The Old-School 1970s Sandwich Burger King Fans Still Miss

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Sometimes fast-food chains keep items on the menu for decades (shout out to the Big Mac), but then there are the long-gone foods some of us still miss. That's the case with many of the discontinued Burger King items we crave from time to time, especially a sandwich that dates back to the 1970s. The sandwich was called the Yumbo, and there's a good chance you've never heard of it — but will want a bite after reading this article.

The Yumbo debuted back in 1971 and was only on Burger King's menu for a few years until it was discontinued in 1974. It was the fast-food giant's take on a ham-and-cheese sandwich with Black Forest ham and American cheese piled high on a seeded hoagie bun. The sandwich was served warm, similar to how you might make a hot ham-and-cheese sandwich at home or order at a deli. We don't know exactly why Burger King discontinued the Yumbo after just a few years, but there's a chance that a hot ham-and-cheese just couldn't compete with the Whopper and its other popular long-standing menu items. Although, as recently as a year ago, fans on Reddit exclaimed how they wished they could still order the sandwich.

Despite Burger King discontinuing the Yumbo in 1974, it did make a comeback in 2014. This time around, Burger King decided to switch it up and added shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and mayonnaise to the ham-and-cheese sandwich. It was still served warm on a seeded hoagie-style bun like the original version of the sandwich. The comeback even featured a retro-theme campaign, but it was only on Burger King's menu for a short time before it disappeared once again.

There are other sandwiches that Burger King used to sling that we miss from time to time. One option is its BK Rib Sandwich with pickles that seemed like a rival to McDonald's McRib, which has also come and gone from that competing chain's menu. Then there was the meatloaf sandwich and The Whaler, which was a fish sandwich that also launched in the 1970s before it was taken down. And if you have a knack for nostalgia, here's what Burger King's menu looked like during the year you were born.