The discontinued foods Americans are most desperate to bring back

Gone but not forgotten

We’ve all got that one discontinued food we can’t stop thinking about. You know it’s probably not coming back, but you can’t help daydreaming about its unmatched taste. Even though you’ve tried similar things, nothing hits the spot in quite the same way – and maybe you’ve even considered starting a petition to bring it back. We’ve gathered some of the foods people miss most, from fast food to favorite snacks, to create the ultimate ranking.

Click or scroll through our gallery to see some of the most beloved discontinued products in America, counting down to the one everyone wants back.

Our ranking is based on thorough research into surveys and public opinion, on the enduring popularity of each discontinued item, and on the opinions of our expert team. This list is unavoidably subjective.

22. Altoids Sour

Sour candy fans are always looking for the sourest tastes they can find. If it doesn’t hurt their mouth and nearly make them cry, it’s not sour enough. So, they were thrilled in 2004, when Altoids Sour – hard candies made by the brand famous for its mints – were released. Available in apple, lime, mango, raspberry, and tangerine flavors, their super-sour taste made them an immediate hit. Sadly, there weren’t as many fans as Altoids had hoped, and falling sales meant they had to be discontinued in 2010.

21. Oh Henry!

Sweet memories of favorite chocolate bars are hard to forget. The Oh Henry!, created by the Williamson Candy Company in 1920, was one of America’s most beloved candy bars for nearly 100 years. Featuring roasted peanuts, chewy caramel, and a fudgy layer within a coating of milk chocolate, it came in twin bars. Unfortunately, it was discontinued in the US in 2019, just a few months short of its hundredth birthday. It’s still available in Canada, but the recipe isn’t the same.

20. Screaming Yellow Zonkers

To the uninitiated, it isn't immediately clear what Screaming Yellow Zonkers are. But anyone who grew up with them recognizes the name – and probably wants them back. The sweet popcorn snacks, colored yellow and glazed in sugar, were first sold in the US in 1969. Known not just for their silly name but also for the funny animations and illustrations used in their advertising and packaging, Screaming Yellow Zonkers lasted until 2007, when they were taken off shelves.

19. Rice Krispies Treats Cereal

Launched in 1993, this sugary product took the marshmallow and butter flavors of Rice Krispies Treats and turned them into a cereal. Kids growing up in the 1990s have fond memories of this breakfast product and still petition for it to come back. But today, cereal manufacturers have to be a little more conscious about the nutritional makeup of their products. Cereals like this one, which was discontinued in 2020, no longer pass the test when it comes to kids’ nutrition.

18. McDonald’s McLobster

The last place you might expect to get a lobster roll is at McDonald’s, and yet it used to be on the menu at restaurants across New England and parts of Canada, starting in 1992. The McLobster was affordable, costing much less than lobster rolls elsewhere, but that was also its downfall. Rising lobster prices have meant that the McLobster has slowly disappeared over the years; it's now off the menu until it can be sold cheaply again.

17. Fruit Stripe

Fruit Stripe, the super fruity gum, landed on store shelves in 1960. Created by Beech-Nut, it quickly became a favorite candy, loved for its strong flavors – even if they didn’t last that long. It was also known for its equine mascot, Zipes the Zebra, who was the face of the brand until it was discontinued in 2024. The gum hasn’t been gone for long, but it’s sorely missed.

16. Alpha-Bits Cereal

Alpha-Bits had a long run: the cereal was invented in 1957 by Post Cereals and lined grocery store shelves until 2006. It returned with a new zero-sugar recipe in 2008, followed by the original recipe later that year – and another new formula in 2017. But in 2021, this frosted multi-grain cereal was discontinued. The alphabet cereal pieces have ardent fans who have clamored for their return; fortunately, they'll be rewarded with a limited release in fall 2025.

15. Hershey’s Kissables

Hershey’s Kisses have always had a special place in people’s hearts, so it’s no surprise that these miniature versions were also popular. Similar to M&M’s, with a hard candy shell, they quickly picked up fans. Launched in 2005, the standard Kissables came in red, orange, green, and blue, and they were released in special holiday colors, too. But a change of ingredients in an attempt to save money meant the Hershey Company saw a drop in sales, and they were discontinued in 2009.

14. Wonka Bars

Wonka Bars are fictional chocolate bars from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, brought to life. In the US, Wonka Bars were sold from 1976 onwards and featured pieces of Graham cracker dipped in chocolate. Meanwhile, in Europe, Wonka Bars were made in the flavors featured in the 2005 film adaptation of the book, but only for a short time. Unfortunately, Wonka Bars were discontinued in the US in 2012, and generations of Americans still want them back.

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13. Klondike Choco Taco

The Klondike Choco Taco was released in 1983, in Philadelphia, and it was embraced by ice cream fans until its discontinuation in 2022. This much-missed, taco-shaped cold snack featured a waffle cone wrapped around vanilla ice cream rippled with chocolate syrup. The whole thing was then dipped in chocolate and nuts for a sweet and crunchy finish. It could be picked up from stores, ice cream trucks, and even some Taco Bell locations, but sadly, it's no more.

12. Pop-Tarts Pastry Swirls

Do you remember this 1990s twist on beloved breakfast treat Pop-Tarts? Sold from the late 1990s until the early 2000s, Pastry Swirls were only around for a few years, but they were an immediate hit. Their fluffy crust and generous filling and frosting made them a tasty, satisfying breakfast, and they came in a range of flavors too, including Apple Cinnamon and Cheese Danish.

11. Doritos 3D

Released by Frito-Lay in 1998, Doritos 3D took classic triangular tortilla chips and turned them into ridged, puffed-up pyramids. With flavors including Nacho Cheesier, Zesty Ranch, and Jalapeño Cheddar, the 3D snacks first came in bags and were later packaged in tubes. Similar to Bugles, they had plenty of crunch and a fun texture. They were discontinued in the US in 2004, although they remained on sale in Mexico. Frito-Lay brought them back in 2020, but people who remember the original release say they just didn't taste the same.

10. Rally

Still missed by 1970s kids, the Rally bar had everything. Packed full of caramel, fudge, and peanuts, all enrobed in milk chocolate, it was advertised as ‘The Crowded Candy Bar’ because it had so many ingredients. Best of all, it cost just 15 cents to buy when it was first released. Though it’s now gone (after making a brief return in 2013), it hasn’t been forgotten, and many people want it back.

9. KFC Double Down

The success of the Double Down can be attributed partly to morbid curiosity and partly to actual enjoyment. The ridiculous invention replaced burger buns with pieces of fried chicken, putting bacon, cheese, and sauce in between. Its initial release in 2010 caused huge levels of excitement and much discussion, but it was only available for a limited time. It’s been back on the menu both in the US and around the world since, but never for more than a few weeks.

8. Ben & Jerry’s Wavy Gravy

Ben & Jerry’s has produced an extensive range of flavors over the years, many of which don’t stick around. The company’s Flavor Graveyard (yes, an actual graveyard) in Waterbury, Vermont remembers those that have passed on, including Wavy Gravy, a popular variety that was available from 1993 until the early 2000s. It was so loved that fans voted for it to come back for a limited period in 2005. Combining caramel, cashews, and Brazil nuts with chocolate, fudge, and hazelnut swirls, it was an ice cream lover’s dream, and there are still regular calls for its return.

7. Butterfinger BB's

Butterfinger BB's took the classic Butterfinger (a bar with a crispy peanut butter center and a chocolatey coating) and turned it into bitesize balls that you could easily pop into your mouth. Released in the 1990s and promoted via a popular ad campaign featuring characters from TV’s The Simpsons, these crunchy little snacks were an immediate hit. However, they didn’t last; they were discontinued in 2006, to the disappointment of die-hard fans.

6. Tato Skins

Is the best part of a potato the skin or the flesh? With Keebler Tato Skins, you didn’t have to choose – both were used to create crunchy chips with ‘baked potato appeal.’ Developed in 1985, they were loved throughout the 1980s and 1990s until around 2000, when they were discontinued. However, anyone who’s been looking for them can find them at TGI Fridays; the brand now owns them and sells them under the name Potato Skins.

5. Crunch Tators

When it comes to chips, it’s the crunchier, the better. Crunch Tators are remembered for their incredible level of crispiness by anyone who was lucky enough to have snacked on them during the 1990s. An appearance in holiday movie Home Alone only intensified their popularity, and they were enjoyed until they were discontinued before the end of the decade. Happily for fans, they returned for a limited time in 2024, just as crunchy as ever.

4. Pizzarias Pizza Chips

Keebler’s Pizzarias Pizza Chips were the kind of snack you could eat an entire bag of without noticing. Made from pizza dough and available in three flavors (Cheese Pizza, Pizza Supreme, and Zesty Pepperoni), they were reportedly the company’s most successful snack launch ever, netting $75 million in their first year on sale in 1991 – the equivalent of about $177.6 million today. Fans loved the thick, crispy texture and the generous flavoring. But the joy couldn’t last, and the snacks disappeared, along with the Keebler brand, in the late 1990s.

3. Burger King Italian Original Chicken Sandwich

Fast food menu items come and go, which means some favorites are lost forever. Burger King’s Italian Original Chicken Sandwich was an innovative, not to mention delicious, sandwich released in the 1980s. A spin on the Original Chicken Sandwich with a chicken Parm twist, it featured breaded chicken, marinara sauce, and mozzarella, all in a sesame seed bun. Fans were delighted to see it return in 2021, but it was only for a short time – and it hasn’t been back since.

2. Jell-O Pudding Pops

Americans who grew up between the 1970s and 1990s all agree that the frozen food they want back the most is Jell-O Pudding Pops. These creamy frozen pudding treats were a must-have in everyone’s freezer, but they were sadly discontinued in the 1990s. While they were brought back, they were taken off shelves again in 2011 after fans said they just weren’t the same. These days, Pudding Pop lovers can buy a Pudding Pop mold from Jell-O and make their own at home.

1. McDonald’s fried apple pie

Once upon a time, the pies at McDonald’s were fried, not baked. They arrived on the menu in the 1960s, and they were hot, crispy, and flaky – and anyone who remembers them says the baked version just doesn't measure up. Apple pies (and other McDonald's pie varieties) have been baked since around the beginning of the 1990s, helping to make them a little healthier – and preventing people from burning their tongues. If you want to experience a fried pie, they can still be found at McDonald’s in Hawaii and at a location in Downey, California.

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Now reminisce about the discontinued fast food items we all want back