16 Vending Machine Snacks That Vanished Without a Trace
A nostalgic deep dive into 16 unforgettable vending machine snacks that mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind only crumbs and cravings.
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
From neon-orange cheese balls to candy bars bearing the names of baseball greats, vending machines used to be filled with a treasure trove of offbeat snacks lost to the ages. This list reveals 16 beloved treats that were discontinued without notice, each with its own tale of popularity, baffling disappearance, or subtle decline into obscurity. Whether the result of shifting tastes or confounding corporate choices, these lost snacks continue to haunt the memories (and appetites) of those fortunate enough to have experienced them.
1. Planters Cheez Balls
Image from Lazada PH
These neon-orange balls were a ’90s vending machine staple in small tin cans that guaranteed finger-staining bliss. Their strong, zesty cheddar taste was unbeatable in the puffed snack world. Though they had a cult following, they were retired in 2006, only to return for a fleeting time years later in limited releases.
2. Butterfinger BB’s
Image from eBay.ph
Miniature form of the original Butterfinger bar, BB’s were crunchy, poppable, and bursting with peanut-buttery goodness. They caught on big in the late ’90s, partly due to Bart Simpson’s commercials. Nestlé retired them silently in 2006, leaving enthusiasts to lament their ideal vending-machine convenience without anything to show for it.
3. Keebler Pizzarias
Image from Reddit
These pizza-tasting chips were constructed from actual pizza dough, cooked into crunchy triangles that tasted eerily reminiscent of a slice. Their pungent Italian seasoning and chewy texture made them vending machine royalty during the early ’90s. They were gone by the end of the decade, leaving behind only nostalgic taste recollections.
4. Hershey’s Swoops
Image from Wikipedia
Pringle-shaped but of solid chocolate, Swoops were Hershey’s foray into the future of candy delivery. Reese’s and Almond Joy flavors made them an offbeat vending choice in the early 2000s. Sadly, their fragile form melted too quickly and bewildered snackers, causing them to be dropped in 2006.
5. Kudos Granola Bars
Image from The Michigan Dietitian
These sweet, candy-coated granola bars toed the line between health and dessert. Flavors like M&M’s and Snickers made them a vending machine go-to in the 90s. Eventually, Mars pulled them from shelves, citing low sales, though many suspect changing snack trends were to blame.
6. PB Max
Image from Reddit
This peanut butter bar encased in a cookie and coated with chocolate had its own cult following. It was a vending hit in the early 90s, providing a more robust peanut experience than most mass-produced bars. Mars phased it out not due to sales but allegedly because executives just didn’t care for peanut butter.
7. Nestlé Wonder Ball (with candy, not toys)
Image from eBay.ph
Originally filled with toys, the Wonder Ball transformed into a hollow chocolate ball with candy within, becoming vending-eligible in the early 2000s. Children enjoyed the surprise and small characters hidden within each globe. After a couple of years, it was withdrawn from the market because of safety issues and waning novelty.
8. Reggie! Bar
Image from eBay.ph
Released in tribute to baseball great Reggie Jackson, this caramel, peanut, and chocolate bar had a short vending stint in the early ’80s and late ’70s. Fans notoriously tossed it onto the field when Reggie was hitting home runs. Though a novelty, its marketing steam ran out quickly.
9. Tato Skins by Keebler
Image from Reddit
These crunchy potato chips boasted potato skins in disguise, with a more rugged crunch and pungent flavor than regular chips. Barbecue and cheddar were vending machine favorites in the ’90s. They vanished after Keebler licensed the rights out, and the new names never gained traction.
10. 3D Doritos
Image from Ubuy Philippines
Debuted in the late ’90s, these crunchy, puffed Doritos introduced a novel texture to popular flavors such as Nacho Cheese and Jalapeño Cheddar. Their cylindrical shape made them ideal vending machine snacks with little mess. They were quietly removed from shelves in the early 2000s but revived years later in altered form.
11. Pepsi Blue
Image from The Soda Encyclopedia Wiki - Fandom
While technically a beverage, Pepsi Blue was a vending machine curiosity that resembled berry-flavored cotton candy. In 2002, it hit the market as a striking color with its electric blue appearance and syrupy flavor. With weak sales and polarizing reviews, it was dead by 2004, though it has maintained a cult following.
12. Snapple Elements (Fire, Rain, Sun)
Image from Vocal Media
These distinctively flavored beverages of the late ’90s and early 2000s were a staple in vending machines, particularly “Rain” (agave cactus-flavored). In colorful bottles and mystical packaging, they captivated teens and college kids. Snapple discontinued them as part of a brand realignment, though they remain nostalgically popular today.
13. Jell-O Pudding Bites
Image from Reddit
These chocolatey bites of chewy goodness sought to provide the flavor of pudding in a vending-ready, take-with-you format. They existed briefly in the early 2000s, with their strange texture and taste reviews ultimately causing their downfall. They did, however, find a small following who appreciated their retro strangeness.
14. Life Savers Holes
Image from Dinosaur Dracula!
These small, pellet-sized forms of Life Savers candies were the “holes” from the inside of the ring, packaged in tiny flip-top containers. Debuted in the late 90s, they were a vending success before a child safety scandal led to their recall in 1999. The company never regained lost ground.
15. Oreo O’s Cereal Bar
Image from Post Consumer Brands
Riding the Oreo O’s cereal wave, these bars blended marshmallow, cookie pieces, and crunch into a vending-machine-sized snack. They were particularly fan-favorite among students and office professionals during the early 2000s. However, as the cereal got yanked in the U.S., so did the bars.
16. Cheetos Twisted Puffs
Image from Reddit
These cheese puffs in spiral form were a vending machine fad, providing a good crunch and dramatic presentation. They debuted during the early 2000s but were discreetly discontinued within a few years, perhaps because of manufacturing expense. Now, they are a staple on “snacks we wish would come back again” lists.