10 Discontinued Potato Chip Flavors That Deserve A Comeback
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Potato chips are the ultimate crowd-pleasing snack, and there is no way you can change our minds. And you probably don't want to either, because potato chips are hard not to love. In fact, research conducted by Kellanova showed that salty and satisfying potato chips are one of the main snacks that Americans reach for late at night when those comfort food cravings kick in. Further data from Statista confirms that more than 34.6 million Americans ate 16 or more bags of potato chips throughout 2020.
So, of course, it makes sense that the U.S. market for potato chips is huge. According to a report from Fortune Business Insights, in 2022, the industry was valued at $10 billion. Walk into any grocery or convenience store right now and you'll be met with a sea of shiny packets of potato chips in a range of flavors. But despite the sheer variety on offer, sometimes, we can't help mourning potato chip varieties that we once had but are no longer available.
From Cheetos to Pringles to Doritos, on more than one occasion, our favorite snack brands have done us dirty and discontinued a fan favorite. But it's okay, we don't hold a grudge, we just want them back. Take a trip down potato chip memory lane below as we remember some of the best potato chips to grace the aisles, from Cheetos Twisted Puffs to Korean Barbeque Kettle Chips and beyond.
Cheetos Twisted Puffs
Let's start with one controversial truth: Not everyone believes that Cheetos are chips because they're made with processed cornmeal instead of potatoes. But we're including them on this list because, for all intents and purposes, they fit the chip category. They're highly processed and incredibly crunchy and crispy, for a start, but they also come in the same packaging and are stocked in the same section of the grocery store. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then a Cheeto can probably be counted as a chip.
Over the years, Cheetos has given us many tasty flavors. In our recent taste test, we ranked its Flamin' Hot Crunchy variety as the best. But one flavor we couldn't rank? Cheetos Twisted Puffs. And that's because the flavor has been discontinued in the U.S. since 2013.
If our reviewer had been able to taste test these, there is a good chance they would have scored highly. The thick, twisty puffs were a childhood favorite for many Americans. They were the perfect vessel for flavor, with an ultra-satisfying soft crunch. Petitions have been started to bring the flavor back to the U.S. shelves, but right now, it doesn't seem that it will be back. The good news? If you're willing to fly to the U.K., you'll be able to find a similar version called Cheetos Twisted Crisps.
Korean Barbeque Kettle Chips
Kettle Brand is one of the most popular potato chip brands in the U.S. today, but fun fact: It actually started out as a cheese brand. If founder Cameron Healy hadn't traveled to Maui, Hawaii and witnessed people frying sliced potatoes, and then decided to go back to Oregon and turn his cheese brand into a potato chip brand, the world would be a different place. For a start, we wouldn't have some of the brand's most popular flavors, like Krinkle Cut Truffle & Sea Salt and Pepperoncini, for example. And we would never get to sample the delights of Korean Barbeque Kettle Chips, a flavor that was sadly discontinued in 2023 for good.
The Korean Barbeque Kettle Chips had a loyal fan base; they were different from other barbecue flavors found on the shelves, and offered a nice blend of salty and sweet (similar to Chinese hoisin sauce). But, sadly, although many wish it wasn't the case, they weren't destined to stay on the shelves forever. If you're craving barbecue chips, you can try the Backyard Barbeque Kettle Chips, but as the name suggests, these have a smokier flavor.
If you're craving a Korean barbecue flavor, consider giving Darda Korean BBQ Rice Chips a try. Alternatively, Dorito's just introduced a new Doritos Flamin Hot Korean BBQ Style flavor. It's spicier than the Kettle Chips option, but still gives that same signature sweet barbecue flavor.
Takis Wild
Takis were born in Mexico, before they headed to the U.S. in the mid-2000s. There, in school yards across the country, they became a hit. We recently ranked the flavors of this crunchy, rolled tortilla chip, with Takis Kettlez Jalapeno Typhoon taking the top spot (Nacho Xplosion came in second). But while there is no shortage of Takis in grocery store aisles, consumers are still mourning the loss of one iconic variety of the chip: Takis Wild.
The spicy, buffalo-flavored Takis rolled chip was introduced in 2018, as part of the brand's first Flavor Challenge. The challenge saw four different unique flavors hit the shelves for a limited time. Alongside Wild, there was also chipotle and lime-flavored Titan, cheese and chipotle-flavored Lava, and cheeseburger-inspired Angry Burger. After multiple rounds of text voting from consumers, Wild was the victorious flavor, loved for its saucy chicken-like buffalo flavor, but it still didn't last. In 2023, the Takis brand confirmed that Wild had been discontinued. "They're wild so they ran off into the wilderness I guess," wrote one Reddit user, alongside a broken heart emoji.
The good news is that Takis still consistently launches new flavors. In 2025, for example, Chile Limón and Nacho Xplosion (yes, the same flavor that we rated on our list), hit the shelves for the first time. So, you never know, another buffalo-inspired rolled tortilla chip from the brand may arrive on the shelves one day.
Buffalo Ranch Pringles
You can always rely on Pringles for sheer flavor variety. Since the popular snack was first created in the 1950s, the brand has launched almost every flavor combination you can possibly think of. In our recent taste test we tried a multitude of flavors, including Everything Bagel and Dill Pickle, alongside the classics like BBQ and Salt and Vinegar. But Pringles is no stranger to the more unusual chip flavors like Cinnamon & Sugar, Pecan Pie, and Top Ramen Chicken.
But Pringles' commitment to innovative flavors means that some varieties have to be retired to make room for others. One flavor that many wish hadn't been sent to the flavor graveyard is Buffalo Ranch. Just like the buffalo-flavored Takis, Buffalo Ranch Pringles, which, as you might have guessed, tasted like a combination between buffalo wings and ranch dip, were not meant to last forever — in the U.S., at least. Canadian consumers can still get their hands on this beloved flavor everywhere from Walmart to Real Canadian Superstore.
But do not despair, American Buffalo Ranch fans. Pringles still has options for you. You can munch on just ranch alone, for example, as Pringles still offers its singular Ranch flavor. For a taste of buffalo, you have the option of pairing them with Pringles Scorchin' Buffalo flavor. But beware, as the name warns, this variety is pretty spicy.
Doritos Jacked Ranch Dipped Hot Wings
As we saw with Cheetos Twisted Puffs, sometimes, fans are so outraged about a discontinued flavor that they take action by starting a petition. This is also the case with Doritos Jacked Ranch Dipped Hot Wings. In fact, at the time of writing, people are still adding their names to a petition urging for the return of the spicy Doritos flavor. In fact, right now, it has racked up more than 87,000 signatures.
Comments on the petition follow a similar theme: These chips were people's childhood, they represent nostalgia, and many are dealing with cravings for the flavor that just can't be fulfilled with any other potato chip. Why are they so beloved? Well, according to Randi Cady, the Pringles fanatic who started the petition, the flavor was "a whole new world." It had "a different texture, different seasoning, different feeling the second you took a bite."
Doritos doesn't appear to have responded to the petition yet, but who knows? Like Takis, the brand is consistently bringing out new flavors, so maybe it will spare a thought for the widespread love for the Jacked Ranch Dipped Hot Wings with its next release. Watch this space. In the meantime, ranch-lovers can snack on another spicy ranch flavor, the Doritos Flamin' Hot Cool Ranch. Alternatively, why not try the Doritos flavor we recently rated as the best? For our reviewer, the Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos are hard to beat.
Lay's Poppables Creamy Jalapeño
In 2017, Lay's launched its Poppables range for the first time. Back then, there were only two flavors: Sea Salt and White Cheddar. Today, both of those flavors are still available, alongside four other options: Ranch Veggie, Sea Salt Veggie, Sea Salt & Vinegar, and Sea Salt Sweet Potato. But, between 2017 and now, there was another flavor: Creamy Jalapeño. This flavor was beloved by fans for being a little spicy, a little creamy (thanks to the addition of sour cream), and like all of the Poppables, airy, crunchy, and satisfying.
Sadly, in 2021, Lay's revealed that Creamy Jalapeño was about to disappear from grocery store shelves as it was being discontinued. Fans were really disappointed by this decision, but by 2025, Lay's hasn't decided to release it again, so the flavor is still nowhere to be seen.
It's not all bad news. Lay's still offers other jalapeño-like flavors, albeit they are not the same texture as the Poppables range. There's the Cheddar Jalapeño flavor in its original potato chip range, for example, and it also offers a Jalapeño option in its Kettle Cooked line, too. If you're willing to stray from jalapeño, in our ranking of Lay's potato chip flavors, our reviewer crowned Sour Cream & Onion as the number one flavor from the brand. It's not subtly spicy like Creamy Jalapeño, but it still has that creamy mouthfeel.
Wegman's Avocado Oil Wavy Potato Chips
If you're looking for store-brand potato chips, which tend to be more affordable than big brand options, Wegman's has a pretty extensive range. The supermarket chain offers tortilla chips, pita chips, and classic potato chips in various flavors, including BBQ and Himalayan Sea Salt & Vinegar. It also offers its Kettle Cooked Potato Chips with Avocado Oil & Sea Salt. But, in 2023, the brand revealed in response to a consumer request that it could no longer make another popular variety of potato chips, its Wavy Sea Salt Potato Chips Cooked in 100% Avocado Oil.
Often, food products, including potato chips, are discontinued because of reduced customer demand or to make room for new products on the shelves. But, in the case of the Wavy avocado oil chips, it wasn't Wegman's fault that the product had to be pulled from stores. As Wegman's reported, the supplier could no longer make the product. However, instead of looking for a new supplier, Wegman's chose to discontinue the chips instead.
Avocado oil chips are becoming more popular, in part, because seed oils are falling out of favor (this is a trend largely driven by social media). If you want to try avocado oil chips, check out brands like Boulder Canyon or Good Health.
Aldi's Pueblo Lindo Taquitos
Takis isn't the only brand that can make a tasty rolled tortilla snack. Aldi's house brand version, Pueblo Lindo Taquitos, was also a hit with customers looking for a budget version of the popular tortilla chip. But, in 2023, the grocery store chain confirmed that the Takis knockoff would no longer be available, and fans were upset.
The Taquitos were covered in a spicy chile and lime seasoning and tasted just like a Takis Fuego, although some declared the Aldi version was even better than the original. Today, Aldi offers just one product under its Pueblo Lindo label, which are the plain, restaurant-style, fresh corn tortilla chips. They're tasty with a dip, sure, but they don't have the tantalizing flavor of the Taquitos.
Another brand that offers Takis-style chips is Doritos. Check out the brand's rolled Dinamita range, which currently offers two flavors: Flamin' Hot Queso and Chile Limon. Or, of course, you can simply buy the original Takis. Want to stick with Aldi? We ranked Aldi's potato chips from worst to best and crowned Clancy's Jalapeño kettle chips as the best one, described as "addictive" and "well-balanced." Clancy's Mesquite Barbecue kettle chips came in second place, while Clancy's Hot Barbecue took third. Though Taquitos are no longer available, perhaps you can taste some of these, we're confident you won't be disappointed.
Pringles Baconator
When you hear Baconator, you probably think of the iconic bacon-stacked double beef burger from Wendy's. But, in 2020, the fast-food chain teamed up with Pringles to turn its beloved menu item into a potato chip flavor. The launch was limited-edition, but years after its release, fans are still expressing their regret that Pringles Baconator wasn't in it for the long haul. In 2021, Pringles noted that maybe, if it could work out how to use a time machine, it would bring the flavor back. So you know, never say never.
After the Baconator release, Pringles teamed up with Wendy's once again. This time, the brand released a Spicy Chicken Sandwich, another limited edition flavor. Right now, there are no Wendy's Pringles flavors in the brand's line up, but maybe in the future we'll see more fast-food collaborations. One day, maybe there will be a KFC flavor, or perhaps a Big Mac. In the U.K., Doritos even teamed up with Burger King on a Flame-Grilled Whopper flavor, so could that be an option, too? Keep your eyes peeled.
In the meantime, if you love meaty flavors, check out Pringles' collaboration with the beer brand Miller Lite. The two iconic brands currently offer three flavors: Beer-Braised Steak, Beer Can Chicken, and Grilled Beer Brat.
Pringles French Onion Dip
Buffalo has had a few mentions in this list, and it is, without a doubt, one of the most popular sauce (and potato chip) flavors in the U.S. But, arguably, French onion dip deserves more attention. When made well, it's creamy, subtly sweet from the caramelized onion, and has a touch of herbaceous charater. Pringles thought French onion dip deserved more space in the potato chip aisle, which is why in 2012, it launched a limited-edition French Onion Dip flavor.
French Onion Dip tasted a little like Pringles' iconic Sour Cream & Onion flavor. It also featured a fun image of two Pringles dining on a dip over a French-style outdoor dining table. But it seems it wasn't meant to last. In 2020, the brand confirmed that this flavor had been officially discontinued. Once again, the statement jokingly included a reference that if time travel was available, maybe this chip flavor would return.
If you're craving the creamy onion-like flavor of French Onion Dip, you can, of course, still buy the classic Sour Cream & Onion Pringles. You can also have the Scorchin' Sour Cream & Onion option, too, which is similar to the original, but has some added fiery heat.