12 Beloved Food Items That Vanished But Should Return
Some foods disappear quietly, leaving only cravings and warm memories in their wake.
They were the snacks you begged for at the store, the treats that made school lunches exciting, or the quirky creations that somehow just worked.
Over time they slipped off shelves, phased out by changing trends or corporate decisions that fans still question. Yet their flavors linger in conversations, nostalgia threads, and wishful thinking.
1. McDonald’s Snack Wraps
Fast food perfection met its untimely demise when McDonald’s axed these portable flavor bombs. Crispy or grilled chicken, wrapped up with cheese, lettuce, and ranch or honey mustard made lunchtime legendary.
They vanished in 2016, blamed on complicated kitchen prep. Fans still petition online, begging for their triumphant return to the Golden Arches menu nationwide.
2. Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Crunchy, cheesy, saucy layers of heaven disappeared in 2020, breaking hearts across America. When it returned in 2022, something felt off – smaller portions, different taste, not quite the same magic.
Die-hard fans swear the original recipe was superior. Maybe Taco Bell needs to dig up those vintage recipe cards and bring back the real deal everyone actually remembers.
3. Dunkaroos
Those little kangaroo-branded cookie packs defined ’90s lunchboxes everywhere. Tiny cookies plus rainbow frosting equaled pure childhood bliss, until they hopped away in 2012.
Sure, they came back in 2020, but veteran snackers noticed immediately – the frosting tastes different, less sweet, almost waxy. Bring back that original sugary goodness that made recess worth waiting for!
4. Kellogg’s Smorz Cereal
Campfire vibes met breakfast bowls in this graham-chocolate-marshmallow masterpiece. Launched in 2003, Smorz turned morning milk into liquid dessert heaven before vanishing around 2012.
No other cereal has successfully captured that s’mores magic since. Kellogg’s, please resurrect this crunchy camping tribute – breakfast tables everywhere feel incomplete without those tiny marshmallow pillows floating around.
5. Oreo Cakesters
Soft, cake-like Oreos arrived in 2007, giving us a chewy alternative to the classic crunch. They vanished in 2012, returned in 2022, but distribution remains frustratingly limited.
Finding them feels like a scavenger hunt. Nabisco, commit fully! Make Cakesters available everywhere, not just select stores. Fans shouldn’t need a treasure map to enjoy these pillowy chocolate sandwiches.
6. Crystal Pepsi
Clear cola blew minds in 1992. It tasted like regular Pepsi but looked like Sprite – a marketing experiment that became a cult classic before disappearing in 1994.
Brief comebacks happened in 2016 and 2018, but never stuck around. There’s something weirdly satisfying about drinking transparent cola. Make it permanent, Pepsi – nostalgia runs deep for this see-through soda sensation.
7. McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie
Before 1992, McDonald’s apple pies were deep-fried, crispy, and dangerously hot inside. Then they switched to baked pies – healthier, sure, but nowhere near as delicious.
That crunchy, flaky crust with molten apple lava inside was perfection. Bring back the fried version, even as a limited option. Sometimes nostalgia tastes better than nutritional responsibility, and that’s perfectly okay.
8. Pepsi Blue
Berry-flavored, electric blue soda hit shelves in 2002, looking like liquid Windex but tasting like fruity heaven. It vanished by 2004, becoming an instant cult classic.
A brief 2021 comeback lasted mere months. Why does Pepsi keep teasing us? Commit to this blue beauty permanently – some of us genuinely loved its weird, berry-citrus flavor and neon appearance!
9. Burger King Cheesy Tots
Crispy tater tot cylinders oozing with cheese appeared sporadically since 2009. Burger King keeps bringing them back, then yanking them away, torturing fans with inconsistent availability.
Stop playing games, BK! Make Cheesy Tots a permanent menu item already. They’re wildly popular whenever available.
10. Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Mint Bar
Mint chocolate studded with crunchy cookie bits – basically Thin Mints in candy bar form. This underrated gem appeared in the ’90s before quietly disappearing.
Girl Scout cookie season only comes once yearly, but this bar could’ve provided year-round minty-chocolatey-crunchy satisfaction.
Hershey’s has dozens of varieties; why not resurrect this refreshing, textured masterpiece that combined the best flavors?
11. Waffle Crisp Cereal
Tiny waffle-shaped pieces with maple flavor made breakfast taste like Saturday morning cartoons. Post launched it in 1996; it disappeared around 2018, breaking countless hearts.
Finding a box became impossible, spawning desperate eBay searches. That distinct maple-waffle taste and satisfying crunch was unmatched.
12. French Toast Crunch
Miniature french toast pieces with cinnamon-sugar coating dominated cereal bowls from 1995 to 2006. General Mills discontinued it in the U.S., though Canada kept it alive.
American fans begged for years until it returned in 2014. Now it’s back permanently, proving fan demand works!
This success story shows discontinued favorites can absolutely make triumphant, lasting comebacks when companies listen.
