10 Discontinued Chip Flavors We Want Back!

10 Discontinued Chip Flavors We Want Back!

Whether it is your traditional “side dish” you eagerly volunteer to bring to the next Family BBQ, sports gathering, or potluck luncheon … No one can deny the popularity of snack chips. We are talking about Frito-Lay, Pringles, Doritos, and Ruffles having ridges, but what about the snack chip flavors that came in like a wrecking ball, stealing our taste buds, and then “poof” was gone? Here are the 10 Discontinued Chip Flavors We Want Back!

10. Crunch Tators

Frito-Lay is an American subsidiary of PepsiCo that makes, sells, and markets potato chips, corn chips, and other amazing snack foods. Frito-Lay began in the 1930s as two different companies. “The Frito Company” and “H.W. Lay & Company” merged in 1961 to form “Frito-Lay, Inc”. In 1965 Frito-Lay merged with Pepsi-Cola, resulting in the creation of PepsiCo. Through Frito-Lay, Pepsico is one of the largest distributed snack food companies. Frito-Lay is the source of the product invention Crunch Tators snack chips. These Frito-Lays Crunch Tators were spicy and hot jalapeno snack potato chips with a really hard crunch. These snack chips were available on most store shelves between the 1980s and early 1990s. Easily spotted with the large green alligator on the front of the snack chip packaging. Crunch Tators came in two flavors: “Mighty Mesquite BBQ and “Hoppin’ Jalapeno”. Despite the big marketing push with Crunch Tators being featured in Home Alone next to a can of Pepsi in the scene where Kevin is watching “Angels with Filthy Souls” while eating an oversized ice-cream sundae… these super crunchy snack chips didn’t make the final cut! Sounds like your dentist is happy about that!

9. Planters’ Potato Chips

Planters is an American snack food company based in Chicago, IL. Planters became famous with the beloved mascot Mr. Peanut and of course, their variety of delicious snack nuts, went against Pringles in the 1970s, when they marketed their product Planters’ Potato Chips. Just like Pringles, the Planters’ Potato Chips came stacked in a can but had ridges which gave their stacked chip a crunchier texture. Planters also stole the spotlight and the show with their creative marketing ads. How can we forget the Planters’ snack chip commercial with the Irish Nun saying 13 out of 14 sisters preferred Planters to the other brand and how they tasted “More like potatoes I used to get back in Donegal where they eat potato skins and all.” Or the famous advertising line “Now there are two stackable chips in town”! I guess one could argue that statement now. Planters’ who have since been sold to Hormel along with their other nut businesses in 2021 for $3.35 billion don’t seem eager to bring back this favorite “oldie but goodie” stackable snack chip anytime soon.

8. O’Boises Potato Snack Chip

Those Keebler elves did it once again. Creating the perfect chip! O’Boises are O’Boisterous! Let’s not forget, O’Boises are not a chip but a cracker. Yeah, right! These “non-chips” were baked in chip form that created small air pockets giving these snack chips a delicious, salty taste. O’Boises snack chips came in three flavors: Regular, BBQ, and Sour Cream & Onion. All are rumored to have been equally amazing in taste tests. These O’Boisterous, “non-chips'' were around for most of the 1980s and then just disappeared without a trace. The gossip among the Keebler elves hinted that one of the little guys or gals was injured on the O’Boises flavor machine Iand due to insurance purposes, it was no longer allowed in the production area of the Keebler tree-house. Makes perfect sense doesn’t it? Regardless, of the real truths as to why these fan favorites, O’Boises snack chips disappeared without a trace, had more to do with the non-existent sales. Maybe if the Keebler elves had stuck to cookies we wouldn’t all be craving something that is lost in the land of the imaginary.

7. X’s & O’s

The orange Cheetah, the mascot for Frito-Lay (PepsiCo) Cheeto’s, followed by the slogan… “It’s not easy being cheesy” made for a huge family chip snack hit. In 1999 Cheetos released its newest product X’s & O’s. These delightful Cheetos snack puff chips came in the shape of (you guessed it) X’s & O’s. One of the marketing commercials had Chester Cheetah on a game show stage. Chester Cheetah is seen distracted by one of the audience members eating the snack. The game saver was all the trivia question answers were “x’s & o’s. The grand prize of course was a convertible filled with puffs. The X’s & O’s snack chip wasn’t on the market even a year. There is a FaceBook page with 801 members who want this snack to make a comeback.

6. Smokey Red Barbecue Chips

Doritos which are made by Frito-Lay came out with a new tasty fan flavor in the early 1990s with their Smokey Red Barbecue Snack Chip. Along with others before, Doritos embraced its marketing strategy by adding an element of “oh, no they didn't '' sexy to its commercials. The second “Doritos Girl '' Ali Landry, stated in 2002 that starring in the Smokey Red Barbecue snack chip commercial was the kick-off to her career and the greatest thing to ever happen to her (yes, that includes becoming Miss USA). You have to admit if there was ever a brand to push the limits of bold flavor and almost-kinda, “not kid approved” commercials… Doritos would be the one to take the crown. All hail Doritos the king! As we pause a moment to give Doritos its red thrown time… let that pause also be in remembrance of their Smokey Red Barbecue snack chips. It may not have lasted long, but that doesn't mean we aren’t still smiling! Ok, maybe, smiling even bigger if the finger-licking Doritos Red Barbecue snack chips came back!

5. BBQ Fritos

In 1932, Charles Elmer Doolin stumbled upon a creative business idea that seemed perfect for future sale, he took a leap that made an impact on the world of snack chips forever, by doing so! Thank You, Mr. Doolin! He was already a businessman, running a confectionery (aka Sugar Factory) in San Antonio, Texas, but he was looking to add variety to his products. Doolin, selling his corn chips business, had been utilizing masa made out of corn, which was then fried and sold as little bags of chips. He called them Fritos, translating to "little fried things," and they were incredibly popular in Mexico. Infatuated by his ideas, Doolin purchased the rights to the recipe, along with the customer list that was already established, and he went on to perfect the recipe even further, leading to the Fritos corn chips we can find on shelves today. Way to go Texas (Sorry Idaho)?!?! Sadly, in 2018, after 80 years, Frito-lay decided to stop the production of the fan-favorite BBQ Fritos and replace them with Honey BBQ Twists. These were publicly referred to as “the crack cocaine of snack chips” These remarks were made regarding the impossibility of finishing an entire bag on one's own. So how could this variant of the corn chip be beyond words, more irresistible, than the original product or another flavor from another mother, be less? Most fans, BBQ fanatics, and twist addicts will tell you it is in the shape of the snack chip. Even America’s leading stoner, Snoop Dogg, tweeted in 2009 that this twisted BBQ Fritos are his “Favorite Snake”! We can assume that he meant snack and not a snake but this also could be a casual distortion of the word. Maybe, Snoop Dogg, actually meant snack or maybe he didn’t… either way... The BBQ Frito is deeply missed by all… including infamous stoners!

4. Tato Wilds

Keebler launched the new product, Tato Wilds, in 1987 with the catchy slogan: “Rip Into Something Wild”! This slogan made it clear, these chips were an attempt to knock other snack chip competitors off the shelves. Which truly seemed to work. You could say it was the Romeo & Juliet tragedy but simple and complicated, in a non-complicated and simple way. If that made sense to you, you should probably schedule your annual visit with your Family Doctor! All joking aside, Keebler Tato Wilds partied like it was 1999 and were gone before 2000 could ring in the new year. We know the Keebler Elves aren’t to blame for the short-lived fame of Tato Wilds. They once again managed to make an addictive treat out of potato skins. The one part of the potato that is known for being tossed in the trash became a magical treat with a little bacon salt and steak salt seasoning. The Tato Skin game began shortly after Keebler disappeared. Nothing is the same without Elf magic!

3. Daddy Crisps

In the 1960s and 1970s, Daddy Crisps snack chips bragged about being crunchier than all the other average snack chips and that they were entirely natural. The bag actually stated: “There’s only one thing to start with when you’re making real potato chips… you got it… real potatoes! The Daddy Crisps promise is that we are 100% natural. There are no preservatives added, nothing artificial. We Promise: Daddy Crisps are made from the finest fresh potatoes, cooked in vegetable oil, and sealed airtight while they are still warm. You can’t buy a fresher potato chip than Daddy Crisps. We Promise”. Even with their raw and real marketing approach, Daddy Crisps didn’t make it past the 1980s after their commercial gained weird attention for the featured tag-line: “Love Your Daddy”! I think we can all agree, all-natural or not, using the reference of “daddy” will never settle well within our stomachs! “Who’s Your Snack Chip”?

2. Pizzarias Pizza Chips

Launched in 1991 by the Keebler Company, Pizzarias Pizza was a snack chip that was made from fresh pizza dough. These snack chips were reported to be the most successful snack food launched in Keebler’s history. Pizzarias Pizza Chips came in three flavors: Cheese Pizza, Zesty Pepperoni, and Pizza Supreme. In 1992 Keebler was named “New Product Marketer of the Year '' by the American Marketing Association after earning a wholesale revenue of $75 million in their first year. Pizzarias Pizza Chips had a series of three TV commercials, which was a pretty extensive marketing campaign for Keebler. This was also the debut of the teenager Keebler Elves. With trendy, teenage slang, catch-phrases such as “Radical grub!” and let’s not forget the tagline: “Tastes like real pizza, only louder”. The epic loud snack chip and brand name Pizzarias Pizza were discontinued after the breakup and sale of Keebler in the 1990s. This injustice to the “radical grub” did not stop a few fan clubs. On the social media platform Facebook, you could find “Bring Keebler Pizzaria’s Back'' and “Bring back Pizzaria Chips made by Keebler''. Hmmm, I wonder if these two discussed their Facebook group names prior to begging Utz Quality Foods, the current owner of the trademark, for an epic relaunch of the beloved brand. As of October 2021, these two groups had a total of 7,000 followers. These blasts from the past snack chips also had an honorable mention on the Netflix original series “Everything Sucks”! Oddly enough, “The Daily Meal'' included Pizzarias Pizza Chips on its list of popular snacks from the last five to ten decades as must have’s. Too bad these fan favorites are now long gone.

1. Honey Mustard Pretzels

In 1917, L.J. Schumaker founded “American Cone and Pretzel Company” which later became “Rold Gold Company”. Rold Gold first referred to the company name and later became a brand name for their pretzels which is now owned by Frito-Lay and has been since 1961. Since the purchase of Rold Gold by Frito-Lay, it has expanded its sales nationwide. While marketing campaigns and on the bag advertising states Rold Gold gold was “America’s #1 Pretzel” a total dollar sales in the United States, reflected Rold Gold was actual #2 with the #1 pretzel brand being Snyder’s of Hanover (2014). While this may be true for number crunchers and pencil pushers… for the fans of Rold Gold Honey Mustard Pretzels, they are in an uproar over the discontinuation of their beloved mini pretzels. One fan, Whitney Smith, has gone as far as starting an online petition directly to Frito-Lay. If you google “what happened to Rold Gold Honey Mustard Pretzels” her petition pops up as the first google response. Whitney states on the petition: “Rold Gold Honey Mustard Tiny Twists are the most decadent and delicious pretzels to ever exist. They are among the elite of snack foods with no other pretzel that could compete. These pretzels brought endless joy to my life for 15 years. It is a pure tragedy that this flavor would be discontinued and trash cheddar be left in its place. The perfectly tangy and sweet coating on these pretzels was bursting with flavor that fully envelopes the mouth in the way no other pretzel could. I believe the Frito-Lay corporation made a giant mistake in discontinuing this beloved flavor of pretzels”. Whitney’s online petition is making quite the headway. With a requested 75,000 signatures being requested she is sitting at 7,473. Wow! Way to go Idaho! Frito-Lay did announce a voluntary recall of several of their Rold Gold pretzel products. Sadly, the Honey Mustard mini twist pretzel was one of them. They stated this was due to a potential undeclared peanut allergen. The supplier of certain lots of flour contained undeclared peanut residue. All of this according to a release by the Federal Drug Administration. Once the Honey Mustard Rold Gold Pretzels were pulled for this recall, the product was never brought back. Even though there had been no reports of anyone becoming sick over them. May the force be with Whitney Smith and her final plea to Frito-Lay: “Frito-Lay, please recognize your mistake and bring us back the Honey Mustard Tiny Twist. Even for a limited time, give us the opportunity to properly say goodbye.”

Babble.com - Crystal Rae Murdock