9 Discontinued Types Of Cheetos We Won't Be Seeing Again
Cheetos is a Frito-Lay product that has been around since 1948. This simple snack is a mainstay in popular culture, which is why it has stood the test of time for several decades. It started with simple, cheese-flavored offerings and has since evolved into countless other variations. The cheese flavor, backed by a satisfying crunch, is a crowd-pleaser that is enjoyed by snack enthusiasts all over the world. This is a multi-million dollar brand that is not just popular in the United States, but also in more than 30 countries and counting.
Some current flavors you can enjoy right now include Flamin' Hot Crunchy, Cheetos Puffs, Baked Crunchy Cheetos, and Cheddar Popcorn. The Frito-Lay brand has always been glad to experiment with a variety of Cheetos flavors throughout the years. Some of these flavors had a good run for numerous years, while others seemingly came and went with little fanfare. There are several flavors that have been discontinued that range from delicious to strange to interesting. In this guide, you will get the chance to learn about nine discontinued flavors that we'll never see back.
Nashville Hot
Frito-Lay has also been happy to provide options to fans who like the heat. One of the most recent came in the form of the Cheetos crunchy Nashville Hot flavor. Nashville Hot is a fried chicken style that has been popular for several years. It's a flavor centered around deep-fried chicken taste notes and is often served on bread, with hot sauce, and featuring toppings like pickles and coleslaw.
The Cheetos brand capitalized on the popularity of this recipe in the form of Nashville Hot Cheetos and the company marketed these snacks as an option featuring spices authentic to the Nashville hot flavor. These chips turn the heat level up, focusing on flavor that is big on spice and less on cheese flavor. Inside the bag, these snacks were shaped much like any other Cheetos variety but looked more like fried chicken sticks. People that reviewed this snack noticed the chicken-like flavor and placed the heat index in the range a few notches below Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
This snack was released as a limited edition flavor for people who appreciate hot flavors. It was so limited that it only came out in two chain stores — Dollar General and Circle K. So if you never caught these when they were around, you would not be in the minority. Ultimately, the appeal of the Cheetos crunchy Nashville Hot flavor wasn't strong enough for them to be more than a short-term limited edition snack.
Twisted Puffs
The Twisted Puffs variety of Cheetos was a sought-after flavor that had plenty of fans and a pretty lengthy run. It took the appeal of the thicker, puffs variety of Cheetos and added a twist in both shape and flavor. Cheetos made these snacks with real cheese and had a legion of fans who appreciated its unique taste. The Twisted Puffs were sold from 2002 to 2012 before they were finally discontinued.
This discontinuation wasn't without a fight, since Cheetos Twisted Puffs have legions of fans still petitioning for their return. Its currently active petition has more than 1,600 signatures of people hoping that Frito-Lay brings these popular snacks back. People appreciated this flavor because it was the OG rendition of several Cheetos variants that followed in the subsequent years.
However, this is also a reason we are unlikely to see these snacks return. Frito-Lay enjoyed success from the Twisted Puffs and launched several other flavors that have similar appeal. There are many spiritual successors that are still around. The fact that the Twisted Puffs have been discontinued for more than a decade and many similar options are still in circulation, we're unlikely to see the original return, petition or not.
Cheesy Checkers
This Cheetos flavor is checkers, not chess. Frito-Lay's Cheesy Checkers flavor took a simple formula and tweaked it a little bit while keeping the details and ingredients that people love about these snacks. Cheesy Checkers was a variant of Cheetos that were rectangular in shape, with smaller squares and the inside — similar to a checkerboard.
Frito-Lay gave this flavor a huge marketing push in the '90s, which is why they were part of many people's childhood memories. Cheetos Cheesy Checkers had 33% more cheese than the other versions of the snack and they had a run from about 1995 to 1998. Many people may remember Cheetos Cheesy Checkers snacks for the commercials more than the taste because Cheetos Cheesy Checkers didn't catch on and were quietly discontinued.
If you're a fan of the cheesier variety of Cheetos snacks, these would have been right up your alley. The fun shape appealed to kids and made these the perfect snack for summer road trips with the family. However, the popularity wasn't up to par to justify keeping this flavor around. This is why Cheetos Cheesy Checkers have been in the Cheetos graveyard since before the turn of the century. They're worth a mention as part of Cheetos history but aren't among the favorites that many people are petitioning to get back.
Pizza Puffs
Who doesn't like pizza? Like many chips and snacks, Frito-Lay once offered a pizza-flavored variation of Cheetos. These were crafted to feature the combination of tomato sauce and cheese flavors that people love and appreciate. These were redder than most Cheetos and came out in triangular-shaped puffs, much like pizza. While other flavors of Cheetos were focused more on the cheese taste, these have more of a tomato and herb flavor. The texture was slightly different and didn't have the same powdery consistency as other Cheetos snacks. In fact, many said that aside from the bag and the branding, the pizza flavor variety didn't seem like a Cheetos snack at all. Some have said that it reminded them of the filling featured in Combos snacks.
The pizza-flavored Cheetos came out in 2001 and had a short run before they were discontinued in 2006. While this was a respectable run, these flavors never caught on to the point that fans were petitioning or pining for them to return. Cheetos Pizza Puffs may have been a fine snack for what they were, but Cheetos fans never really embraced them as part of the pantheon of cheese-dom, and it's very possible that you missed them during their time of circulation. Cheetos Pizza Puffs are discontinued in most places, but if you happen to live in Poland, you can still get your pizza flavor fixed from the Cheetos brand.
Flamin' Hot Chipotle Ranch
Chipotle Ranch is another mainstay in the snack and chip business. Frito-Lay took on this favorite flavor and added some heat in the form of its Flamin' Hot Chipotle Ranch flavor. These are snacks set up for people who appreciate heat with a bit of creamy relief and are similar to the idea of dunking your hot wings in a cup of ranch dressing. The Flamin' Hot Chipotle Ranch is yet another example of Cheetos' temporary flavors.
These never really caught on beyond the limited release, perhaps because they didn't offer much innovation when compared to the other flavors that people love. For many, Flamin' Hot Cheetos is the magnum opus of the Cheetos brand. Some people who went out and gave the Flamin' Hot Chipotle Ranch a taste test mostly found themselves pining for the original.
However, many others who stumbled upon this snack appreciated the change of pace. The fresh salad dressing flavor of the ranch was different enough for many people to appreciate this snack flavor. Those that fell in love with the Flamin' Hot Chipotle Ranch snack created a petition for its return. The petition creators remarked how much they loved these punch-packed Cheetos and how other flavors don't compare. They lumped the discontinuation of this flavor in with their mourning the loss of Wendy's Spicy Nuggets. This one didn't leave much of a dent in the fandom, and there are still other hot Cheetos options to tide you over, so don't expect this variety to return anytime soon.
X's and O's
Cheetos X's and O's are yet another example of the brand's affinity for game-themed flavors, this one being a tic-tac-toe theme. Cheetos' X's and O's were cheese puffs that came in the shape of these letters, as opposed to the typical Cheetos shapes. Some other Cheetos brands had a long run before being discontinued, but Cheetos X's and O's pretty much came and went. These Cheetos were smaller and were about the size of Cheerios or other similar cereals. They were also far crunchier and were marketed as "dangerously cheesy."
Frito-Lay went all-in on the game theme, as the packaging featured Chester Cheetah playing a game of tic-tac-toe. This offering was ideal for kids who wanted to enjoy some competition and entertainment prior to enjoying their cheesy snacks. The appeal of the game and smaller Cheetos didn't catch on enough for these to last. They came out in 1999 and were quietly discontinued the following year. Some people on social media have started a group pushing for the return of this flavor, but all in all, these are among the more forgotten discontinued Cheetos flavors.
Cracker Trax
Cheetos Cracker Trax is among the more successful versions of discontinued Cheetos flavors. Part of the reason that this snack had a good run was that it was similar to the very popular previous Cheetos Paws flavor. Cracker Trax came in both cheesy cheddar and spicy cheddar varieties. Fans of cheddar cheese appreciated the change of pace and the way that the flavor mixed with the salt contrast. In fact, many people compared this flavor to Goldfish or similar cheddar snacks. Cheetos Cracker Trax came out in the '90s and was discontinued by 2008.
This option had a nice crispy texture and delivered a satisfying crunch. Frito-Lay baked them to have more of the crispness of a cracker, rather than the puffy texture of a traditional Cheetos snack. These were a favorite for many kids in different generations growing up who packed them in their lunch every day for school. You'd have to count Cheetos Trax among the many different discontinued Cheetos flavors that may not have lasted, but that definitely left a mark on snack fans everywhere.
Zig Zags
Cheetos Zig Zags are yet another variety that you might not have known existed if you missed them on the first run. However, these flavors set the tone for many Cheetos variations that would follow. These Cheetos were among the first two to experiment with the shape and texture of the snack and they came in a crinkle form, similar to french fries. Aside from the shape, the Zig Zags looked and tasted much like the original Cheetos flavors.
It is a nice middle ground for people who prefer either the puffy or skinnier variety of Cheetos. This Cheetos flavor experienced a moderate run since it came out in 1998 and was discontinued shortly after in 2002. Perhaps you remember the commercial for the Zig Zags more than anything else, which featured Daffy Duck filling in as the stunt double to Chester Cheetah. As you might expect, the stunts went hilariously and dangerously wrong, much to the chagrin of Daffy. These Cheetos were tasty but didn't leave enough of a mark to be among the most sought-after flavors released by Frito-Lay throughout the years.
Honey BBQ Cheetos Puffs
Honey barbecue has long been a game changer for the snack industry. It is a flavor that many people appreciate, whether in the form of potato chips, puffs, corn chips, or other snacks. Frito-Lay through its hat into the right with its Honey BBQ Cheetos Puffs. These puffs had a nice zest to them and were a bit darker in color than you would expect from other Cheetos snacks. The tangy flavor was offset by the sweetness of the honey flavor, and it had a crispy texture that people appreciated.
These Honey BBQ Puffs were quite delicious by all accounts, along with a smoky flavor that you don't get from many other Cheetos offerings. Unlike many other honey barbecue-flavored snacks, Cheetos remained true to the brand by also including cheese flavor. The combination of flavors went well together and gave this offering plenty of appeal. Cheetos Honey BBQ Puffs came out in 2011 along with several other new and unique flavors. However, it only lasted for a limited time and doesn't appear to be poised for a comeback anytime soon.