Old Products

[MACK184]

Funny how Roadfood is mentioned in this thread. They may very well be future "old product" in itself LOL
Just the other week my girlfriend saw on TV somewhere ( I think she said it was on one of the business channels, CNBC? ) about how some of the restaurant chains like Ci Ci's Pizza for example are getting tired of seeing their products and restaurants trashed in the forums on that site not too mention the so-called "stories" ( lies I assume they mean) about them too that have appeared on Roadfood and are thinking about going after that website. I would guess if any of these chains were upset and decided to do legal action against Roadfood, I doubt it would go very far. Thrown out I suppose.
[/quote]
The Stern's who wrote the Roadfood books are rather interesting people. But the board that bears the Roadfood name is a collection of food snobs who hate anyone who has been successful {read has more than 1 location} hates any food program that does not eminate from PBS, and above all, hates anyone who doesn't agree with their frighteningly narrow minded assessment of food and restaurants. The chains have little to fear from these folks as they are a collection of windbags in the tradition of Charles Emerson Winchester 3rd.

 

[catfishal]

Another product I never see anymore from my childhood (80's) is Donald Duck Orange Juice. Doing a Google search shows that Florida's Natural still produces it but I've never seen it in stores in the Midwest or South for at least the last 10 years

 

[firepoint525]

Someone previously mentioned a brand of bread that I was not familiar with, but it had Peanuts characters in its advertising. In Memphis, where I lived as a kid, the Hart's bakery used the Peanuts characters in their advertising. Used to love the smell of the bread baking whenever we drove by their bakery!

I also remember Chip-O's potato chips in Memphis back in the early '70s. These were the first potato chips I ever liked as a kid. They came in a box, which was unusual in itself, but the chips came in an aluminum foil-type bag inside the box. I remember the chips themselves had some kind of "plaid" design woven into them. Ruffles may have had ridges, but Chip-O's were plaid!

Then years later, there was Jolt Cola! Twice the sugar, twice the caffeine! A real guilty pleasure for sure! Flew in the face of all those "healthy" sodas out there.

And then there was Cheerwine. Used to be able to buy it here in the Nashville-middle Tennessee area, then all of a sudden it was gone! I remember going to a Subway restaurant in Clarksville, and the "sandwich artist" there describing Cheerwine to me. But I was already familiar with it, having bought it myself when I lived here in Nashville previously. Despite the "wine" in the name, I knew it was non-alcoholic because I was able to get it out of a drink machine in a state park!

 

[David67]

You can still get Cheerwine in North Carolina,East Tennessee and parts of North Georgia. ;D

 

[quadraphonic]

I've seen Donald Duck in Wal-Marts and Food Lions in central NC.
I remembered it because I use to look for it when I was a kid.

 

[David67]

My late Grandma always had Her fridge filled with Donald Duck orange juice and those little containers of coolaid when I was young back in the 70's.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Regarding Polaroid, I just heard yesterday on one of the local morning radio shows that they were getting out of the camera film business.

One of my earlier posts has a link converning this news. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/09/business/NA-FIN-COM-US-Polaroid-Film.php

As for General Electric products, their light bulbs are good, but not anything else. For example: I bought a stereo system from JC Penney's in the mid 1990's that had the record player/CD player/cassette player built in and when I got home that night to put in a tape (and a perfectly good tape at that), it ate it up, so I had to take it back the next day. We have had GE TV's that went out within 4 years and we had a Hotpoint (made by GE) refrigerator that went out within a few years as well.

We have been buying Phillips Magnavox electronics and Whirlpool appliances ever since. They last longer as a matter of fact we have had our Magnavox TV since 1996 and it still works great.

Depending on the products, the GE brand name comes from several different companies. I believe the light bulbs and major appliances are still actually made by GE, but GE Electronics are actually owned now by Thomson, who also owns RCA electronics. The small appliances were owned at one time by Black & Decker, although I don't know if that still applies for what is sold by Wal Mart.

Some Magnavox products still come from Philips, although they had phased the name out for a while. Other items, especially ones sold at Wal Mart, come from Funai.

The Stern's who wrote the Roadfood books are rather interesting people. But the board that bears the Roadfood name is a collection of food snobs who hate anyone who has been successful {read has more than 1 location} hates any food program that does not eminate from PBS, and above all, hates anyone who doesn't agree with their frighteningly narrow minded assessment of food and restaurants. The chains have little to fear from these folks as they are a collection of windbags in the tradition of Charles Emerson Winchester 3rd.

Personally I'd rather watch Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. ;D

Also, here's another interesting link for classic TV ads: http://www.roadode.com/classicindex.shtml

 

[fybush]

Someone asked about Charles Chips. The last time I was in a Cracker Barrel restaurant, a year or so ago, they were for sale (yes - in the metal can!) in the gift shop. Yum...

 

[FreddyE1977]

Funny Face--for years I have tried to remember this brand name! Because I remember flavors like "Chinese Charlie!" and "Injun Orange"! How could they even think about such marketing, especially during the civil rights era? Check out this:

http://theimaginaryworld.com/pac04.jpg

Quisp & Quake -- Quisp was just like Cap'n Crunch, same flavor, just different shape. The spots were cool cartoons, done by the same company that produced Hoppity Hooper, and Daws Butler did the voice of Quisp. I even had a Quisp battery-powered beanie, I mailed away for -- for something like a buck. There was also, for a short time, an orange-flavored cereal product based on Quake's orange kangaroo called "Quangaroo".

Quisp has his own website:

http://www.quisp.com/

And here's more on Quisp, Quake, and Quangaroo:

http://www.lavasurfer.com/cereal-quakeroats2.html

How about Duz clothes detergent? Still around? -- Someone mentioned detergents giving out glasses as premiums in their boxes. I bet some of those are still around. I also remember some brands giving out bath towels -- yes, bath towels -- as premiums in their boxes.

Is Tang still around? Do they still make grape-flavored Tang? The drink of the astronauts?

Speaking of astronauts, how about Space Food Sticks? Big during the Apollo missions.

Or: Shake-a-puddin'? Or this B & W ad I remember, shot a la "hard Day's Night", w/ a beach-music theme for Great Shakes ? Those were cool -- add milk, shake it up, and you have a-- milkshake!

Or local commercials for local products? Genesee beer had a great string of them -- "Boy, could I go for a Genny now!" "Our one brewery makes it best!" Somewhere on tape I have Kurt Gowdy doing a Genny ad.

Funny Face, Quisp and Quake were some of my absolute favorites from early childhood. I remember being very
disappointed when Funny Face disappeared from our local supermarket. (I guess my parents did not want to get
into a lengthy explanation with a five year old as to why Chinese Cherry was a bad idea). Genesee Beer is
widely available in Western Pennsylvania. A long-ago beer that I remember seeing advertised as a child was
Koehler Beer, made in Erie, PA.

 

[LKellerIII]

"...Quisp and Quake were some of my absolute favorites from early childhood."

My father worked for Jay Ward Productions - producer of Bullwinkle, George of the Jungle, and the Quaker Oats cereal commercials. Shortly after Quisp, Quake, and Cap'n Crunch were introduced, there was a huge controversy about high sugar cereals. There were outraged parents, thousands of close-up pictures in the media of kids with rotting teeth, and even a congressional investigation.

Why everybody was suddenly SHOCKED that high sugar cereals were a bad fro you proves how deluded people can be. Its' not like the manufacturers were hiding it. But sugar cereals took a big nosedive in sales for awhile - Cap'n Crunch survived, but Quaker decided to drop the other two. If was during this time that some of the other brands dropped "Sugar" from their brand, so Sugar Crisp became Post Crisp, Sugar Smacks became just Smacks, and Sugar Frosted Flakes became just Frosted Flakes.

But I don't think that sugar content of any of these cereals was reduced at all. That this actually worked as a marketing ploy is further proof that people are willing to be hoodwinked.

 

[FreddyE1977]

"...Quisp and Quake were some of my absolute favorites from early childhood."

My father worked for Jay Ward Productions - producer of Bullwinkle, George of the Jungle, and the Quaker Oats cereal commercials. Shortly after Quisp, Quake, and Cap'n Crunch were introduced, there was a huge controversy about high sugar cereals. There were outraged parents, thousands of close-up pictures in the media of kids with rotting teeth, and even a congressional investigation.

Why everybody was suddenly SHOCKED that high sugar cereals were a bad fro you proves how deluded people can be. Its' not like the manufacturers were hiding it. But sugar cereals took a big nosedive in sales for awhile - Cap'n Crunch survived, but Quaker decided to drop the other two. If was during this time that some of the other brands dropped "Sugar" from their brand, so Sugar Crisp became Post Crisp, Sugar Smacks became just Smacks, and Sugar Frosted Flakes became just Frosted Flakes.

But I don't think that sugar content of any of these cereals was reduced at all. That this actually worked as a marketing ploy is further proof that people are willing to be hoodwinked.

Yes, by the time I was in second grade my mother had become a health food convert. Gone were Quisp, Quake, and all the other sugary cereals, and we became a honey-and-wheat-germ-granola family (Which was nearly as disappointing to me as the sudden demise of Funny Face).

 

[desertv]

Laura Scudders and Clover Club were bought by Borden (who owned Wise on the East Coast) in the 80s who later sold off the chip business to a company called Country Crisp...Laura Scudder's is still seen in stores occasionally. I loced Clover Club Pizza Puffs...corn puffs with a pizza spice.

 

[desertv]

of ITT,Snoopy, and "Bimbo"

ITT was the owner for many years of the bakers of Wonder Bread and Hostess Cakes...the wrappers had the name "ITT Continental Baking Company"

Interstate Bakeries(IBC) made Dolly Madision snack cakes and baked bread under a number of regional brands...Weber's, Holsum, etc. IBC licensed the Peanuts characters to use on their breads and Dolly Madison snacks (Zingers, Koo-Koos, Stars & Stripes)in the 70s and early 80s. That ended in the 80s when MetLife started using Snoopy and the gang in its ads - and probably Charles Schultz was tired of having his characters pushing fatty, sugary snacks.

Apparently Twinkies and Ho-Hos no longer fit into a company that ran Sheraton Hotels, Ceasar's Palace and Hartford Insurance, so in the 90s ITT sold Continental Baking to Interstate Bakeries. Wonder Bread became their national brand, Hostess their "premier" snack cake brand, and Dolly Madison became a "discount" brand. The Weber's operation out West, and several other operations were divested and acquired by Mexico's Grupo Bimbo (who also owns Orowheat and Entemanns).

Recently Interstate has dropped the Dolly Madison brand....its "Zingers" cakes now are a part of the Hostess line.

 

[Tom Wells]

While we're on chips, there Utz Crab chips out Baltimore way, with real Old Bay Seasoning.
And in Baton Rouge, there's a brand with Crawfish flavor.

How about Ken-L-ration dog food, and ALPO?

My dog's better than your dog, my dog's better than yours, my dog's better 'cuz he eats Ken-L-Ration....

And when did Gaines Burgers depart this plane? "just crumble them up

Anybody remember Good-N-Plentys?
"Choo-Choo Charlie was an engineer..."

 

[EricStein]

Laura Scudders and Clover Club were bought by Borden (who owned Wise on the East Coast) in the 80s who later sold off the chip business to a company called Country Crisp...Laura Scudder's is still seen in stores occasionally. I loced Clover Club Pizza Puffs...corn puffs with a pizza spice.

Clover Club is still around in Utah as evidenced here, but it looks like they just only sell potato chips. Its parent company focuses on tortillas and tortilla chips.

 

[Newname]

How about Ken-L-ration dog food, and ALPO?

My dog's better than your dog, my dog's better than yours, my dog's better 'cuz he eats Ken-L-Ration....

And when did Gaines Burgers depart this plane? "just crumble them up

Ken-L-Ration was sold by Quaker Oats to Heinz in the mid-90s, the apparently acquired by Del Monte, which now markets 'Ken-L ration' and 'Cycle' as varieties of its 'Skippy' dog food. 'Kibbles and Bits' is also now part of Del Monte.
Wikipedia says Gaines Burgers were produced 'through the 1990s'. I happened to find someone's blog entry in 2000 talking about how it was nearly impossible to find them, and that someone told him not to buy them because they were 'horrible'. So, the brand may have been sold to someone else around 2000, and finally disappeared sometime this decade.

Alpo is now owned by Nestle (parent company of Purina). It was a major part of the pet food recalls a few months back, so while they still make it, it's harder to find than it used to be.

 

[anotherguyTN]

At one time, probably in the 80's or early 90's, in a World Almanac I saw a list of what brand names and products were owned by what companies. Probably the closest I've found to that on the web is on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_owns_what. I know this may not be perfect, but it will probably be closer than anything else I've been able to find. If anyone else knows of a better list, I'm open to it.

 

[RicoGregg]

Maybe they're not products per se, but a couple of things I don't see advertised, or more appropriately, promoted these days are Christmas Seals and Easter Seals. Are they still around?

For that matter, what about trading stamps? Blue Chip, S & H Green Stamps, et al. Are they still amongst us?

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

Someone asked about Charles Chips. The last time I was in a Cracker Barrel restaurant, a year or so ago, they were for sale (yes - in the metal can!) in the gift shop. Yum...

Interesting. I loved Charles Chips growing up. There was a factory in western Kentucky (I'm thinking around the Madisonville, KY area) and they were sold in southern Illinois.

The last place I saw, and bought, them (sans the metal can) was at the HEB Central Market on Westheimer in Houston, Texas right after they opened in 2001.

 

[easttxtv]

Maybe they're not products per se, but a couple of things I don't see advertised, or more appropriately, promoted these days are Christmas Seals and Easter Seals. Are they still around?

For that matter, what about trading stamps? Blue Chip, S & H Green Stamps, et al. Are they still amongst us?

Easter Seals (www.easterseals.com, www.easterseals.org) and Christmas Seals (www.christmasseals.org) are still with us.

Many grocery stores/chains quit giving trading stamps and at least 1 I saw tried to spin it as an opportunity to save more on the store's items (because it cost the store too much to get the stamps and give them out?). I can't remember the last grocer with them, but the last time I saw anyone giving out Green Stamps was, strangely enough, a Ford place in Amarillo that gave out however many with the purchase of a car, as well as a former 76 Truck Stop (also in Amarillo) but I don't know if you had to get an 18-wheeler's amount of diesel to get them there, or what. This was in the 1989-1991 timeframe on both. Also, the same time, was the last Green Stamp store I saw that you could redeem them at--was at a dumpy mall in Amarillo (the mall has since been torn down). Now, instead of licking stamps (and getting your fingers green in the process), S&H has found the internet--they do them online, at www.greenpoints.com

I remember stores and gas stations with Plaid Stamps, Top Value stamps, and Gold Bond stamps.