I’ll try to summarize what I found out about these: Basically, Ring Dings were first, Ding Dongs were second but were originally called King Dongs, then King Dons, then Big Wheels. Now they’re Ding Dongs but as I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I can’t keep up with companies buying each other. In the end, Hostess bought Drakes but you can read all the sorted details in this Wiki entry.
Ring Dings:
I don’t know when they stopped wrapping Ring Dings individually in foil but they are paired in cellophane now. The cake was slightly dry but soft and the creme was good; moist and with just enough vanilla flavor. The outer chocolate coating was ok, not all that chocolaty in taste, but like chocolate it started to melt a little if held too long.
Ding Dongs:
Ding Dongs are noticeably taller than Ring dings. I cut open a couple of these and neither of them had a continuous creme center, they seemed to be injected in two areas. Ethan found the creme to be plasticy and we both thought the chocolate coating was wax-like and stuck to our teeth. The cake was flavorless and dry.
Wrap up:
Bigger isn’t always better. We weren’t impressed with Ding Dongs, the whole product seemed tasteless in every way. When he was done tasting, Ethan just said, “These are pretty bad.” Ring Dings aren’t the awesomeness I remember from childhood but they were definitely better than the Ding Dongs.
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Just for the record: I thought the chocolate coating was like plastic, not the creme.
Ding ding dong, ring-a-ding-ding-ding-dong, Keep their headz ringin!
-Dr. Dre
Ding Dongs are not dry and tasteless. I guess it depends on which one you’re accustomed to.
sordid. sordid details ?
well I am a target employee and I appreciated this site because my and a friend couldn’t figure out why hostess mad two very similar products.. just for the record ding dongs cost about 30 cents more!
Thank you, Caroline! That’s what I was going to say!
I grew up eating Ding Dongs in the ’70’s and they were waaay better back then. Moist, chocolaty and delicious. The ones they sell now are like dry waxy hockey pucks. My daughter took one bite and threw it away.
It’s a shame. They really don’t make ’em like they used to. ?
Just got done doing my own “taste test” of the two, and I have to agree with this review. Although I noticed that not only is the cake moister, creme creamier, and chocolate coating more consistent on the Ring Dings, but also Ring Dings chocolate coating is a richer, darker chocolate. Ring Dings are the clear winner in this debate.
Where did you get these? It’s not that I’m not opposed to these,but these must be owned by a New England based company because I’ve never seen either before.
I’ve eaten Ring Dings for decades at least since the 60’s( maybe the 1950’s) until the late 90’s. I had to quit chocolate and caffeine about then. Recently I stopped in a mini-mart while of a trip with the wife who loves good chocolate. I bought the new smaller Ring-Ding two to a package. What a disappointment. The wife wouldn’t a second bite. The cake was not the dark rich chocolate it was and the white filling and chocolate outside were unremarkable. My piece is still in the fridge.
Where can I purchase Ring Dings. Only find Ding Dongs in my area of N.C. and don’t like them as much as the originals. Thanks.
I’ve never had nor seen a Ring Ding….so I naturally voted for my childhood favorite Ding Ding…I’ll have to find and try a Ring Ding in Northern Ohio…..
I mean Ding Song…..
WTF! I mean I’ll have to try a Ring Ding!!
NO!!!!!! I mean my childhood favorite was a Ding Dong, of which I feel to be right now!!
Anyone remember vanilla Ring Dings with the mocha filling?
The only people who would choose a ding dong over a ring ding haven’t had a ring ding yet. Not even close.
Real Ring Dings were sold in single packs and they were about 3 inches in diameter. They were discontinued after the introduction of the Ring Ding Jr., which was the model for the Big Wheel/Ding Dong. Current RDs are really RDjrs.
I’ve never tried Ring Dings but grew up eating Ding Dongs in the 70’s . They’ve lost their appeal along the way. I remember the foil wrapped ones tasting so much better and let’s not forget the orange Ding Dongs ? Yum
I loved Ring Dings growing up. My grandmother spoiled me with them.
About the naming. When Ding Dongs first appeared Hostess called them Big Wheels only on the East Coast (where Drakes operated) to avoid the possible confusion with Ring Dings.
In the mid 80s Hostess (Continental Baking Company) merges with Drakes and consolidated the names under Ding Dongs but this was short lived and the merger fell apart and Hostess went back to calling Ding Dongs by another name, this time King Dons. In the late 90d Interstate Bakery (which now owned Hostess brands) bought Drakes and again consolidated both under the name Ding Dongs (Still King Dons in Canada).
This is the funniest discussion I have ever read :-))
Grew up daily eating Ring Dings in the 60’s.Compared to present twic e the diameter and 2/3’s the height. injected twice with cream to reach wider diameter.. a litter dryer cake and prefered. Wish they hadnt change them
Never had either but came here because in the Stepford Wives (1975 version ” 26.40) they were extolling the virtues of Ring Dings with Scotch. Wanted to know what I was missing
Ring dings can be found at Harris Teeter. Only wanted to try them again after watching old reruns of the Closer as Brenda always had them in her desk –the foil wrapped ones, too!
Ding Dongs were the best, but since they were bought out they have degraded in quality.
The chocolate coating is now very waxy and tasteless. They were best back in the 60’s.
Walter Bishop likes Ring dings Fringe is a cool sci fi…yeah I know off topic…….being from New Zealand never had the pleasure of any Hostess products…..known about them ever since I was able to read comics cos that’s where I first saw an ad for Hostess cakes..Twinkies’s it was….so often good things get so called improved and totally ruined…