Your favorite fast-food chains served hilarious April Fools' pranks their customers never saw coming
Fast-food chains love to pull a fast one
We go to fast-food chains for comfort: cheap eats and fries that never judge. So why, once a year, do they turn the tables on us? Enter April Fools’ Day, when the menus get a little unhinged and your usual order comes with a side of hilarious confusion.
We’ve rounded up the funniest fast-food pranks ever, because honestly, you deserve the laugh. Think bizarre “new” items and blink-and-you-miss-it hoaxes that felt just real enough to trick us—yes, really. Whether you’re here for nostalgia or plotting your own harmless prank, you’ll be inspired by what your favorite fast-food chains were able to pull off. Read on for the fast-food pranks that actually fooled us.
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BJ’s: Pizicle Pazookie
On April Fools’ Day in 2024, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse dropped a delightfully bizarre “new” dessert that sounded like it was dreamed up during a very strange midnight snack run: the Pizickle Pizookie. Imagine their gooey signature deep‑dish cookie topped with vanilla ice cream and fried pickles. Yep, the pickle craze collided with dessert in a way that had social feeds either screaming “shut up and take my money” or “never again,” until everyone realized it was an April Fools’ stunt.
McDonald’s: Milkshake Sauce Pots
McDonald’s 2019 April Fools’ prank still lives in fast‑food meme lore. For this fast-food chain prank, it was all about Milkshake Sauce Pots. The golden arches teased milkshake‑flavored dipping packets (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and banana) for fries and nuggets. Fans got excited, confused and then, of course, pranked when it was revealed as a joke on April Fools’ Day.
Arby’s: WArby’s
In 2018, Arby’s teamed up with eyewear purveyors Warby Parker for the ultimate April Fools’ joke. They introduced “WArby’s,” featuring an Onion Ring Monocle. The hilarious collaboration launched in stores on March 30, 2018 until through April Fools’ Day.
In a Tweet, Warby Parker put out the following message: “When the only thing you have in common is four letters, but it still feels kind of right. Introducing #WArbys, a new partnership sandwiched somewhere between vision and at least eight different kinds of meat.”
White Castle: Whey Protein Powder
We don’t know many people who hit the drive-thru with the intention of ordering a supplement to their workout, but White Castle approached April Fools’ Day in 2018 with their hilarious Whey Protein Powder.
In a press release, the company said, “Each individual serving includes 27 sliders scientifically granulated into 189 grams of pure whey protein, perfect for those who are training to be the next heavyweight champion, or simply looking to maximize their muscle mass for the summer season.”
Krispy Kreme: Krispy Cream
Spell-check enthusiasts may take umbrage at the name of doughnut chain Krispy Kreme, but you can’t beat their melt-in-your-mouth product. In 2017, their U.K. division decided to have a little fun with the spelling, tweeting that they were officially changing the name to Krispy Cream.
At least then the brand would have half the name spelled correctly. Some media outlets took the announcement seriously, reporting on the change as fact, instead of an April Fools’ joke.
Burger King: The Whopper Toothpaste
If you go to a pediatric dentist, you’re likely to find a slew of fun toothpaste flavors that would appeal to kids, like bubble gum, strawberry and even chocolate. Burger King’s French division decided to go one further and promote a Whopper toothpaste for April Fools’ Day in 2017. There was even a commercial made for the faux product. As much as we love burgers, a Whopper toothpaste would have to be a hard pass.
The Halal Guys: White Sauce Toothpaste
The French shouldn’t have all of the foodie toothpaste fun. In 2018, Middle Eastern fast-food chain The Halal Guys cooked up its own April Fools’ prank with White Sauce Toothpaste, similar to the brand’s signature sauce used on just about every dish it serves. “Our proprietary teeth whitening recipe not only tastes great, it gives you a more radiant smile! Get it today at your local restaurant,” the chain posted on Instagram.
Papa John’s: Garlic Gallon
One reason pizza chain Papa John’s has a loyal following is its signature garlic sauce, which comes with every pie. As an April Fools’ prank in 2017, they posted a video promoting a $9.99 Garlic Gallon, essentially a bottle of the stuff the size of a laundry detergent container. Fans were bummed when Papa John’s admitted it was a prank, and the chain responded by offering an extra two cups of garlic sauce with a promo code for a limited time.
McDonald’s: The Micro Mac
Fast-food restaurants are known for super-sizing their menu items. As an April Fools’ Day joke, McDonald’s decided to go in the opposite direction by introducing the Micro Mac in 2017. “It packs all of the flavor of the iconic Big Mac at 1/48 of the size for when you’re only a tiny bit hungry,” the company said in its ad for the minuscule burger.
Burger King: Chicken Fries Shake
Burger King isn’t only known for their Whopper. They have also been known to get a little adventurous when it comes to their treat offerings, like their Scary Black Cherry Slushie for Halloween. As an April Fools’ prank in 2016, they promoted a Chicken Fries Shake.
The shake was golden yellow with a whipped cream topping, delivered in a cup sporting a chick face—the same as the one as on their Chicken Fries box. Thankfully, in reality, there was no such thing because … yuck.
McDonald’s: The Subscription Box
In an age where you can get a subscription box for just about anything (makeup, snacks, accessories, etc.), McDonald’s decided to prank on the fad with their own 2024 version—the Mmm Box—with three varieties to choose from: the Artisan, the Ribster and the Minimalist. Each had a hilarious description; for example, the Ribster box included a McRib, a mustache-shaped comb, a plaid napkin and irony.
Einstein Bros. Bagels: Applewood Smoked Bacon Dark Roast Coffee
Many people say breakfast is their favorite meal of the day, and we can hardly blame them. An experience that regularly includes both coffee and bacon? Yes, please. In 2016, Einstein Bros. Bagels decided to tease their customers with Applewood Smoked Bacon Dark Roast Coffee as an April Fool’s joke. Apparently, they thought the best part of waking up would be coffee and bacon in your cup.
Chick-fil-A: Steak Filet Sandwich
Chick-fil-A is synonymous with its namesake, the almighty chicken. So fans knew something was up when the chain started marketing a Steak Filet Sandwich. Some customers actually believed it to be true, so the brand took to their Facebook page to explain the April Fools joke. “April Fools! We’re glad that you’re fans of the flavor of Chick-fil-A, but we think that flavor is best reserved for 100% all-white-meat chicken Monday through Saturday, just like it’s always been. Hope we had you going,” they wrote.
Jimmy John’s: White Apron Service
Everyone is looking for convenience and lightning-fast service these days, which Jimmy John’s aims to provide. Their 2017 April Fools’ prank was a send-up of the many meal kit delivery services on the market. The unique selling point was a pretty hard sell, though. Jimmy John’s White Apron would deliver everything you need to make your favorite sammie at home … only so much slower than if you just ordered it up at the nearest Jimmy John’s location.
El Pollo Loco: Churro Chain
If you can have an Onion Ring Monocle, you might as well add a Churro Chain around your neck. El Pollo Loco yucked it up in 2017 with a spoof on their menu’s popular cinnamon-dusted treat. If we’re being honest, the idea of having a churro so near at all times is kind of convenient.
Taco Bell: The Liberty Bell
Taco Bell dropped the mic on April Fools’ pranks back in 1996 when they bought full-page ads announcing they had purchased the Liberty Bell. That would make it the Taco Liberty Bell. The ad read something like this: “In an effort to help the national debt, Taco Bell is pleased to announce that we have agreed to purchase the Liberty Bell, one of our country’s most historic treasures. It will now be called ‘The Taco Liberty Bell’ and will still be accessible to the American public for viewing.”
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Sources:
- PRNewswire.com: “White Castle Enters Fitness Industry”
- PhillyVoice.com: “Two decades ago, Taco Bell convinced America that it had bought the Liberty Bell”
