The heartbreak was real. When Klondike announced they were killing off the Choco Tacos ice cream back in 2022, the internet didn't just sigh—it went into a full-blown mourning period. You probably remember the chaos. People were scouring the back of gas station freezers like they were hunting for buried treasure, hoping to find one last foil-wrapped relic of their childhood. It felt personal.
Honestly, it’s just a waffle cone shaped like a taco, stuffed with vanilla ice cream, swirled with fudge, and dipped in milk chocolate and peanuts. Simple. But the texture? That was the magic. That slightly soggy, chewy waffle shell shouldn’t have worked, yet it was the entire point. It was a structural masterpiece of the ice cream truck era.
The Day the Crunch Died
Klondike, which is owned by the massive conglomerate Unilever, cited a need to "ensure availability" of their other products as the reason for the discontinuation. Basically, they had too many SKUs and the Choco Taco was the odd man out on the production line.
It was a business move. Cold. Calculated.
But they underestimated the nostalgia. Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, famously offered to buy the rights to the brand just to keep it alive. Patrick Mahomes even chimed in on Twitter. For a few weeks, it was the only thing anyone in the food world talked about.
Why do we care so much about a mass-produced frozen snack? Because it represents a specific kind of American summer. The sound of the truck's jingle, the crinkle of the wrapper, and that first bite where the chocolate coating inevitably shattered onto your shirt. It wasn't just food; it was a ritual.
What Most People Get Wrong About the History
Most folks assume the Choco Taco has been around forever, or that it was some tiny artisanal invention. Nope. It was actually invented in 1983 by a guy named Alan Drazen. He worked for Jack and Jill Ice Cream in Philadelphia.
Drazen noticed that Mexican food was exploding in popularity. He thought, "Why not a dessert taco?"
It wasn't an overnight hit. It took years to migrate from ice cream trucks into the mainstream grocery aisles and, eventually, into Taco Bell locations across the country. That partnership with Taco Bell in the 90s is what solidified its legendary status. If you grew up in that era, a Choco Taco was the only acceptable way to finish a Meal Deal.
The Technical Struggle of the Shell
Creating that shell was a nightmare. A standard waffle cone is brittle. If you fold a brittle cone, it snaps. The engineers had to figure out a way to keep the waffle pliable enough to hold the shape but sturdy enough to keep the ice cream from leaking out the bottom.
They used a specific moisture-resistant coating on the inside of the shell. This is why the Choco Taco had that distinct, slightly bendy texture. Some people hated it. Those people were wrong. That chewiness was the signature experience.
The Great 2024 "Resurrection" Tease
Fast forward to early 2024. Taco Bell held its "Live Más Live" event in Las Vegas, and they dropped a bombshell. They partnered with Salt & Straw—the Portland-based gourmet ice cream wizards—to bring a version of the Choco Taco back.
But there was a catch. It wasn't the same Choco Taco.
The Salt & Straw version used a cinnamon-infused waffle cone, flavored with sea salt and chocolate dip. It was fancy. It was artisanal. It was also limited. While it satisfied the itch for a moment, it reminded everyone that the original Choco Tacos ice cream was a populist hero. It didn't need sea salt. It needed that specific, slightly-too-sweet fudge swirl and those tiny, crunchy peanut bits.
Why It’s So Hard to Find a Replacement
You can try the knock-offs. Some grocery stores have "waffle tacos" under their house brands. They’re fine. They’re just... fine.
The problem is the scale of production. To get that specific ratio of chocolate-to-shell, you need industrial equipment that most boutique shops can't replicate. When you make them by hand, the shell is usually too thick or too crunchy. The original was thin, delicate, and messy.
The Unilever Factor
Unilever still owns the trademark. They know what they have. By pulling it from the market, they created a massive spike in "brand equity."
It’s a classic marketing move: the "McRib" strategy. Take something away until people scream for it, then bring it back as a Limited Time Offer (LTO) to drive massive sales. While they haven't officially brought it back to permanent grocery store shelves yet, the breadcrumbs are there. They’ve seen the data. They know we’re hungry.
How to Handle the Craving Right Now
If you're sitting there right now desperately wanting that specific combination of chocolate and waffle, you have a few options, though none are perfect.
- The DIY Route: Get some round pizzelle cookies. While they are still warm from a press (or slightly warmed in a microwave), fold them over a thick book to create the taco shape. Fill with softened vanilla bean ice cream and freeze immediately. Dip the top in melted semi-sweet chocolate mixed with a teaspoon of coconut oil (this makes the "magic shell" texture) and roll in crushed peanuts.
- The Gourmet Alternatives: Keep an eye on Salt & Straw or local "rolled ice cream" shops. Many have started doing "Taco Tuesdays" where they use a similar format. It’s more expensive, but the quality of the cream is usually higher.
- The Vigil: Follow Klondike on social media. They’ve dropped enough hints over the last year to suggest that a "Classic Edition" comeback is likely in the works for a milestone anniversary.
The Real Legacy of the Frozen Taco
The Choco Taco proved that form factor matters. We eat with our eyes first, and there is something inherently fun about eating ice cream like a sandwich or a taco rather than with a spoon. It broke the rules of how dessert was "supposed" to be consumed on the go.
It survived the low-fat craze of the 90s, the artisanal movement of the 2010s, and only succumbed to the supply chain nightmares of the 2020s. That’s a hell of a run for a snack invented in a Philly warehouse.
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Actionable Steps for the Choco Taco Fan:
- Check the "Old" Stock: Small, independent corner stores in rural areas often have slower freezer turnover. It’s a long shot in 2026, but some collectors have actually found forgotten "dusty" stock in the back of deep freezers.
- Support the Alternatives: If you want the big brands to bring back the classics, buy the experimental versions from places like Taco Bell when they appear. High sales volume is the only language Unilever speaks.
- Perfect the Home Shell: If you’re serious about DIY, invest in a thin waffle cone maker. The secret to the "authentic" texture is adding a bit of honey or molasses to the batter to keep it from becoming too brittle when it cools.
The Choco Taco isn't just a discontinued product. It’s a piece of pop culture history that refuses to stay buried. Whether it returns as a permanent fixture or remains a ghost of summers past, its impact on the ice cream industry—and our collective sweet tooth—is permanent.