More often than not, I happen to be disappointed by the products to which I have been faithful. In more instances than I care to recall, my favorite items seem to disappear without any warning. One day they just aren’t there anymore. This page celebrates the items of yesteryear that I miss and that I wish would return. Perhaps I was the only loyal consumer?
Frito Lay’s Crunch Tators (Late 1980s-Early 1990s): Spicy kettle-type crunchy chips available in two flavors (Mighty Mesquite & Hoppin’ Jalapeno). My favorite of the two was the Mesquite BBQ which featured a Cajun alligator on the package, sitting by the campfire enjoying his spicy snack. I know I wasn’t the ONLY one that loved these chips because of the clear product placement in “Home Alone” – yay!
Please ignore the soft drink in the photo (clearly the only flaw in the film). However, the parent company that produces the soft drink also owns Frito Lay, so we’ll let it slide this ONE time, since they featured my favorite chip of all time, in one of my favorite films of all time.
Lori Davis Hair Products (Early 1990s): So, remember that infomercial that featured Cher talking about her favorite hair product and how you could have the same shampoo and conditioner that celebrities used? Well, showing Michelle Pfeiffer on the screen sold me. Not only will she always be one of my favorite actresses, she is also stunningly beautiful. I didn’t order them, but as soon as they ended up being sold in Walgreens, I was a dedicated consumer – until it just wasn’t around anymore. I even bought a bottle of the “Perfection” on eBay to save for my one-day wedding day hair and kept it hidden in my dark closet for protection, hoping it would keep.
Glorious update – it’s not the original, but apparently, good ol’ Lori started selling her products online a few years ago. I will certainly be ordering and hope that “Perfection II” works just as well as the original did in 1993. (p.s. I finally ended up using the mini bottle of “Perfection” in my closet, earlier this year – it did not work as well as I recall, but then again, it was almost 25 years old). Keep you posted on the new order. Praise the Internet!
Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Grill’s Chocolate Cake: This chocolate cake was three very tall moist, smooth cake layers with dreamy chocolate frosting between the layers and on the top. I believe a server once told me that they had special pans to make it and because the pieces were so big, an entire cake cost over $100. Had I known they were going out of business, I might have bought one and frozen it for a special upcoming celebration. My cousin Betsy and I would eat dinner at home and then just go to the restaurant for the cake. In my limited research, this chain, that had quite a few locations, pretty much went out of existence everywhere and then re-opened a newer single location in Branson, MO (no confirmation if they still make that amazing cake).
Saab: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my favorite car brand. From “Champ” (my champagne colored sedan) to “Blackie” (my 1994 turbo convertible), the Saab (before it’s body change in 1995) had the coolest lines, square frame design, distinguishable headlamps and the most unique place to put your key. How I wish the company were still around. I can still spot them from miles away whenever I am lucky enough to still see one on the road. Long live the people from Trollhättan, Sweden!
Peanut Butter Twix: This could actually be listed twice. Peanut Butter Twix came out in 1983, but I didn’t really discover it until much later. It was exactly like regular Twix, but the caramel had been replaced by chocolate. It then disappeared in 1997. It reappeared in 2000, but it had been changed from it’s original recipe. The cookie was now not the original Twix cookie, but a chocolate version. At first I was excited, “it’s back” and then I was only disappointed because I didn’t like it with the chocolate cookie. I guess I wasn’t the only one because in 2007, the chocolate cookie version vanished too. But, then, it came back, in it’s original version, “hooray”…only to cease production again with – from my limited research skills and the nice convenience store clerk in Charlotte, NC – April (2017) as the last “best by” date and now they are pretty much gone. I even sent a tweet to Twix, but they didn’t answer me. I do have hope because another fan posted in a thread that they will be coming back in August and the product is still on their website. We shall see Twix, we shall see. Either way, this belongs on my list. (photo of the last Peanut Butter Twix I found, after I went hunting – even ate it after the “best by” date)
*Coincidentally, “Missing You” by John Waite started playing randomly on my iPod when I created this page – sometimes you just know some mystical presence is telling you, the world is with you (or at least something is).