The Rise And Fall Of Choco Tacos, Explained
From its humble beginnings served from an ice cream truck in Philadelphia to a mass-produced delicacy, the public fell in love with the Choco Taco until its discontinuation nearly 40 years later. Enjoying ice cream as a chocolate-covered, nutty taco is a dream come true, and the Choco Taco's departure broke the hearts of many. Thankfully, for its ongoing fan base, there's a chance it may return, thanks to the efforts of Taco Bell and Salt & Straw.
Inspired by the popularity of the restaurant chain Chi-Chi's, Choco Taco creator Alan Drazen aimed to capture the Mexican food trend of the time and recognized tacos as an iconic design. The exact details of the pitch are unclear, but Drazen approached Jay Schwartz, former head of Jack & Jill Ice Cream, with the idea of finding a creative way to serve ice cream without a cone. Schwartz greenlit the taco shape, and Drazen hit the ground running with a Wisconsin connection to an ice cream plant that could not only package and deliver ice cream, but also mold a sugar cone into a taco shell. From there, it was mainly sold as an ice cream truck treat until Unilever subsidiary Good Humor bought its licensing and distribution rights in 1989. The move placed Choco Tacos under the Klondike name as the product branched out internationally by 1998, following its successful introduction to the Italian and Swedish markets as Winner Tacos.
The Choco Taco may have been discontinued, but there's a chance for its return
By 2000, Winner Tacos were quietly removed from international shelves. Although they were returned by popular demand, this acted as a precursor to later events. While Choco Tacos gained Klondike a partnership with Taco Bell as a distributor at some of its locations, the menu item was removed by 2015. Later in 2022, Klondike discontinued the Choco Taco entirely. Put briefly, Klondike stated that it was due to an unprecedented surge in its portfolio, which sometimes results in the removal of products. Certainly, discontinuing popular food isn't anything new, but the loss of the Choco Taco was felt on a larger scale. Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern called the decision "insanity" on X, saying the Choco Taco is "arguably the best quiescently frozen dessert treat ever." Democratic Senator Chris Murphy humorously proposed introducing legislation to protect Choco Tacos, and Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian even offered to buy its rights to save it.
Thankfully, efforts have been made to return Choco Tacos to the public. Following the consumer outcry, Klondike promised to make efforts in finding a way to bring the beloved dessert back, with no definite timeline. Since then, although they were short-lived, Cold Stone Creamery and Taco Bell sold Choco Taco-like items in separate promotions for Cinco de Mayo and to soften the impact of Klondike's announcement. As of 2024, the fast food giant has partnered with Salt & Straw to create a new spin on the Choco Taco. While the world awaits that possibility, fans can make their own at home by with a nifty stroopwafel hack.