21 crazy fast-food mashups that went way too far

Tim Hortons’ Buffalo Crunch doughnut

Tim Hortons, known for good-quality coffee and morning pastries in addition to sandwiches, may have taken things a bit too far when it introduced this Buffalo wing-inspired glazed doughnut topped with kettle chips and Buffalo sauce at the New York State Fair in 2014.

Domino’s Veg Subwich, India

We were all on board when Domino’s India’s menu said “jalapeño three-bean patty.” Our mouths watered when they smothered it in creamy and spicy smoked pepper dressing. We giggled when they said the green bell peppers they put on it were “exotic.” We smashed our heads against our desks when they smashed that healthy vegetarian goodness between buttery, triangle-shaped pizza dough “buns.” Americans are clearly a bad influence on our international friends. But don’t tell them; that will only make them want to hang out with us more.

Denny’s Mozzarella Stick Grilled Cheese

We’re the inventor of the grilled cheese, and damn it, this is ‘Merica! We will squeeze every last calorie out of anything on the menu because we will not be outdone.

Taco Bell’s Doritos Tacos

Tacos just weren’t flavorful enough for the folks at Taco Bell, so they put all the same ingredients into a Doritos-flavored shell. As if that’s not weird enough, for some reason they didn’t release Doritos nachos.

Taco Bell’s Naked Chicken Chalupa

We thought that was insane — until Taco Bell came out with its Naked Chicken Chalupa. Yes, that’s a taco shell made out of fried chicken.

KFC’s Double Down

Because sometimes all that bread protecting your hand from greasy fried chicken sandwiches just gets in the way, KFC decided to opt for a sandwich of bacon, two kinds of melted cheese and secret sauce smashed between two boneless chicken fillets.

Domino’s Specialty Chicken

Smothered chicken is nothing new, but chicken nuggets you can’t pick up with your fingers sorta defeats the purpose.

Pizza Hut’s Hot Dog Stuffed Crust

Not to be outdone by its biggest competitors, Pizza Hut recently introduced pizza with a crust stuffed with hot dogs. The Australian version (pictured above) looks slightly different, but I guess if you can’t decide between pizza and pigs in a blanket, this is the ‘za for you.

First Kitchen’s Kit Kat Sandwich, Japan

Puffy white bread serves as a vehicle for Kit Kat bars, orange peels and whipped cream. Gimme a break, Japan.

Subway’s Fritos Chicken Enchilada Melt

Chips on a sandwich isn’t exactly novel, but we’re not sure why they make an appearance on a sandwich made to taste like chicken enchiladas or why Subway needs to get into Tex-Mex.

Del Taco’s Bacon Ranch Chicken Avocado Epic Burrito

Because our burritos need to be “epic” now, this one is stuffed with six slices of avocado, grilled marinated chicken, crispy hickory-smoked bacon, creamy ranch sauce, seasoned black beans and fresca lime rice. 

KFC’s Rice Congee, China

Nothing goes better with a big bucket o’ fried chicken than a side dish of… rice congee? For those who don’t know, this Chinese staple is basically a porridge made with vegetables, pork, pickles and preserved eggs. This dish is one of the reasons KFC dominates Mickey D’s in the marketplace in most Asian countries.

Dairy Queen’s green tea Blizzards, Thailand

You know you’re in Thailand when you pull up to the local Dairy Queen and the special is a green tea Blizzard. Forget Oreo cookie chunks and M&M’S. In Thailand, they do their junk food ice cream right — with a whole batch of antioxidants. Finally, an ice cream dessert you can feel good about.

Burger King’s Sprout Surprise Whopper, U.K.

If you want your kids to never ask for Burger King again, then take them to a BK in the United Kingdom, and order the Sprout Surprise. This “burger” features a breaded disc made entirely of Brussels sprouts, sandwiched between the normal Whopper fare, like lettuce, tomatoes and special sauce.

McDonald’s McAloo Tikki, India

McDonald’s isn’t exactly known for its vegetarian options, at least not in the U.S. However, in India, the McAloo Tikki — a potato-and-bean breaded patty — is one of the most popular options on its fast-food menu. Don’t worry, it has a “special sauce” to go with it. We can’t promise that’s entirely vegetarian, though.

McDonald’s Chicken McDo with McSpaghetti, Philippines

There’s nothing worse than having a craving for chicken and spaghetti at the same time and not having a way to satisfy both. I mean, we’ve all been there, right? Well, if you live in the Philippines, this issue won’t ever happen to you, because McDonald’s there sells something known as the Chicken McDo with McSpaghetti. This plate gives you a helping of spaghetti and a crispy chicken drumstick at the same time.

Pizza Hut’s Crown Crust Carnival Cheeseburger Pizza, Dubai

When you see a photo of the Crown Crust Carnival Cheeseburger Pizza, you automatically assume it’s an American creation. Who else would create a pizza topped with cheeseburger ingredients and then nestle mini burger patties into the crown-shaped crust? Surely no other country. Well, sadly our influence has spread, because this insane concoction is a favorite in Dubai.

Wendy’s Foie Gras Burger, Japan

Even though you can’t find the Foie Gras Burger at any Wendy’s locations in Japan today, it did exist there for over a year. The goose liver pâté burger was topped with fancy cheeses and other high-end ingredients, and sold for over $16 in some of Japan’s luxury shopping districts. This is not a burger with which you’d want a simple side order of fries. Maybe some crispy fried truffles instead?

Jollibee’s Tuna Pie, Philippines

You know how people go crazy for the McRib here in the U.S.? In the Philippines, they go crazy for another savory delight — the tuna pie, sold exclusively at Jollibee stores. This little hand pie is stuffed with cooked tuna and vegetables and is served only a few times throughout the year. And now, thanks to locations in a few U.S. states (California, New York, Nevada, Washington and Hawaii), you can buy this fishy pie without dealing with customs forms.

Burger King’s Chicken Fries

Is it a meal or a side? This dual-personalitied chicken, uh, food stuff was, believe it or not, brought back by popular demand — as advertised by a campaign that is somehow, someway not the creepiest one in BK’s lineup.

Burger King’s Chicken Fries Rings

Making things out of chicken, because that’s apparently what we do best in the U.S. Burger King proved this once again when it released its new Chicken Fries Rings in 2016, the onion rings variation of the wildly popular BK Chicken Fries — hold the onion, please. For those nights when you need to grub but are feeling oh-so lazy, these tasty little chicken rings fit nicely on a finger for nibbling.

Originally published Aug. 2014. Updated May 2016.