McDonald’s is synonymous with the Big Mac, Chicken McNuggets, and Snack Wrap, but the Golden Arches has a long history of limited-time offerings, intriguing specials, and unique menu items that enticed consumers for decades—and still have them talking.
Fans aren’t over the Blueberry McGriddle, and many still long for the return of the McDLT. But while some discontinued McDonald’s items are still at the top of consumers’ minds decades later, other offerings were forgotten nearly as soon as they left menus. Regardless of their popularity, though, some McD’s menu items need to be seen to be believed—including one 1960s release that fans “just can’t get past.”
McDonald’s Hula Burger Featured a First-Of-Its-Kind Ingredient
Following the success of the Filet-O-Fish, McDonald’s released another meatless option in the 1960s that both intrigued and baffled consumers. Unlike the meat substitutes that tend to appear on fast food menus today, like plant-based proteins and hearty mushrooms, McDonald’s limited-time competitor featured a unique ingredient: fruit.
The McDonald’s Hula Burger was another option for Catholics who abstain from meat on Fridays leading up to Easter during the Lenten season. Rather than the Filet-O-Fish, which still returns to menus half a century later, this burger didn’t feature any meat or fish. Instead, the Hula Burger featured a slice of grilled pineapple between two slices of American cheese on a bun.
Allrecipes / McDonald’s
After the evident success of its competitor, the Filet-O-Fish, McDonald’s quietly discontinued the production of the Hula Burger shortly after its release. According to one Redditor, “The Filet-O-Fish ended up [being] pretty popular, Hula sold [about] eight orders in a month.”
Even though 50 years have passed, people are still befuddled by the Hula Burger. “I get the marketing angle and everything, but pineapple on a bun? WTF?” mused one Redditor. “As a vegetarian, I’d try it…it could be pretty good,” commented another person in the thread.
“I just can’t get [past] the cheese on a pineapple,” wrote one user. “Cheese with fruit is great,” another disputed, citing classic combos like cheddar and apple. “Now American cheese with pineapple…I just don’t know.”
One Redditor highlighted “a little missing societal context” for the Hula Burger. “Pineapple was a bit of an exotic treat back then, rather than just something you could pick up fresh in any grocery store.” While it may seem pretty basic and odd now, at the time, a slice of pineapple from a fast food chain could have been seen as a novelty in the ’60s.
As unique as it was, the Filet-O-Fish reigned as the clear winner between the two options. McDonald’s executives introduced the pescatarian sandwich as a limited-time meat-free alternative to its menu. And though the Hula Burger was short-lived, a McFlurry remains a reliable and steady treat to enjoy, especially on Fridays during Lent.
