So you love macaroni and cheese, but always thought it would be better deep fried and paired with one of your favorite snack products. Don’t worry, Burger King has you covered.
Collaborating with PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay, the company who first introduced America to the Whopper is hoping its new flavor mash-up, “Mac’n Cheetos,” will be another winner with consumers. Resembling a mozzarella stick, portions of macaroni and cheese are coated in a Cheetos-flavored breading and deep fried. Combining the ultimate comfort food of macaroni and cheese with one of Frito-Lay’s iconic snacks, the new products have been tested in select regions and will make their debut nationally on Monday.
Served in a five-pack, Man’n Cheetos sticks will be sold until supplies are exhausted. But that doesn’t mean the end of the quirky product—which is already generating rabid conversation on social media. The move by Burger King mimics the strategy shared by Yum! Brands’ Taco Bell which launched the Doritos Locos Tacos in 2012. That product, which loaded beef cheese and other ingredients into a hard Doritos-flavored taco shell, began similarly as a limited product, but has since become a staple at the restaurant.
The Washington Post called the item “sadly genius” pointing out how the fast food item capitalizes on a national trend that shows Americans still purchase indulgent products that sell an experience, despite their desire to watch what they eat. Euromonitor’s Elizabeth Friend told the publication, “when we are so focused on trying to make healthy decisions all the time and eating food that we can feel good about, when we do want to indulge, we want to make sure that that indulgence is worth it.”