DAILY DIRT: Not everything McDonald’s touches turns to gold — there have definitely been some McFlops

November 3, 2024 | By Steve Eighinger Muddy River News Minister of Culture and Doctor of Love

Daily Dirt for Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024

I remember those McHotDogs and that dreaded McSpaghetti. Those items were truly awful … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,103 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Fast-food giants are just like the rest of us. They make mistakes.

It’s just that McDonald’s, because of its all-encompassing market share, seems to get singled out more often when one of its new products lays an egg.

We’re going back in time time today to remind everyone of some of the Golden Arches’ menu mistakes from years past.

How many of these did you try before they disappeared forever?

Arch Deluxe burger: Launched in 1996 and aimed specifically at adults, it was heavily promoted but never caught on with McFans. It is now considered one of the classic fast-food flops in history. McDonald’s spent a small fortune promoting it, but it bombed from the word go.
Mighty Wings: On the menu from 1990 through 2004, they were bone-in wings coated in spicy bread crumbs and served with a variety of dipping sauces. I kind of liked these, but always felt they were a little overpriced.
McPizza: Introduced in the mid-1980s and discontinued around 2000, largely because of its 11-to-16 minute cooking time just didn’t work for customers. I truly loved the old McPizzas, but I agree 100 percent with the wait time having been a major problem.
McSpaghetti: Launched in the early 1970s, this dish included pasta, marinara sauce, meatballs and cheese. It was discontinued in most sites by 1980. Ugh. Simply sugh.
McHotDog: Introduced in the late 1990s, it just never gained any foothold among customers. At some point, every dog has its day — except this one. May it rest in peace.

2. Did you know (Part 174)

That the entire state of Wyoming has two escalators. They are both located in Casper.
That the role of Capt. Jack Sparrow, made famous by Johnny Depp in the “Pirates of the Caribbean,” was originally offered to Jim Carrey. But Carrey turned it down to star in “Bruce Almighty”.
That most of the time the “ice cream” featured in TV commercials is actually mashed potatoes (which won’t melt, obviously).
That if you multiply 111,111,111 by itself the answer is 12345678987654321.
That according to Basketball-Refernce.com, the leading Hall of Fame candidates among today’s active players are currently: 1. LeBron James, 2. Kevin Durant, 3. Chris Paul, Steph Curry and 5. James Harden.

3, Here’s a look at our new Top 10 college football rankings following Saturday’s games:

1. Oregon (9-0): Best-ever Oregon bumper sticker? “JUST DUCK IT”
2. Ohio State (7-1): How big could the final two weeks of the regular season be? The Buckeyes host Indiana on Nov. 23, followed by Michigan coming to Columbus on Nov. 30.
3. Georgia (7-1): Quarterback Carson Beck can solve a Rubik’s Cube in about 30 seconds.
4. Indiana (9-0): The Hoosiers are perfect after nine for the first time ever.
5. Texas (7-1): Longhorns are one of the five SEC schools all with one league loss, joining Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee and LSU.
6. Miami, Fla. (9-0): Cam Ward is now the leading Heisman Trophy candidate.
7. Tennessee (7-1): One of the Volunteers’ biggest fans is Paloma resident Frank Cash.
8. Penn State (7-1): No offensive touchdowns against the Buckeyes. Another big-game loss for the Nittany Lions.
9. Ole Miss (7-2): The Rebels’ season will be on the line next Saturday when Georgia visits.
10. Boise State (7-1): The top Group of Five program.

On the bubble: Alabama (6-2), LSU (6-2), Iowa State (7-1), Notre Dame (7-1), Vanderbilt (6-3), Clemson (6-2), Pitt (7-1), Texas A&M (7-2), BYU (8-0).

Steve Thought O’ The Day – The New England Patriots have the most Instagram followers among NFL teams with 5 million. Why? (I know you’re wondering what teams are behind the Pats: No. 2 is Dallas with 4.9 million, Kansas City is No. 3 with 4.3 million and San Francisco is No. 4 with 3.8 million.)