The Real Reason Klondike Stopped Making The Choco Taco

They say all good things must end, but it's hard to believe there could be a time when the iconic Choco Taco is no more. Though the treat musters nostalgic feelings — it was almost a rite of passage to enjoy one as a child — it's a dessert that has always been at our fingertips, should we want to satisfy a craving. But now, Klondike, the company that produces the hard-shell treat, has announced it will stop producing the Choco Taco for good.

On July 25, Klondike confirmed on Twitter that the chocolatey taco had been discontinued. "Unfortunately, the Choco Taco has been discontinued in both 1ct and 4ct packs," the ice cream company tweeted, after a fan reached out to get to the bottom of the rumors. 

Fans have taken to social media to express their sadness about the news — so why did Klondike choose to eliminate the sweet treat?

Klondike's July 25 tweet announcing the end of the Choco Taco said the decision came down to the company's changing focus. "Over the past 2 years, we have experienced an unprecedented spike in demand across our portfolio and have had to make very tough decisions to ensure availability of our full portfolio nationwide," the company noted. The tweet suggests that other treats have seen greater demand than the Choco Taco, which is why it ended up on the chopping block. However, not all of the treat's fans bought the explanation.

"Choco Taco was a unique product that brought back memories every time I had one. Honestly I don't think you all produced enough since they can be tricky to find at times," one person wrote on Twitter. 

Some fans have suggested that Klondike sell the dessert's rights to another company so that production can continue. Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian even sent a tweet to Klondike offering to buy the rights to the treat to "keep it from melting away from future generations' childhoods." But for now, it appears this dessert is disappearing for good.

For a dessert that many people haven't indulged in since childhood, the end of the Choco Taco era is hitting ice cream lovers pretty hard. (Except for Padma Lakshmi, who tweeted that she's "never had a choco taco" and never cared to try one.) Is it pure hive mentality that has people mourning the product's loss in one big viral procession, or does the disapproving fan response suggest something more complex about the symbolism of the Choco Taco? 

If you ask prolific novelist and dessert nostalgist Stephen King, the demise of the Choco Taco is a sign of a dramatic ripple effect in America. "If Choco Tacos are gone, what's next? Hershey Pies? Salt and vinegar potato chips? Baseball? AMERICAN DEMOCRACY? I tell you: this is how it starts," the author tweeted. 

And other people just loved the taste. In 2016, Eater wrote that the Choco Taco is "the stuff of nostalgic summer sweet tooth obsession," adding that it's the "most beloved and innovative of all the American ice cream 'novelties.'" With its vanilla ice cream base contained in a sturdy taco-shaped shell sealed with milk chocolate and dotted with crunchy peanuts, what's not to like? Having worked its way up from the family-owned Philadelphia outfit Jack & Jill to the same multinational consumer goods company that owns brands such as Ben & Jerry's (per Eater), the Choco Taco has made its stamp on American dessert culture. 

If you need proof of the Choco Taco's loyal fanbase, look no further than the Chicago Mexican restaurant Lonesome Rose, whose menu has boasted a hefty version of the dessert called the "Chaco-Taco" (pictured) since 2017, according to Eater Chicago. 

The restaurant consoled fans in the area by posting about the item on Instagram, eliciting responses such as "YESSSS!!!!!!" and "Best news I've heard all day." Eater also notes the "TACOlato" on deck at the Chicago mini-chain Troubled Parlor Pizza Bar, which may be enough for Choco Taco stans to book a trip to the Windy City. 

Alternatively, ambitious home bakers could take a stab at the version Claire Saffitz makes on an episode of the former Bon Appétit YouTube series "Gourmet Makes." Otherwise, perhaps the aforementioned Tacolato, a "gelato stuffed in a sweet waffle shell garnished with whipped cream and a variety of different toppings," per Spoon University, will take the world by storm.