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Burger King gives health food trend a big Cheeto-ey slap in the face

June 28, 2016 by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Americans have a real love affair with cheese. We're not talking that upscale, potent-smelling offbeat stuff favored by many in other parts of the globe. Nope, here in the states, we like our cheese a perfect, perverted orange color with the consistency of something between butter and gelatin. And kind of like bacon, we'll put this stuff in, on, under and through everything.

Clearly, Burger King understands that national passion and is introducing a menu item that capitalizes on our love for ultra-orangey cheese by combining the well-known crispy variation of the stuff — Cheetos — with that cheesy favorite of the kid in all of us, mac n' cheese. 

Burger King began offering the new snack mash-up, Mac n’ Cheetos, at its restaurants as an LTO this week in what seems to be almost a full frontal assault on the overall food service industry trend toward more healthful menu offerings. Instead, Mac n' Cheetos is being touted as a great portable summer snack that combines warm mac n’ cheese with a crispy topping of icon of junk food-lovers everywhere, Cheetos. 

"No one understands snacking better than Cheetos, and our expertise at Burger King restaurants is serving guests on the go, so it just made sense that we come together to reinvent this favorite food like it's never been done before," said Burger North America President Alex Macedo. 

The mew concoction was made reality as the result of a partnership with PepsiCo Foodservice, parent for the Cheetos brand. It's the kind of cross-promotion that seems to be growing in popularity across food service these days since it offers twice the marketing punch and name recognition of favorite brands.

"The Burger King brand was the perfect partner to bring this delicious and portable snack to life for lovers of cheese all around and our fans,” said PepsiCo Foodservice Chief Marketing Officer Roberto Rios. 

The $2.49 item is available for a limited time this summer and will be one to watch. The level of its success could be indicative of that start of many more such collaborations between food service and retail food product makers. 

About S.A. Whitehead

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Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb editor Shelly Whitehead is a former newspaper and TV reporter with an affinity for telling stories about the people and innovative thinking behind great brands.