Chicago Bulls fans of the 1990s won’t soon forget the team’s golden age of basketball — or the burger that fuelled the folks watching at home. McDonald’s has released some pretty iconic collabs over the years, as well as some discontinued menu items that don’t need to come out of retirement any time soon (so long, McSpaghetti). But, arguably, the Beef Wennington burger is one ’90s fast-food item that deserves a comeback. The Beef Wennington was a limited-time promotional menu item named in honor of Chicago Bulls center, Bill Wennington. The burger, which debuted in 1998, comprised a beef patty topped with onions, cheese, barbecue sauce, and Canadian bacon — a nod to Wennington’s birthplace of Montreal.
Bill Wennington played for the Bulls from 1993 to 1999, serving as the team’s seven-foot-tall center on what is widely considered one of the best teams in NBA history. The ’90s Bulls assembled such on-court superpowers as Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoč, and Steve Kerr – the team lineup that’s followed in the heralded docuseries, “The Last Dance” (2020). McDonald’s also released a collab with fellow Bull Michael Jordan (we miss you, the McJordan Special, also available in Mickey D’s locations around the Chicago area in the ’90s). During the iconic era, Wennington was a regular television fixture in living rooms across the city. Once he received his own signature McDonald’s sandwich, Wennington made the leap into Chicagoland’s kitchens.
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The Beef Wennington packed double meat for the Bulls dynasty that couldn’t be beat
A promo announcing the Beef Wennington aired on local Chicago news outlet WGN on March 23, 1998 — just prior to Wennington putting up 21 points in a single game against Seattle the following April. As part of the pre-show commentary, Bulls announcers mention a segment on “what you might want to run out and get right now before this game starts.” Reporter Bill Weir quips that Bill Wennington is “getting his protein these days” as “the most popular Bull at lunchtime.”
“MVP Awards and Championship trophies may be the most sought-after trinkets in this man’s league,” says Weir, “but you know you’ve truly arrived when you get your own burger.” Wennington’s sando was the third-ever McDonald’s menu item to be named after an NBA player, following the McJordan and the McBird. In the promo, Wennington himself mentions that a teammate’s pregnant wife developed a fearsome hankering for the burger after seven months without any cravings. Laughing, the center also jokes that the Beef Wennington is “made with love and care,” while his teammate’s McJordan sando “just has a name attached to it.”
The Beef Wennington only ran for one year, but modern Chicagoland fans want it back
Over the 1990s, the Bulls won an unprecedented six NBA championships, three of which Wennington helped achieve. Alas, the Beef Wennington’s run was much shorter, pulled from menus in 1999, just one year after its arrival. Notably, this was also the year that Wennington left the Bulls after six seasons to join the Sacramento Kings. Today, this honorary burger may be gone, but for diehard Chicago sports fan foodies, it’s far from forgotten. There’s even an campaign on iPetitions to restore the Beef Wennington on the permanent McDonald’s menu in the greater Chicago area. The petition notes that, in his retirement, Wennington has served as the color commentator on the Bulls’ Radio Network, remaining a beloved fixture for Chicagoland sports fans. The burger continues to be relevant and in-demand, boasting a cult following decades later.
Ultimately, the Bulls dream-team lineup largely broke apart in 1998, with Jordan also retiring after bringing home the team’s sixth NBA Championship title, followed by the exeunt of beloved coach Phil Jackson. Against this backdrop, as the Bulls’ “Golden Age” came to a bittersweet close, it’s fitting that McDonald’s Beef Wennington similarly faded like a glorious sunset. Although, it’s never too late for a comeback … and we wouldn’t mind bringing back ’90s McDonald’s prices, either. Per the promo, the Beef Wennington Extra Value Meal (including burger, fries, and a drink) cost $4.52 in 1998.
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Read the original article on Tasting Table.