In the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's, no game show contestant went home empty handed. They may not have gone home with the big prize, but at least they'd go home with something- like a lifetime supply of Rice-A-Roni! Certainly it was better than winning a real prize, right?
The era of the consolation prize ended in the 1990's as companies stopped wanting to associate their products with losing contestants.
