1. Pepsi AM
In 1989, Pepsi AM hit the market as a breakfast soda—yes, a soda made specifically for mornings. It had more caffeine than regular Pepsi and was aimed at coffee-skippers who wanted their buzz cold and fizzy. But despite the marketing push, it flopped and was discontinued within a year. Still, it helped set the stage for the energy drink craze that would come later.
Pepsi AM speaks to a moment when companies were trying to rewire routines around convenience and speed. The ’90s were all about hustle culture beginning to take hold—grab-and-go food, power suits, and skipping breakfast in favor of sugar and caffeine. It also hinted at America’s complicated relationship with wellness: people wanted to be productive, but not necessarily healthy. Pepsi AM was a jittery shortcut in a decade obsessed with shortcuts.
2. Orbitz
Orbitz was a soft drink introduced in 1997 that looked more like a lava lamp than something you’d want to drink. Suspended edible balls floated inside the bottle, giving it a weird, mesmerizing vibe that was very on-brand for late ’90s experimental design. Unfortunately, the drink’s taste was bland and the texture of the balls didn’t help. People bought it once out of curiosity, then never again.
What Orbitz really tells us about ’90s America is the decade’s love of weirdness for weirdness’ sake. It was the golden age of “extreme” branding and wild visuals that screamed for your attention. Whether it was on TV, in commercials, or in your lunchbox, the ’90s celebrated over-the-top everything. Orbitz wasn’t just a drink—it was a spectacle, and like many spectacles of the time, it burned bright and disappeared quickly.
3. Surge
Coca-Cola launched Surge in 1997 as its answer to Mountain Dew, and it marketed the drink with all the subtlety of a monster truck rally. The commercials were chaotic, filled with teens doing extreme sports and yelling “SURGE!” at the top of their lungs. It was neon green, loaded with caffeine, and unapologetically loud—everything late ’90s marketing loved. Though it had a devoted following, it fizzled out in the early 2000s.
Surge was part of the caffeine arms race that exploded in the ’90s, a response to the idea that kids wanted to live on the edge. It captured a moment when “X-treme” wasn’t just a buzzword—it was a way of life. Brands were trying to tap into Gen X and early millennial angst, often by turning up the volume and hoping someone noticed. Surge was loud, brash, and exactly what the era thought cool looked like.
4. Wow! Chips
Wow! Chips were introduced by Frito-Lay in 1998 and made with Olestra, a fat substitute that promised all the flavor with none of the guilt. But while the chips tasted fine, they came with a catch—Olestra caused some unpleasant digestive side effects, including cramps and, infamously, “anal leakage.” Despite a huge marketing campaign, public backlash was swift, and the chips were pulled or quietly rebranded within a few years. The health claims couldn’t outweigh the… consequences.
Wow! Chips reveal how the ’90s were starting to pivot toward fat-free and diet-obsessed thinking—but without fully understanding the trade-offs. America was getting more body-conscious, and food companies scrambled to meet demand with “miracle” ingredients. It was part of a broader trend of prioritizing calorie counts over common sense. The whole saga is a reminder that the ‘90s chased quick fixes—even when the results were a little messy.
5. McDonald’s Arch Deluxe
The Arch Deluxe debuted in 1996 as McDonald’s “grown-up” burger—featuring fancy mustard sauce and a marketing campaign worth over $100 million. The chain was trying to appeal to adults who might have aged out of Happy Meals but still craved fast food. But no one really wanted an upscale burger from McDonald’s, and the campaign came off as patronizing. It quietly disappeared by the late ’90s.
This product points to a key shift in how Americans thought about branding and lifestyle. The ’90s were the beginning of lifestyle marketing—your burger didn’t just feed you, it said something about you. But McDonald’s misread the room, assuming grown-ups wanted a “classy” version of fast food rather than better ingredients or new formats. The failure of Arch Deluxe showed that identity-driven marketing needed more authenticity than gloss.
6. Dunkaroos
Dunkaroos hit lunchboxes in 1990 and quickly became one of the most iconic ’90s snacks—cookies you dipped into frosting, what could be better? Kids loved the interactive nature, and parents gave in because it was so joyfully packaged. But by the mid-2000s, they were phased out in the U.S., likely due to changing views on sugar and nutrition. Of course, their comeback years later proves the nostalgic pull of a sugar-fueled childhood.
They explain the ’90s because they were all about indulgence and fun over health. Food didn’t have to make sense nutritionally—it just had to make recess more awesome. Dunkaroos were a perfectly packaged piece of that era’s carefree vibe. And they remind us that before kale chips and organic certifications, snack time was about rainbow sprinkles and dipping with abandon.
7. Microsoft Bob
Launched in 1995, Microsoft Bob was supposed to make computers more approachable by turning your desktop into a cartoon house. Friendly avatars, including a dog named Rover, guided you through tasks like writing letters or organizing files. But it was clunky, overly simplistic, and mocked for talking down to users. Microsoft pulled the plug by 1996, and Bob became a punchline in tech circles.
Bob reflects the tension of the ’90s tech boom—innovation colliding with accessibility. As more homes got PCs, there was a real struggle to bridge the gap between tech-savvy users and total beginners. Bob tried to be that bridge, but it tripped over itself in the process. Still, it shows how seriously companies took the challenge of turning computers into everyday appliances.
8. Earring Magic Ken
In 1993, Mattel released Earring Magic Ken—a glittery, mesh-shirt-wearing version of Barbie’s boyfriend who quickly earned a cult following in the LGBTQ+ community. With a purple vest, highlights, and a prominent circular necklace, he looked like he’d just stepped out of a West Hollywood club. Ironically, Mattel had no idea they were releasing what many dubbed “the gayest Ken ever.” He was pulled from shelves after a brief, baffling controversy.
Ken’s short-lived makeover says a lot about how the ’90s were beginning to reckon with gender norms and representation. While the product wasn’t intended to make a statement, it accidentally did. Earring Magic Ken revealed how out-of-touch corporate America still was with subcultures and identity politics. But it also marked the slow shift toward more visible queerness in mainstream media.
9. Reebok Pump
The Reebok Pump shoes debuted in 1989 but exploded in popularity through the early ’90s thanks to aggressive marketing and NBA stars like Dee Brown. With an inflatable tongue that claimed to improve performance, they were both a gimmick and a status symbol. They were expensive, flashy, and undeniably cool—until the tech was revealed to offer little actual benefit. Nike eventually stole the spotlight, and Reebok faded from its early ’90s dominance.
The Reebok Pump was all about performance-meets-style, a huge theme in the ’90s. It was a time when gear wasn’t just functional—it made a statement. Whether or not it actually worked, the idea that you could customize your shoe to “fit” you was powerful. The Pump captured the era’s fascination with control, personalization, and looking awesome while doing it.
10. Crystal Pepsi
When Crystal Pepsi hit shelves in 1992, it was marketed as the soda of the future—clear, caffeine-free, and pure. The idea was to tap into the growing obsession with health and transparency, quite literally. But while the look was futuristic, the taste left people confused, and the novelty wore off fast. It was pulled from stores by 1994, but it left behind a perfectly ’90s lesson: image could sometimes outweigh substance, at least temporarily.
Crystal Pepsi reflected the era’s fixation on innovation for its own sake. The early ’90s were full of products that reimagined old favorites with new gimmicks. From clear beverages to neon everything, standing out on the shelf mattered more than sticking to the familiar. Crystal Pepsi tried to be a rebel in a brown cola world—and in doing so, it captured the spirit of an era trying to redefine itself.
11. Teen Talk Barbie
Released in 1992, Teen Talk Barbie could “speak” one of several pre-recorded phrases when you pulled a string. One of the most infamous lines was “Math class is tough,” which quickly drew backlash from educators and feminist groups. Mattel eventually removed the phrase after public pressure, but the controversy stuck. The doll was discontinued a few years later, quietly fading from shelves.
Teen Talk Barbie is a perfect example of how the ’90s began wrestling with gender roles in pop culture. While the doll was meant to be fun and relatable, it accidentally reinforced outdated stereotypes about girls and education. The public response showed that consumers were becoming more vocal—and that corporations had to start paying attention. In its own awkward way, this Barbie helped spark bigger conversations about what we tell kids, especially girls, about who they can be.
This post 11 Discontinued Products That Explain a Lot About ’90s America was first published on American Charm.
