The McDonald's Soup That Boomers Likely Remember

Since its humble beginnings in 1940, McDonald's has grown into an absolute titan of fast food. But with more than 80 years of history comes a long list of forgotten menu items that briefly appeared before vanishing into obscurity. Some of the old-school additions were genuinely surprising, and not exactly the kind of fare most millennials or Gen Z customers would come to expect from the Golden Arches — like its ill-fated attempt at Onion Nuggets. But perhaps one of the strangest menu items appeared in the early '90s, when McSoup was (briefly) all the rage.

McSoup came in several different flavors, including Chicken Noodle, Broccoli Cheese, Vegetable Beef, and Chili Con Carne, alongside several others. Interestingly, the soup wasn't actually made by McDonald's itself, but was instead the result of a collaboration with the iconic Campbell Soup Company. This partnership made for the ultimate power couple, but despite launching in 1991, McSoup was discontinued after struggling to hit sales targets. And honestly, it's not hard to see why. For starters, there's the fact that a steaming hot cup of soup isn't exactly ideal for a clumsy drive-thru hand-off. In all honesty, it sounds like a shocking fast food industry scandal waiting to happen.

While McSoup is long gone, Campbell Soup Company is still going strong. Despite the company being around since 1869, some of the McSoup flavors it released were not yet available in canned form. Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Beef were already around long before McSoup, but lucky for us, Campbell's likely noticed the hype. When McSoup was discontinued, it started canning some similar varieties. As one Reddit user put it, "You can just buy [Campbell's Broccoli Cheese]. It's the same thing, they started selling it in a can when their contract expired with McDonald's." However, there's no official chili con carne equivalent, though a close substitute is its Chunky Chili with Beans.

What's more, soup lovers visiting international McDonald's locations might actually be in luck. Over in Portugal, customers can find a variety of soup options on offer, including Carrot Cream, Green Bean, and Peasant Soup — a rich blend of kidney beans, ham, and pasta. You'll be able to find these at the chain's McCafé concept, a branch of McDonald's designed around coffee and classic breakfast pastries.

Canned soup definitely has its time and place, but nothing quite compares to the homemade version. Thankfully, most McSoup flavors are super easy to recreate in your own kitchen. Get it right, and even a simple chicken noodle recipe will yield a hearty, comforting bowl that is leagues ahead of anything served through a drive-thru window.