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Discontinued: 2004
WOW! Chips were Frito-Lay’s ill-fated fat-free potato chips introduced in 1998, containing the controversial ingredient Olestra that carried an FDA-mandated warning label due to its tendency to cause digestive distress.
Yeah, this wasn’t pretty, with its most notorious “anal leakage” side effect!
Discontinued: 2006
Planters Cheez Balls were orange-dusted rounded snacks sold in blue canisters from the 1990s to 2006.
They became so popular that their discontinuation sparked numerous online petitions before the brand finally revived them in 2018.
Discontinued: 1997
The McDonald’s Arch Deluxe was launched in 1996 but was canned shortly after.
The ad team called it a “grown-up” burger and bankrolled its marketing team with a $200 million advertising campaign that famously flopped.
I guess its peppered bacon and mustard-mayo sauce wasn’t as appetizing as I imagined.
Discontinued: 1997
Nestlé Wonder Ball was a hollow chocolate sphere containing small toys that debuted in the 1990s.
It was taken off the market in 1997 due to concerns about choking hazards before later returning with candy-only fillings.
Discontinued: 1995
OK Soda was Coca-Cola’s short-lived (1993-1995) attempt to capture Generation X consumers through nihilistic marketing and abstract artwork.
The soda famously was known for embracing disillusionment with a manifesto that included phrases like “What’s the point of OK? Well, what’s the point of anything?”
Discontinued: 2006
Butterfinger BB’s, bite-sized candy-coated chocolate balls with the signature Butterfinger crunch inside, were a beloved lunchbox staple from the 1990s.
You probably remember the commercials with Bart Simpson as its spokesboy.
Discontinued: 1990s
Yes, there was a McDonald’s Pizza in the 90s.
The pizza was tested throughout the 1980s-1990s in random franchise locations.
However, it was discontinued due to its impractical 11-minute preparation time—far too slow for a fast-food operation designed around quick service.
Fun side note: you can still find it in two locations.
Discontinued: 2006
French Toast Crunch, a cinnamon-coated cereal with pieces distinctively shaped like miniature toast slices, was discontinued in the United States in 2006 despite its popularity.
However, it continued to be sold in Canada until General Mills finally reintroduced it to American shelves in 2015.
Discontinued: 2003
Fruitopia, Coca-Cola’s vibrant fruit-flavored drink launched in 1994, captivated consumers with its psychedelic marketing campaigns featuring kaleidoscopic imagery and philosophical product names like “Strawberry Passion Awareness.”
Discontinued: 2000
P.B. Crisps were introduced by Planters in 1993 and discontinued around 2000.
These were peanut butter-filled wafer cookies that just couldn’t make it for the long haul, but you can sign the online petition so maybe it will come back one day.
Discontinued: 1991
Life Savers Holes, introduced in 1990 and discontinued just one year later.
Somebody had the lovely idea of using the center of the Life Savers and repackaging them.
However, the ball-shaped candies were pulled from shelves due to a serious choking hazard that prompted a product recall.
Discontinued: late 1990s
Heinz Colored Ketchup, launched in the mid-1990s in vibrant green, purple, and blue varieties, capitalized on children’s fascination with novel foods and tied into Power Rangers marketing before being discontinued due to its prioritizing visual novelty over taste appeal.
Discontinued: 2003
Surge was Coca-Cola’s citrus-flavored, highly caffeinated soda that debuted in 1996 to compete against Mountain Dew.
It was discontinued in 2003, only to be temporarily revived years later, but only sold online.
Discontinued: 1990s
The Taco Bell Chilito (later known as the Chili Cheese Burrito) was a popular 1990s menu item featuring spiced beef and cheese in a soft tortilla.
The fast food item was discontinued nationally in the late 1990s due to naming controversies—“chilito” being an unfortunate diminutive with anatomical connotations in some Spanish dialects.
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