I was going to jump in with this as my memory, too (except for the working at Frito Lay part). I always liked Fritos, but they’ve never been a “tortilla chip” like Doritos. I’ve never cared for their flavored versions and always liked the plain/original/unflavored/whatever you want to call them (I can tolerate Cool Ranch, if necessary, but the rest are just icky). I don’t remember flavored versions existing before the '70s or so.
GT
Fritos are necessary because Doritos become mush when covered with chili.
I cannot remember a time without Nacho Cheese Doritos. The first time I remember there being a “new” flavor, it was Cool Ranch. I never knew there was a plain version before the cheese kind. Did they have hard drugs in them like the original Coca-Cola? 
This is how I remember it as well. Plain Doritos came first, then taco-flavored, then nacho. I remember it because a taco-flavored dorito was the flavored chip I ever had.
pbbth has it right.
I keep wondering why, when they come out with every flavor under the sun, can they not bring back the taco flavored ones. It seems everyone I’ve heard from that remembers them liked them the best. Then again, they’d probably just ruin the recipe like they did with the nacho cheese flavor. They were sooooooo much better before they became nacho cheesier 
I tried the X-D13’s about a week ago. One word. Nasty.
They seem to release the taco flavored Doritos every few years. I’m pretty sure that they aren’t the recipe that I remember from my childhood though.
Not a fan of the mustard/pickle ones but the Smoking Red BBQ have become my new favorite chip. I hope they keep that one and not the other boring white chips they are competing against.
Ooo, I had Doritos Incognita in Mexico. I wonder if it’s the same thing?
(I thought they tasted like someone dumped a spice jar on them.)
Btw, the Doritos I miss were called something like “Fiery Ranch”. They were out a few years ago. They were very tasty, but they were hot.
I’ve seen the taco ones in the Chicago market within the last two or three years. They may still have them, but I don’t particularly like Doritos. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Doritos mean two flavors to me: Nacho and Cool Ranch. I thought Taco was a newer flavor when I saw it here for the first time a few years ago. I had no idea it preceded Nacho.
I’d forgotten that. Are Fritos still around? I think they predate Doritos? Cool Ranch - they just didn’t satisfy my Dorito jonesing. I know marketing types always are looking for growth and new product lines, but sheesh. The Dorito is perfect, it cannot be improved upon.
Of course Frito’s still exist. They do predate Doritos- they’re celebrating 75 years this year.
Official Doritos flavors, according to Frito-Lay’s website:
Blazin’ Buffalo Ranch
Cool Ranch®
Fiery Habanero
Nacho Cheese®
Ranchero
Salsa Verde
Smokin’ Cheddar BBQ
Spicy Nacho
Taco
Toasted Corn
White Nacho (natural)
Wild White Nacho
X-13D
Whaaaat?! Where are you, that you can get Smoky Red BBQ?! I haven’t seen it in years!
OK, so, after investigating at Doritos.com (which is a tiresomely annoying Flash site), I visited the “Flavor Lab” for the straight dope from the horse’s mouth (as it were). Here is their chronological list of flavors:[ul]
[li]Toasted Corn 1964[/li][li]Nacho Cheese 1972[/li][li]Taco 1985[/li][li]Cool Ranch 1986[/li][li]Spicy Nacho 1997[/li][li]Light Nacho Cheese 1998[/li][li]Salsa Verde 1998[/li][li]Ranchero 2002[/li][li]Salsa 2002[/li][li]Baked! Nacho Cheese 2002[/li][li]Natural White Nacho Cheese 2003[/li][li]Reduced Fat Nacho Cheese 2003[/li][li]Black Pepper Jack 2004[/li][li]Fiery Habanero 2005[/li][li]Reduced Fat Cool Ranch 2006[/li][*]Blazin’ Buffalo & Ranch 2006[/ul]
[QUOTE=Quixotic]
OK, so, after investigating at Doritos.com (which is a tiresomely annoying Flash site), I visited the “Flavor Lab” for the straight dope from the horse’s mouth (as it were). Here is their chronological list of flavors:[ul]
[li]Toasted Corn 1964[/li][li]Nacho Cheese 1972[/li][li]Taco 1985[/li][li]Cool Ranch 1986[/li][li]Spicy Nacho 1997[/li][li]Light Nacho Cheese 1998[/li][li]Salsa Verde 1998[/li][li]Ranchero 2002[/li][li]Salsa 2002[/li][li]Baked! Nacho Cheese 2002[/li][li]Natural White Nacho Cheese 2003[/li][li]Reduced Fat Nacho Cheese 2003[/li][li]Black Pepper Jack 2004[/li][li]Fiery Habanero 2005[/li][li]Reduced Fat Cool Ranch 2006[/li][li]Blazin’ Buffalo & Ranch 2006[/ul][/li][/QUOTE]
Where is the Sour Cream and Onion that was out for years, got pulled for years and then was replaced by Cool Ranch?
Link for the fritos bandito wiki and the w.c. fritos charator is mentioned.
There’s a bunch about the question here. There doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer, but plenty of people vouching for seeing them in the 70s and 80s. I personally have never heard of them.
Wiki :
Taco (Original Taco Flavor was introduced some time in the mid 70’s and was around for several years before being discontinued. This was a chip with a bold blend of taco seasoning spices. Not to be confused with the Taco Supreme, or Taco Bell flavor introduced in the 80’s and recently re-released
Please note that Sour Cream and Onion is listed in discontinued flavors.
Wiki says a Sesame was introduced in the 70’s, but I bet it was discontinued almost the day after it was released.
Chicagoland, they had some contest where you vote for the new flavor, though I was in error. Smoking Cheddar BBQ beat the rather bland Wild White Nacho flavor as the ‘people’s champion’.
Ah, okay.
Yes, and didn’t they come out with a flavored (Barbeque? ::shudder) version?