# Frozen burrito inventor Duane Roberts dead at 88 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2025, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583 "2025-11-05T01:08:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/1 "2025-11-05T01:08:43Z")
> **[Frozen burrito inventor Duane Roberts dead at 88](https://nypost.com/2025/11/03/business/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/)** > > His wife, Kelly Roberts, said he passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday while surrounded by family. You know, it never occurred to me to wonder who invented the frozen burrito. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/2 "2025-11-05T01:12:13Z")
I will just note that the cremains of the man who invented the Pringles can were buried in a Pringles can. ([Cite](https://www.npr.org/2008/06/03/91098067/inventors-ashes-buried-in-his-creation-pringles-can).) That suggests a possibility for Mr. Duane Roberts, though it might require a very large tortilla if he’s not cremated. ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/3 "2025-11-05T01:13:36Z")
He’ll be giving out burned tongues in heaven now. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/4 "2025-11-05T02:00:11Z")
At least he died naturally and did not fill his body with preservatives, then get shrink wrapped and cryogenically frozen. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/5 "2025-11-05T14:48:21Z")
Even more interesting in his passing was the inventor of the Hokey Pokey & how they got him in his casket. First, they put his left leg in… ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/6 "2025-11-05T16:35:54Z")
I understand that when the inventor of the USB-A connector died, they lowered his casket, then pulled it up and turned it around 180 degrees before lowering it again. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/7 "2025-11-05T16:42:11Z")
And we all know how they buried the inventor of the crossword puzzle: Two across and six down. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/8 "2025-11-05T16:49:26Z")
God’s been waiting for him to help answer a philosophical question. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/9 "2025-11-05T16:50:55Z")
My preferred epitaph? _“That’s a Wrap”_ ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/10 "2025-11-05T17:07:44Z")
He will be the first human to be simultaneously frozen and molten. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/11 "2025-11-05T17:20:24Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > That suggests a possibility for Mr. Duane Roberts, though it might require a very large tortilla if he’s not cremated. [This is](https://www.amazon.com/Admitrack-Tortilla-Blanket-Burrito-Novelty/dp/B07V1MZ56G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=QPWCW28EZEB4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hpiCtohAGrl0LAxhBATRgTKyk-egaASny8cnSCN0j95vP33T72eKO6YQlekMjm7fXnEvU-mSCAAES915kssRJmpuOXp_uYLO4xVHl5OoguCWdBrcqOdGEts2FTGi7YC95Vjo2FcWKQdKuTJ60Gk_NgrKyPNlZ8vl9lgq-4BXCXnlzqljtQmpapReMj4OCaP7twKCeGwB0MErpuKOewcUdq8XQ4_Ip4lYaO7p8shEAHebpZYPKR-XS9I4UXEDNe-1iEinTa1ILwDXUSODKvadD5Job8r4ZT7INUH6NOYb37E.CDbxsTPrSno5Zr9MXi5x6b9478YWGlXA1h68C8spyKo&dib_tag=se&keywords=tortilla%252Bblanket&qid=1762363166&sprefix=tortilla%252Bblanke%252Caps%252C150&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1) what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-burrito-inventor-duane-roberts-dead-at-88/1024583/12 "2025-11-05T17:26:40Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I will just note that the cremains of the man who invented the Pringles can were buried in a Pringles can. ([Cite](https://www.npr.org/2008/06/03/91098067/inventors-ashes-buried-in-his-creation-pringles-can).) Was it purchased at Ralph’s?