11 Discontinued Chips We're Probably Not Getting Back

Whether you're packing them in your lunch bag, grabbing a fistful from the pantry, or dipping into a bowl at a party, who doesn't love chips? They're salty, crunchy, and come in a variety of flavors, from cheesy to spicy to sweet. Chips can be enjoyed just as they are, used as a breading for casseroles or fried foods, or even baked into brownies and cookies. 

The chip aisle at your local grocery store probably has an array of brands and flavors to choose from. However, if you're hoping to score any of these 12 discontinued chip flavors, you may be out of luck. Companies like Frito-Lay offer a selection of potato chip flavors touted as "limited edition," but that's not the case for the ones on this list. Instead, these chips were once a permanent fixture in the chip lineup, only to be unceremoniously discarded. Some have been resurrected once or twice, but never for a long time — while others have been pulverized for good.

Taking the dip and putting it into the chip, Guacamole Doritos were a tangy, zesty addition to the chip aisle since 2003. Unfortunately, after about three years of tantalizing taste buds and surprising unsuspecting snackers with their green hue, they were hauled off shelves. Perhaps our love of vibrantly colored foods waned, but fans never stopped hoping that these verdant-hued chips would find their way back to stores.

Perhaps it was the combined power of a lot of hope, but these avocado-colored cuties are actually making a comeback! Yes, the people over at Frito-Lay seem to have listened to the millennials who clamored for a taste of their beloved Guacamole Doritos. In April of 2025, these green chips will return once again after a nearly 20-year hiatus. If you're a fan, you'd better stock up, because the projected limited-time run of the new Guacamole Doritos is a mere two months.

There's nothing quite like having a backyard barbecue with friends and reaching into a bowl of chips while you wait for the burgers and dogs to come off the grill. Sun Chips managed to capture that feeling in their whole grain chips, with the Sweet & Spicy BBQ flavor. First released in 2013, it was tangy, sweet, and a little smoky — although maybe not as spicy as some shoppers would've liked.

Like many product pulls, these chips went quietly into that good night, with minimal fanfare from Frito-Lay. It was only a few years ago when confused customers started noticing their favorite chip was no longer available for purchase and had disappeared from the brand's website. While Sun Chips hasn't decided to bring this flavor back, they have opted to placate customers who are still looking for their BBQ fix in chip form. This spring, Sun Chips will be releasing a new flavor that's sweet, smoky, and rich: Honey BBQ.

Beloved by Gen X and elder millennials alike, Pizzarias Pizza Chips unleashed something brand new to the snack world: pizza flavor. Before, pizza flavor was limited to, well, pizza — or at the very least, items that had sauce and cheese and could be heated to mimic the treasured dish. With Pizzaria Pizza Chips, something bold and new was born.

Launched by the Keebler Company in 1991, those hard-working elves proved they could do more than just make cookies. They came in three flavors: Cheese Pizza, Pizza Supreme, and Zesty Pepperoni. The chips were a hit, and became the best-selling product in the company's history. So successful were these chips, in fact, that they earned the Gold Edison Award from the American Marketing Association for marketing excellence. So, why did they disappear?

Unfortunately, the chips were discontinued after the Keebler Company was broken up and sold in the late 1990s. That hasn't stopped hungry fans from demanding their return, though. Facebook groups have popped up urging the return of the snack, and it's regularly listed among nostalgic food round-ups.

Another barbecue flavor that got burnt, Memphis BBQ Pringles hit the market in the early 2010s. They were considered pretty sweet, but had an earthiness alongside notes of tomato and smoke that made them a popular choice among Pringles fans. That's why it was so confusing when the company decided to axe this particular flavor of the saddle-shaped chip sometime around 2020-2021.

Pringles tried to pacify customers on X who called for the return of the Memphis BBQ flavor by suggesting the Pringles Wavy Sweet & Spicy BBQ instead. (However, the Wavy line of Pringles no longer seems to be available either, if the company's website is any indication.) Currently, barbecue lovers can try a variety of BBQ-flavored Pringles, even if the Memphis BBQ flavor seems gone for good. The brand's current lineup offers Bourbon BBQ, BBQ, and Smokin' BBQ for those who want a little extra char on their chip (without the grill, of course).

Spicy and with plenty of bite, Lay's Crunch Tators were a mainstay of 1980s and 1990s snack culture. (In fact, they even make a cameo appearance in the OG "Home Alone.") The defining feature of the chips was the extreme crunchiness, similar to the kettle chips we know and love today. At their time of release, however, they were a snacker's revelation. Available in three flavors — Original, Mighty Mesquite, and Hoppin' Jalapeño — they had a cute alligator mascot that really let you know you were in for a crunchy time.

Unfortunately, Lay's Crunch Tators were discontinued sometime in the mid-1990s. However, there is hope for nostalgic fans. Since 2022, Crunch Tators have been available exclusively at select Dollar General stores –– but only for the holiday season. Since 2024, the chips have now been available during that period at Dollar General stores nationwide. In what appears to be a move that honors the movie that made them famous, Lay's Crunch Tators reappear for a couple months around the holiday season, so chip fans can snack on the same crunchy treat as the Kevin McAllister himself.

Oh, Sun Chips, you wily minx! The brand loves to give us something delicious only to take it away. Such was the case for Peppercorn Ranch Sun Chips, which were removed from store shelves in 2008. After being a favorite to purchase at lunchtime, fans were left bereft when the whole grain chip was discontinued.

Fortunately, it seems that 2024 was the year of the Return of the Chip. Sun Chips listened to their fans' pleas and decided to bring the Peppercorn Ranch flavor back — for a little while, at least. While the new bag features a sky blue color rather than the OG black, Sun Chips didn't try to appease fans by offering a similar, but different, flavor. (We see you, Honey BBQ.) Instead, the original Peppercorn Ranch returned in all its glory in the fall of 2024. However, there were a few caveats: The returning flavor was only going to be around for a limited time, was only available in a 7-ounce bag, and could only be found at Target or Kroger. We'll take what we can get.

From Peppercorn Ranch to Black Pepper Jack and from a whole grain chip to a crunchy corn chip. Sun Chips' Peppercorn Ranch and Doritos' Black Pepper Jack might look a lot alike in their original format, especially with their dark-colored bags. Both rely on spice with something creamy to balance it out, be it ranch flavor or cheese. However, while Peppercorn Ranch Sun Chips made a triumphant (if short-lived) return, it has not been such a rosy outcome for Black Pepper Jack Doritos.

After being released sometime in 2003, Black Pepper Jack Doritos were discontinued in 2008. The pepper-flecked corn chips have yet to make a return, even on a limited edition run. Even those hoping for a flavor that might mimic the unique taste of these chips don't have much to work with. While Doritos offers customers plenty of spicy flavors in its arsenal, the simple black pepper-and-cheese combo is nowhere to be seen. However, with the new release of the previously discontinued Guacamole Doritos, we still have hope.

Light and flavorful, Lay's Garden Tomato & Basil chips have been beloved by fans for years, who have not been able to find a duplicate despite the myriad of flavors regularly offered by the potato chip giant. You could almost convince yourself this flavor was healthy. After all, garden tomato? Basil? Those are natural things that we use in plates full of salads, too!

Fans have been desperate to see the Garden Tomato & Basil chips return to stores, but a reply by the company on X to a fan's inquiry in 2021 put the idea to bed. "Sadly, right now there aren't any plans to bring back Lay's Garden Tomato & Basil," the brand stated. So, imagine our shock in 2022 when Lay's teased fans with a bag redesign and suggestion that the discontinued flavor might return. Unfortunately, the post was quickly deleted and the chips never made their way back to market, much to our collective disappointment.

It may seem counterintuitive for a potato chip — a naturally salty snack — to offer a flavor with less sodium, but brands like Lay's do it all the time. Boasting 50% less sodium than a bag of regular Lay's potato chips, the Lightly Salted Cheddar & Sour Cream flavor joined the brand's other lower sodium options, which currently includes BBQ, Classic, and Wavy Original.

But who knows ... maybe the Lightly Salted Cheddar & Sour Cream was just too niche a flavor for the target audience. After all, cheddar cheese and sour cream aren't usually associated with healthy eating. While the brand still does offer a regular version of the Cheddar & Sour Cream flavor, the Lightly Salted variety has been axed. In a post replying to a fan in 2021, Lay's said, "We're very sad to say this flavor has been discontinued. We know that's a big disappointment, so we're sharing with our Team all the feedback from our loyal, passionate fans as they may consider bringing it back in the future."

More often than not, unless outrightly asked, brands prefer to stay quiet when discontinuing a product or flavor. It was in 2005 when Pringles introduced the Jalapeño flavor to their roster, and later, they seemed to bolster its status by adding a Jalapeño Cheddar, a Mild Jalapeño Cheddar, a Jalapeño Bacon flavor, and a Fire Roasted Jalapeño Pringle as part of its new Wavy line. By those metrics, it would seem that the OG flavor was primed for a permanent spot.

Alas, by 2022, all iterations of the Jalapeño flavor were discontinued. When prodded by a fan on X in 2023, Pringles' response was succinct: "That flavor has been discontinued. We're really sorry for the inconvenience." It seems that Pringles, while axing all of their jalapeño flavor varieties, was focusing on a new line for the spice fiends among the snacking set. The brand currently offers a Scorchin' line that ranges from the medium-heat BBQ to the "xtreme" Buffalo.

Often, potato chip brands will want to hear from the fans and have them create and/or vote on new flavors to add to their lineups. This practice helps drive interest to the brand as well as get some valuable customer feedback. After all, even if a suggested flavor doesn't win, the company has gained insight into what its customers are looking for.

Such was the case with Lay's Southern Biscuits & Gravy flavor, the winner of the company's "Do Us A Flavor" contest in 2015. Creamy, peppery, and savory, the chips were quite popular among customers who enjoyed the chip company's take on the Southern staple. However, although it was quite well liked, the flavor was discontinued in 2018. Despite a petition hoping to bring these chips back to stores, Lay's informed fans that, "Lay's Southern Biscuits & Gravy is currently enjoying retirement. Rest assured, we'll share your interest and enthusiasm for the return of this flavor with our Sales & Marketing Teams." However, Lay's did, technically, bring back the Southern Biscuits & Gravy flavor — but only in the form of a social media giveaway at the end of 2024.