In the 50s & 60s, our baked potatoes had a thick skin. For a person that 'eats the skins', they were fantastic. Starting in the 70s, and definitely in the 80s, thick skins were no where to be found.

I'm guessing the restaurant trade bought them, leaving us with only thin-skinned potatoes. Do you know why potato skins are not as thick as they once were?

Potato skins’ thickness may vary, depending on a number of factors: The potato type (russet, red, yellow type, etc.) the numerous varieties within each type, the time of year (‘new’ potatoes freshly harvested have a thinner skin than those in long term storage, for example), the specific source; region or even field soil composition (clay, sand, loamy, etc.) – Can affect a potato’s skin color, texture, flavor, and even thickness. None of these factors have changed appreciably over the years, or even decades, but it is understandable how one could perceive it to be so.