To say the world in 2014 is Doritos flavored would not be that much of an understatement. In the past few years, these snack chips have become a favorite of munchies-lovers everywhere. They consistently have great Super Bowl commercials, and were even featured in 21 Jump Street (as one of the main ingredients in the new drug they were trying to stop, but publicity is still publicity).
The Doritos Company has certainly taken advantage of this surge in popularity and has released a variety of new products as a result. Some are fantastic. An example of this would be the Doritos Locos Tacos. This started with a letter to Frito-Lays and a Facebook group called “Taco Shells made from Doritos Movement.” Now, you can buy bags of taco shells made with Doritos, and they are delicious.
Other ideas are a bit more frightening. An example of this would be Doritos Roulette. Available only in Canada, these are essentially regular nachos, but with a couple of extremely hot chips that will burn your mouth thrown in. It’s Russian Roulette for your taste buds, and it seems terrifying.
The jury’s still undecided on Doritos’ newest product, though. It’s called Doritos Loaded. This product can be seen in three ways: as a mini grilled cheese sandwich, an inside out nacho, or as a Dorito stuffed with more cheese. These are sold in the meal section of 7Elevens across the country, so they are filling enough to pass as a meal. And supposedly, they’ve been flying off the shelves, or at least they were when they first came out over the summer.
Photo Credit: NPR
In terms of taste, this chip/sandwich blend has been getting incredibly mixed reviews. NPR’s The Salt tried them recently for Sandwich Monday, and they had some interesting things to say on the product.
“This is what happens when Doritos eat too many Doritos,” said one.
“They have an aroma that makes you ask: did someone bring Doritos Loaded or did my grandpa take his shoes off?” said another.
“These look like Doritos after they went to college and gained the freshman fifteen,” said the third member of this group.
Overall, they said that, despite the nostalgia they got from the chips’ similarity to Handi-Snacks, the Loaded flavor doesn’t add anything particularly exciting to the Doritos flavor and franchise.
However, it is important to note that they only tried them once.
According to Adam Chandler of The Wire, liking Doritos Loaded is all about second chances.
“The crisp outer shell gave way to congealed cheesy innards,” said Chandler of the first time he tried Doritos Loaded. “For something decadent and artificial by design, it only tasted of the latter. A disappointing stunt.”
The second time he tried them, however, his reaction was different.
“The store was jammed and the clerk told me that the Doritos Loaded had been flying off the shelves. And so, I tried again and the promise (a medley of American, Romano, and cheddar) was fulfilled.”
Chandler said his mother even enjoyed them, taking a second one after saying the first was “the ultimate junk food.”
So are these too much? Has the Doritos Company finally gone too far? Or are these the delightful cheesy snack we’ve all been waiting for? There’s really only one way to tell, and it may take two tries to get a full opinion. But it may be worth the risk.
Featured Image Courtesy of USA Today
Amanda Doughty
Amanda Doughty considers cheese to be an essential part of her upbringing, as her family owns Anthony's Italian Kitchen, an Italian restaurant in Portland, Maine. She studied creative writing at Emerson, where she was considered an outcast for refusing to touch the disgusting pizza in the Dining Hall. She admits that is a bit of a food snob, especially when it comes to pizza and cheese.
