I don’t know who’s been developing Pringles’ recent flavors, but they deserve an award that’s the equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize or a Pulitzer. And that award should be called the Appeties, which gets its name from the word “appetite” and not from the father of food science, Nicholas Appert.
He already has a prestigious food science award named after him. He doesn’t need another.
And when the winner or winners go up to get their award, they should be allowed to give a speech thanking all those who made it possible. And if it seems to go on for too long, like the ingredients list of many processed foods, a chorus of burps should go off in the tune of Weird Al’s “Eat It” to play them off.
Those food scientists deserve it because they’ve been doing an excellent job, and that includes Chicken & Waffles Pringles, a Dollar General exclusive flavor. It’s better than what the Frito-Lay scientists did with Lay’s Chicken & Waffles Potato Chips, which I liked, but in small doses, because it was an unusual amalgamation of sweet and savory that my taste buds could only take so much of.
Although to be fair, the Lay’s chips came out several years ago, and food technology has improved. So the Pringlentists have had years of advancements to perfect their version.
Chicken & Waffles Pringles has a sweet aroma that reminds me of another Pringles flavor, but I’m not 100% sure which one. It might be Pecan Pie or Salted Caramel.
But while all the crisps smell the same, their flavors vary. Some start with a sweet buttermilk waffle taste. While other times, it begins with savory bursts that remind me of the chicken flavor that other Pringles varieties have, but with an underlying artificial maple-like flavor. Sometimes the onion powder included stands out, and there are moments when the crisp gets unusually salty. But most of the time, I do think of the sweet and savory dish when I eat these. And I also think I might eat the whole can right now.
While I enjoy these crisps, I can see how some folks in the “sweet Pringles are weird” camp might not like them as much as I do. Also, it might be my imagination, but these seem to be thicker than any other Pringles I’ve had.
Chicken & Waffles Pringles will never win an award, like Best Crunchy Potato Snack, or help its makers win a Nicholas Appert Award. But in a battle between it and Lay’s Chicken & Waffles Potato Chips, it’s the decisive winner.
Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 5.5 oz.
Purchased at: eBay (Sold at Dollar General)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 crisps/1 oz.) 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.