I just ate one
You can lie when you name things
@21st-century-minutiae
Red Delicious is a variety of apple that was bred to maintain shape, color, and durability when transported and stored. It was originally created in the late 19th century and achieved great popularity in the mid 20th century. In the early 21st century, the variety remains popular, and is one of the most common apple variants.
However, in the early twenty-first century is has developed a reputation (especially online in the form of memes) for being unpleasant. The deep red color the apple was bred directly selects against many flavor traits in apples which produce yellow coloration and striped. The thick, waxy skin protects the apple in transportation and maintains a attractive shine, but many find that it is undesirable.
In the early twenty-first century, the competitive advantages of the Red Delicious breed is much less relevant. Transportation logistics have vastly improved, so even delicate apples are unlikely to bruise on their way to the store and at home. Transportation speeds and storage mechanisms have also improved so the apple's long lasting nature is much less relevant. And, the consistency factor the apple was prized for, where every apple of the breed could be counted on to taste the same, has become the norm among cultivars. New and improved apple varieties have emerged that have all the benefits of the Red Delicious (or close enough given the new logistical realities) while also tasting better.
As such, the Red Delicious has become something of a lacking thing. The great success it represented at its introduction has fallen behind across its 150 year history, leaving it an object of mockery compared to all the new variants that have learned the lessons it taught and improved upon them. The Red Delicious simply cannot compete, as we no longer live in the world it was grown for, a world it served very well.
