The 1980s McDonald's Sandwich You Probably Forgot About

With the seemingly endless news of television and movie franchise reboots, the resurgence of popular 90s fashion trends, and the return of some of our most treasured childhood snacks, it's clear that nostalgia is one of the major themes of the 21st century, and we are not mad about it. Naturally, some major players in the restaurant industry are also getting in on the trend, like Pizza Hut, which has re-introduced its 1997 menu classic The Edge, while Burger King is toying with the idea of bringing back its iconic crown-shaped chicken nuggets. Of course, the most famous fast-food chain in the world, McDonald's, has followed suit as well, delighting fans by bringing back some classic menu items like the McRib and the Bacon McDouble, as well as the perfect drink to wash it all down with: Hi-C Orange.

All this talk about the revitalization of former drive-thru staples might have you reminiscing about a few other fast food gems from the golden arches that have yet to make a comeback. But, while you may be salivating for another bite of a Snack Wrap or a McDLT, we're here today to remind you about another beloved sandwich from the chain that you probably haven't thought about in a long time: the 1980s classic that was the Cheddar Melt.

We totally understand if you are drawing a blank when it comes to the McDonald's Cheddar Melt. The sandwich was introduced to the chain's menu more than 33 years ago in 1988, only to be quickly removed the following year (via ABC News). However, that's not to say that the quarter-pound burger topped with creamy cheddar cheese sauce and grilled onions and served up in between a soft, rye bun did not make an impression on patrons of the establishment.

"I was 7 years old when this came out. I won't give away how I feel about this burger, but I light a candle to St. [Kroc] every 4th of McDonald's in honor of this tasty treat," one person wrote about the sandwich in a Reddit thread dedicated to the late-80s delicacy. Another Redditor on the same thread was of the opinion that the Cheddar Melt didn't stick around because it was too good — too good for McDonald's, at least. "Loved this when it launched but knew full well that it was too fancified for the McD's crowd," they wrote. "Same with Arch Deluxe. Great burger but too fancy." A commenter on a separate Reddit thread, however, reassured everyone that the Cheddar Melt wasn't that fancy after all. "I worked at McDonald's back then," the commenter wrote. "The cheese came in a caulk gun."

After its brief stint on the McDonald's menu in the late 80s, Complex says that the Cheddar Melt made a return in 2004, only to be quickly ripped away from us yet again. Those lucky enough to live in certain parts of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin were also able to get a taste of the delectable combination of ingredients again in 2014 (via Penn Live). Depending on where you live your McDelivery driver may not be willing to travel this far, but McDonald's Brazil has something extremely close to the Cheddar Melt, according to its online menu: the Cheddar McMelt. As Insider describes Brazil's version of the sandwich, it comes on a dark sesame seed bun rather than rye. The Brazilian burger gets a shot of shoyu sauce, too.

Fans of the McDonald's Cheddar Melt can always hope for a revival of their favorite sandwich. McDonald's — or at least the person who runs the chain's Twitter account — seems to be listening. They even invited menu requests in a tweet back in November: "Which McDonald's menu item do u miss the most?" In a separate tweet, McDonald's posted a meme suggesting that Cheddar Melt lovers would need to make a lot more noise if they're going to be heard over the customers clamoring for the return of the snack wrap. 

When McDonald's announced last fall that the McRib was coming back, the chain made it sound like it was giving in to customer demand when it chose to offer the sandwich all across the U.S., for the first time in almost a decade. "It's taking the internet by storm," McDonald's wrote. "That's why this year, we're proud to serve the McRib nationwide for everyone to enjoy." An internet storm has been brewing for a while now over the Cheddar Melt, too. "Hey @McDonalds, still wondering when you're going to bring back the cheddar melt," Twitter user Dani Fassbender tweeted. "There's a whole generation who hasn't tasted this perfection. Do it for the kids!" 

Megan Braboy on Twitter tried to emphasize to McDonald's just how unfair the world is without Cheddar Melts. "When is the Cheddar Melt coming back???" they wrote. "We have like 20 states with legal weed and no Cheddar Melt. It's just wrong." This steady drumbeat for the return of McDonald's Cheddar Melt has been sounding at least since 2015, when Twitter user Steve Olivas worried they were a little too obsessed. "McDonald's should bring back the Cheddar Melt," Olivas tweeted, "and I should probably spend more time thinking NOT about this."

McDonald's, it's your move. It may be time to get those cheddar caulk guns out of storage.