Pizza Spins
Gone around 1975 — the hedge is General Mills' own, not ours. The trademark quietly expired in 1992, and a fan group's standing request for a comeback has gone unanswered.
Last verified Nov 6, 2026
Wagon-wheel crackers seasoned with parmesan, tomato and pizza spice, launched nationwide in July 1968 on research declaring pizza the taste of the decade. The little wheels even had spokes.
Filed under: Snacks & Chips · the ’70s & earlier
📅 Timeline
- 1968First use in commerce on April 8 (per the sworn trademark filing), then launched across the US in July, pitched off a press release claiming studies showed pizza was the taste of the 1960s.
- 1969The PIZZASPINS trademark registered in December.
- 1975Discontinued "around 1975," by General Mills' own account — the company admits the exact date and reason are lost.
- 1992The unrenewed trademark formally expired in November.
- 2017General Mills' archives team published a eulogy, "When Pizza Spins were so in," answering decades of fan questions with what little the files still held.
❓ People also ask
Why were Pizza Spins discontinued?
Nobody knows — including General Mills. Its archivists wrote in 2017 that the records of when and why it was dropped no longer exist; "around 1975" is the company's own best estimate.
What were Pizza Spins?
Wagon-wheel-shaped crackers — corn wheels with actual spokes — seasoned with parmesan, tomato, pepper and pizza spices, sold in a box with a reclosable foil liner that was ahead of its 1968 time.
Will Pizza Spins come back?
A fan group still campaigns for a return, and General Mills has given no sign. The trademark lapsed decades ago.
🧾 Sources
- General Mills (A Taste of General Mills, company archives), When Pizza Spins were so in (2017)
- USPTO TSDR, PIZZASPINS trademark record, serial 72303910 (1968)
- Justia Trademarks, PIZZASPINS - Trademark Details (1969)