Burger King Salad Bar and Pita Pockets, Burger King Corporation/Pillsbury, August 1983

Despite its massive successes in the latter half of the 20th century, the fast-food industry had always been viewed as offering a less-healthy alternative to home-cooked meals. The increasing public emphasis on diet, healthy eating, and fitness during the 1970s and early 1980s prompted some fast-food chains to begin offering healthier, lower-fat items to their menus alongside the traditional burgers, fries, and soft drinks. Burger King jumped onboard the healthy choices train with the introduction of salad bars in 1983.

Burger King's approach was unique in that it not only offered a traditional salad on a platter, but also a pita bread pocket into which vegetables, cheese and dressing could be placed. This was an interesting concept, as it enabled the creation of a convenient "salad sandwich" for those eating on the go.

While this idea sounded good in theory, the reality was a bit less successful. I remember trying the salad bar on several occasions back in the day, both as a platter and in the pita pocket. The pita pockets were not particularly large, and it was difficult to open the pocket enough to place the salad fixings into without tearing the bread. Additionally, the dressing tended to leak all over the outside of the bread unless the pocket was continuously held upright. The salad platter didn't present either of these problems, and was reasonably good, with a decent amount of choices, particularly for a fast-food establishment (at least at the locations I went to). That apparently wasn't enough to woo Burger King customers, however, and the salad bars began being phased out very shortly thereafter due to their high maintenance and low profitability.

Even though the salad bars didn't turn out to be the success that Burger King likely hoped for, you gotta give 'em credit for trying.