From Frosty's to Fried Chicken

Fast food didn't just appear from nowhere, but instead has a rich and complex history. These 20 items in particular absolutely revolutionized the industry and are responsible for trends and tropes we love today. From innovative new ideas to marketing campaigns to fine-tuning production lines, here is the history behind your favorite fast food items.

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1. Wendy's Frosty

We have Wendy to thank for popularizing the soft-serve milkshake craze with their Frosty. It was created in 1969 and was far thicker than a typical milkshake, which made it very dippable. Which is why lots of people started dipping their fries into the Frosty, creating a fun combination and a clever marketing scheme, too. The original Frosty was chocolate as well, but now you can get it in all sorts of flavors from vanilla to strawberry.

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2. Panda Express Orange Chicken

There's Chinese food, then there's Chinese American food, and we have orange chicken to thank for popularizing the latter. This signature dish was introduced in a Panda Express in 1987 and is now synonymous with their brand name. It's sweet and fried, appealing to a broad appetite, and helped make Chinese food approachable to many Americans.

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3. McDonald's Egg McMuffin

McDonald's is going to show up on this list often, as they're the reason many fast-food items exist. The Egg McMuffin is actually what popularized fast food breakfast and was first introduced in the '70s as an open-face sandwich with a powdered hollandaise sauce. It was instantly popular and went through some fine-tuning to appear as the McMuffin we know today. Turns out that this breakfast menu is responsible for almost a quarter of McDonald's revenue, indicating just how influential it was.

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4. Domino's Pizza Delivery

Nowadays, it's very common to order a pizza whenever you want a quick fix without leaving the house. We have Domino's to thank for this, as they introduced a 30-minute delivery guarantee in 1960. This marketing campaign led to an influx of customers and interest and basically made pizza deliveries the thing they are today. They did eventually have to drop the guarantee, though, due to legal concerns.

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5. Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

All food manufacturers long to turn their product into a holiday staple. For example, turkeys are a Thanksgiving must-have, while candy canes are a Christmas go-to. Even Coca-Cola used marketing and advertising to work its way in as a Christmas classic. Starbucks also lucked out with their pumpkin spice drink, as people began associating it with autumn, turning it into a tradition for millions.

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6. KFC Fried Chicken

Fried chicken was a Southern standard for ages, and KFC figured out how to package and provide this tasty dish in mere minutes. They used a pressure cooker system and a fixed herb and spice seasoning to increase speed and maintain consistent quality. This craveable and organized formula was a big hit in the 1930s and is super popular to this day.

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7. McDonald's Fries

Everyone knows about McDonald's fries' game. They're thin yet crisp, and uniquely flavored. McDonald's introduced these fries in 1949 and used beef tallow instead of typical oil, which made them very addictive right off the bat. Now, McDonald's is one of the world's largest potato buyers, and for good reason.

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8. Dairy Queen Blizzard

Soft-serve ice cream was a popular fast-food staple; after all, it's easy to make and a perfectly light way to finish a heavier meal. But Dairy Queen came up with a clever way to make the most of their soft serve. In 1985, they introduced the Blizzard and would use all sorts of mix-ins to upsell the soft serve and add lots of menu variety. The whole flipping-the-Blizzard-upside-down thing was also a clever marketing strategy that appealed to audiences.

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9. Wendy's Baked Potato

When you think of fast food, you usually don't think of baked potatoes. But in 1983, when Wendy's came out with this baked dish, it was trendy to be on a diet and avoid fatty foods. While other chains struggled with this, Wendy's made its mark by being one of the only to sell a healthy baked potato on the side.

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10. McDonald's Chicken Nuggets

You might think nuggets have been around forever, but they were introduced to fast food rather recently. McDonald's incorporated them in 1983 and sold them with four sauce options. They became an instant hit, as they were a fun and filling alternative to the usual sandwiches and fries.

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11. The Fountain Drink

Speaking of sandwiches and fries, we have the fountain drink to thank for wrapping all the pieces together. Fast food was comprised of burgers and fries, but with the addition of soda, it had become a whole meal. This led to the influx of meal deals and combos, which are now a staple offering at every chain.

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12. White Castle Slider

White Castle has been around for a century, which might be pretty surprising. They helped popularize burgers as a fast food classic and famously feature a square-shaped patty instead of the usual circular variant. While they never did expand beyond the U.S., they're still well known for their unique contribution as a go-to slider.

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13. Taco Bell Crunchy Taco

While Taco Bell didn't invent the hard-shell taco, they did popularize it. Their use of a crunchy taco was one of the first experiences for many and became an integral part of their menu in the '50s. This unique shell is what helped them become so popular, and they successfully introduced Tex-Mex food to millions.

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14. McDonald's Filet-O-Fish

What can't McDonald's do? Well, they keep pushing the envelope, which might explain why they're one of the fast-food greats. The Filet-O-Fish was added to the menu in the 1960s to appease meat-abstaining Catholics at the time and popularize the chain during Lent. Fish sandwiches were uncommon, so McDonald's introduction inspired other restaurants and opened up eyes to an untapped market.

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15. Chick-fil-A's Chicken Biscuit

Both fried chicken and biscuits are Southern classics, so mixing them seemed like a solid idea. While Chick-fil-A didn't come up with this, they are credited with bringing the chicken biscuit to the mainstream in 1985. Surprisingly, it became a breakfast classic, and they continue to sell hundreds of millions of chicken biscuits every year.

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16. Tim Hortons Timbit

Tim Hortons is a Canadian staple, and one of their most popular dishes is the Timbits, which are bite-sized donut balls that come in a variety of flavors. They were introduced in 1976 and suddenly made fast-food donuts accessible, light, and all around less messy. Plus, the buy 10 or buy 30 deals made them a popular pick for parties and events.

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17. McDonald's Apple Pie

Well, well, well, if it isn't McDonald's again. This apple pie was created to be convenient and accessible, offering a sweet, warm dessert without being overwhelming. It was introduced in 1968 as McDonald's first dessert and went from being a baked pie to a fried one. Now, it has inspired many other franchises to pursue their own pie desserts.

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18. Arby's Roast Beef

Many fast food joints default to beef-based burgers, but Arby's definitely switched it up. Their classic roast beef sandwich is simple and delectable, topped off with a toasted sesame bun. It was introduced in 1964 and was a popular alternative to typical burger fixings.

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19. Krispy Kreme Glazed

Krispy Kreme took the humble donut and turned it into a fast food empire. It started in 1937 with their original glazed donut, which single-handedly propelled the chain to fame. Their factory-like approach to preparing the donuts helped them keep up with demand and increase output speed. Then, of course, they added variety and mixed boxes to appeal to audiences.

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20. McDonald's McFlurry

There are lots of ice cream greats in the history of fast food, and McDonald's has stuck its fingers in numerous pies as it is. But let's talk about their ice cream fame for a moment. The McFlurry was introduced in Canada in 1995 and would go on to become part of its international menu. This was a clever way to use their already abundant soft serve and add in cheap and time-effective mix-ins to hike up the price and add variety.

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