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Frito-Lay
Discontinued: 1993
When shape experimentation was fun.
And Chester Cheetah put his paw print on snack history. Cheetos Paws were cheese puffs in the shape of the mascot’s actual paws.
Revolutionary? Absolutely.
It was like eating Chester himself. Somehow both endearing and slightly concerning.
Discontinued: 1998
Maximum cheese alert. These snacks had 33% more than regular Cheetos.
Frito-Lay went all-in to market this new product, creating waffle-shaped squares that looked like tiny checkerboards. The ’90s loved games, and Cheetos Cheesy Checkers turned snacking into playtime.
The commercials were everywhere, but taste couldn’t keep up with the hype.
But it was a sad day when these snacks were discontinued. We even found one fan who spent “45 minutes thinking about the Checkers and how bad I want them back.”
Discontinued: 1997
The shortest chapter in Cheetos’ history.
One year. That’s all it took to realize that sometimes, the original formula doesn’t need fixing. Crunchy Nacho Cheetos seemed like a natural fit, but fans weren’t buying it.
It was a quick experiment that taught Frito-Lay valuable lessons about brand loyalty.
Discontinued: 2008
There was nothing like the longest-running discontinued Cheetos on the market.
These weren’t puffy in any way, shape, or form. Cheetos Cracker Trax were baked to cracker-like perfection. Kids packed them in lunch boxes daily, and parents appreciated the slightly less messy alternative.
Goldfish vibes, but with that unmistakable Cheetos cheese coating.
The 18-year run proved Cracker Trax had staying power. But Frito-Lay finally had enough and was ready for new horizons.
Discontinued: 2002
Crinkle-cut chaos in the best possible way.
Imagine you are Daffy Duck as Chester Cheetah’s stunt double, and everything is going hilariously wrong. That was the commercial energy these jagged Cheetos brought to snack aisles.
Cheetos Zig Zags looked like cheese-covered french fries that got struck by lightning.
Four years of zigzag madness before Twisted Puffs became their new name.
Discontinued: 2000
The ultimate game-night snack that lasted about a year.
Smaller than Cheerios, crunchier than regular Cheetos, and shaped like tic-tac-toe pieces. The commercial featured Chester on a game show where every answer was “X’s and O’s.”
Pure marketing fun.
But the brilliant concept didn’t translate to sustained sales.
Discontinued: 2008
Eight years of salsa and queso, then... gone.
The holy grail of discontinued Cheetos. Cheddar, Romano cheese, tomato, lime, and just the right amount of heat. Salsa Con Queso was nacho night in a bag.
These snacks outlasted Pizza Puffs and Zig Zags, but couldn’t survive the 2008 purge.
The product has had comebacks in 2020 and 2024. But still not permanent restoration.
Discontinued: 2006
When Chester Cheetah crashed the pizza party.
Deeper red, denser texture, and tasting exactly like Pizza Combos filling. Love it or hate it, there was no middle ground with Pizza Puffs.
One fan declared: “I love them with all of my heart. Probably the best chip I’ve had in a long time.”
After 18 years in exile, Cheetos Pizza Puffs returned in 2025 just in time for the Super Bowl. Hopefully, they stay around longer this time.
Discontinued: 2012
The most beloved discontinued Cheetos of all time.
Lasting ten years, these Cheetos were thicker, twistier, and somehow more satisfying than regular puffs.
Its 2013 Facebook discontinuation announcement broke hearts worldwide.
Discontinued: 2015
Sweet meets smoky in the form of cheese puffs.
A bold flavor experiment that combined Cheetos’ signature cheese with honey barbecue’s complex profile. Honey BBQ Cheetos Puffs worked... until they didn’t.
Four years proved there was a market for sweet-savory Cheetos hybrids.
Fans now hunt for honey BBQ flavor in Lay’s chips and Fritos Twists to recreate the experience.
Status: Seasonal (Limited availability)
Cheetos Sweetos broke the 67-year tradition of cheese.
The first sweet Cheetos in U.S. history. Cinnamon sugar Easter eggs that were lighter than air and translucent when held to light.
Cheetos Sweetos still returns seasonally, so it’s not necessarily discontinued.
Discontinued: Unknown
Hot chicken fever meets cheese puff perfection.
Capitalizing on Nashville’s fried chicken craze, Nashville Hot brought authentic spice blend to Cheetos form. Deep-fried chicken taste notes without the bones.
Short-lived but memorable.
Discontinued: 2021
Heat with a cooling twist.
The perfect balance: chipotle meets ranch. Like dunking hot wings in ranch dressing, but in snack form.
Fans were so devastated by the sudden discontinuation that they launched a Change.org petition, comparing the loss to the disappearance of Wendy’s Spicy Nuggets.
It was a year to remember with Flamin’ Hot Chipotle Ranch, then gone forever.
Discontinued: 2021
Little peppers with a big attitude.
Shaped like actual peppers, these delivered heat that crept up slowly, rather than exploding immediately. Visual flair with a measured touch of spice made Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs.
The pandemic year brought experimental flavors, but most didn’t survive the return to normal.
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