrofoam container.
It kept the hot beef patty and bottom bun separate from the cool lettuce, tomato, and top bun until you were ready to eat. I still remember my dad bringing these home as a special Friday treat.
We’d carefully assemble our sandwiches, marveling at how crisp the vegetables stayed. Environmental concerns about the packaging ultimately led to its discontinuation, but no other McDonald’s offering has captured that same fresh-assembled experience since.
3. Chicken Littles – KFC
Long before sliders became trendy, KFC’s Chicken Littles were the original mini-sandwich sensation. These pocket-sized treasures featured a perfectly crispy chicken strip nestled in a soft, slightly sweet bun with just the right amount of mayo and pickles.
Priced at just 39 cents each in the mid-80s, they were the ultimate affordable indulgence. Pennsylvania KFC locations often had lines out the door when these were on promotion.
Today’s KFC occasionally offers something called “Chicken Littles,” but veterans of the original know they bear little resemblance to the perfect mini-sandwiches that captured our hearts decades ago.
4. The Whaler – Burger King
Swimming against the tide of beef-dominated fast food, Burger King’s Whaler offered a refreshing alternative for Pennsylvania diners. This seafood delight featured a generous breaded whitefish fillet crowned with crisp lettuce and tangy tartar sauce.
The sandwich gained particular popularity in Catholic neighborhoods during Lent. Many Pennsylvania locations would promote special Whaler deals on Fridays, creating lines that wrapped around buildings.
Eventually rebranded as the less colorfully named “Fish Sandwich,” something was lost in the transition. Old-timers still order it as “The Whaler” – a nod to a time when fast food menus had more personality.
5. The McRib – McDonald’s
The McRib’s debut in 1981 created a sensation across Pennsylvania that continues to this day. This curious creation features a pork patty molded to resemble a miniature rack of ribs, complete with fake bone marks for authenticity.
Smothered in tangy barbecue sauce and topped with slivered onions and pickles, it delivers a sweet-savory-sour combination that defies conventional fast-food categories. The soft hoagie-style bun soaks up the sauce perfectly.
My uncle once drove 40 miles when he heard a McDonald’s in Erie had them back on the menu. Though it occasionally returns for limited runs, its permanent absence from the regular menu remains a fast-food tragedy.
6. Rax Roast Beef Sandwich – Rax
Before Arby’s dominated the roast beef scene, Rax Restaurants carved out a loyal Pennsylvania following with their superior sandwich. Thinly sliced roast beef was piled high on a toasted sesame seed bun, served deliciously warm and remarkably tender.
What separated Rax from competitors was their extraordinary fixings bar. Customers could customize their sandwiches with an array of fresh vegetables and house-made sauces not available elsewhere.
Though Rax has virtually disappeared nationwide, its roast beef sandwich remains the gold standard against which Pennsylvania fast-food aficionados judge all others. The chain’s slow decline throughout the late ’80s left a void never truly filled.
7. The Original Big Boy – Big Boy Restaurants
The Original Big Boy sandwich was fast-food royalty across Pennsylvania in the 1980s. This double-decker masterpiece featured two beef patties separated by a middle bun layer, creating a sturdy three-part architecture that never collapsed mid-meal.
The signature Big Boy sauce – a predecessor to what we now call “special sauce” – had a sweet-tangy profile that perfectly complemented the American cheese, shredded lettuce and pickle garnishes. Every sandwich came secured with an iconic red plastic sword toothpick that kids would collect.
I spent my 10th birthday dinner at the Allentown Big Boy, proudly demolishing the adult-sized sandwich while my parents watched in amazement.
8. The Chicken Supreme – Wendy’s
Wendy’s Chicken Supreme brought unexpected elegance to fast-food poultry in 1980s Pennsylvania. Unlike competitors’ offerings, this sandwich featured a butterflied chicken breast that was lightly breaded and pressure-cooked rather than deep-fried.
The result was remarkably juicy meat with a delicate, crispy exterior. Fresh lettuce, ripe tomato slices, and just the right amount of mayonnaise completed this sophisticated sandwich. Wendy’s eventually replaced it with more conventional chicken sandwiches that lacked the Supreme’s distinctive preparation method.
Fast-food historians note it represented a brief moment when quick-service restaurants attempted to bridge the gap between convenience and upscale dining experiences.
9. The Pizza Burger – Various Local Diners
Pennsylvania diners and drive-ins of the ’80s perfected the glorious hybrid known as the Pizza Burger. This culinary mashup featured a seasoned beef patty smothered in zesty marinara sauce and topped with a blanket of bubbling mozzarella cheese.
Often served on a toasted Italian roll rather than a traditional bun, it captured the flavors of two beloved foods in one handheld package. Local establishments put their own spin on it – Altoona’s version included pepperoni slices, while Philadelphia diners often added roasted bell peppers.
Chain restaurants attempted copycat versions, but none matched the charm of these local specialties that predated today’s fusion food trends by decades.
10. Gino’s Sirloiner – Gino’s Hamburgers
Before merging with Roy Rogers in the mid-80s, Gino’s Hamburgers was a Pennsylvania institution famous for their premium Sirloiner sandwich. Founded by Baltimore Colts football star Gino Marchetti, the chain took a more sophisticated approach to fast food.
The Sirloiner featured a quarter-pound of actual sirloin steak on a toasted kaiser roll with melted provolone cheese and sautéed onions. What made it unforgettable was the signature black pepper sauce that added complexity rarely found in fast food.
When Marriott Corporation acquired and converted most locations to Roy Rogers restaurants, this beloved sandwich disappeared, leaving Pennsylvania burger enthusiasts with nothing but memories of its superior quality.