America loves its pranks, as fast-food chains learned years ago in turning April Fool’s Day into a major marketing opportunity. Consumers have brought considerable gullibility to the day, while big brands like Taco Bell, Burger King and McDonald’s have gone to extreme lengths to hoodwink the public, with remarkable success.

The combination has turned several of the put-ons into major news stories because the deceptions were so successful, as stupid as they might appear in hindsight. In a surprising number of those instances, perpetrators had to ‘fess up afterward that they were pulling off a joke and not actually adding burgers for lefthanders or edible fashion accessories.

This week’s edition of Restaurant Rewind looks back at some of the outstanding con jobs and what they wrought. Join us as pranksters rev up their tricks for this year’s April Fool’s Day, which falls on Monday. No foolin’.