We all have nostalgic items from our lives that just up and disappeared. In a recent online discussion, the topic was which nostalgic items people miss the most.
Here are ten things many people wish would come back.
Dollar Menu
Up until 2020, just about every fast-food restaurant had a dollar menu where you could still grab a decent meal for a couple of dollars. Those days seem to be gone for good.
One person said, “The $1 menu at every fast food joint. I ordered the 4 for $4 Wendy’s on the App the other day. It cost me $5 without tax.”
Someone else said, “We’ve witnessed the death of the $1 fast food menu and it’s replacement by ‘value’ menus. $1 menus are never coming back”.
Pizza Hut Buffets
Another favorite food item that seems to have disappeared is the Pizza Hut buffet. It used to be all you could eat salad, pasta, and pizza for a reasonable price, but there aren’t many (if any) left.
One man said, “I remember going there with friends and we had a blast eating way too much pizza then topping it off with a sundae.”
A United Kingdom resident piped up and said, “All the Pizza Huts in the UK still do the buffet.” Something to keep in mind if you are visiting!
Mall Arcades
Can you even find a mall anymore? Back in the day, every shopping mall had an arcade, the perfect place for a kid to while away the time and spend their allowance.
One person said, “I miss Aladdin’s castle. It was an arcade in the local mall. I was heart broken when they closed that place down. I had so many good memories as a kid in that place.”
Someone else said, “We had one in Burlington, Vermont until mid 90s. I think I probably still have a few tokens at my parents’ house back home.”
Jello Pudding Pops
Jello pudding pops were the absolute ultimate in popsicles, and they just vanished! One woman said, “There is nothing else like it in the market, and anything that I have found doesn’t taste the same. I just want my pudding pops back.”
Someone replied, “This one makes me so sad – they had that thin layer of ice you had to get through, then you just reveled in creamy pudding goodness.”
Perhaps it has to do with their close ties to Bill Cosby that we no longer see them.
Rice Krispie Treats Cereal
If you didn’t get to try it, you really missed out on bite-sized Rice Krispie treats in cereal form for breakfast. One commenter said, “It was pure sugar and probably gave a lot of kids type 2 diabetes, but I miss that cereal so much.”
Another said, “I long to see this in the stores again. I remember the first time I had it, it was one bowl after another. I’m not even a big Rice Krispies treat guy, but that cereal was magical.”
Fruitopia
Fruitopia “juice” drink was all the rage in the late 90s and could be found in most high school vending machines. It was much beloved and not very much missed!
One man said, “Our high school had a vending machine with only Fruitopia at every corner. That stuff had enough sugar to kill a horse but it was delicious.”
KFC Potato Wedges
This one took quite a few people by surprise, but many commenters were feeling nostalgic about the now-absent KFC potato wedges.
One person said, “Wait, the potato wedges are gone?! I haven’t been to a KFC in a while. That stinks.”
Another replied, “Yes, they replaced them with fries. Like, who goes to a fried chicken restaurant and orders fries? To be fair, the fries are not bad. But they’re also not potato wedges and that is a mistake.”
McDonald’s Deep Fried Apple Pies
Yes, everyone knows McDonald’s still serves handheld apple pies. The problem is that they are baked and not fried.
A former employee said, “I worked at McDonalds back in the 90s and a fun fact for you. Those apple pies were deep fried in straight up lard. Chicken nuggets, filet of fish, McChicken were all fried in lard and French fries in vegetable oil. I remember clearly the switch over to vegetable oil for everything and the apple pies going baked.”
Little Debbie Banana Bread Loaves
You were living large if you opened up your lunch box to find one of these little beauties in there. One person said, “They were mini loaves of moist banana bread individually wrapped. I would grab a glass of milk and microwave one for a few seconds. It was pure bliss when I was growing up.”
Someone replied, “Oh my God I thought I was the only one who missed these! They were so good!”
Lifesavers Creme Savers
Lifesavers Creme Savers was a popular answer to this question. Thanks to the magic of online discussions like these, creme savers have been found.
One commenter said, “Creme savers are back, actually! The strawberry and the orange flavors are back. You can get them at Big Lots, or online.”
Numerous people excitedly said they’d be ordering them immediately.
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This thread inspired this post.
I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
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