Is there a new April Fool's Day that I don't know about? Because my editor assigned this story, I thought she was punking me. I mean, TikTok for sure comes up with some ultra-weird things but I kid you not, this might be the weirdest food combination I've come across ever. For now, at least... TikTok is really on a roll lately.
So let's dig into it. If you haven't seen the droves of humans (I think they might be aliens) putting ketchup on their KitKat bars on the internet, first - I'm happy for you that you weren't subjected to this abomination. If you have seen it, I'm sorry. If you've tried it and think it's the best thing since pickles on potato chips (that, my friends, is DELICIOUS) - we probably can't be friends. I'm just going to say that KitKats are supremely delicious and rank as my #2 favorite candy bars in life. Ketchup... it's cool, it's delicious on hot dogs and hamburgers. But that's where it stops for me. I hate yucking y'all's yum, but I can't.
@trinhdoesthings Time to find out if my taste buds have undergone any changes in three years #Weirdfood #weirdfoodcombos #foodcombo #snack #mukbang #kitkat #ketchup ♬ original sound - trinhdoesthings
Is it a Condiment Catastrophe?
So the interesting thing is that this "trend" started in 2021 but has seen an inexplicable resurgence as of late. KitKat and Heinz are even exploiting the popularity with a promotional video on IG. They "remixed" a video with @trinhdoesthings eating ketchup on her KitKat - who tried it in 2021 and says she kept getting DMs to do it again. In an effort to see if her taste buds had changed, she ventured forth and slathered her snappy, chocolatey delight in a sticky, vinegary Heinz embrace. Pardon me for a minute - I just stifled a bout of nausea. In the new vid, our girl Trinh renders the verdict that most people would expect. Trinh shakes her head and simply said, "yeah, no." She continues and says, "That right there - no thank you," with a -10/10 score rendered on the combination.
A Ketchup-Coated Marketing Stunt
Interestingly, KitKat and Heinz cut the video off after Trinh takes a nice, big bite! While there are plenty of people on the internet who do adore the combo, this one feels a little misleading and screams false advertising for the brands to take her content out of context. They're also teasing a ketchup-flavored KitKat (insert green, barf-face emoji here).
Can Ketchup Actually Complement Chocolate?
Apparently, the salty-sweet combo is what makes it work for some people. The ketchup's tartness is supposed to complement the chocolate's sweetness, and the crunch of the wafer supposedly goes well with the, uh, sauciness (?) of the ketchup. I'm just going to point out the obvious and say that's what French fries are for.
Look, I'm not here to judge. If you're out there dipping your Kit Kats in ketchup and loving it, you do you, boo. But honestly, the very thought of it makes my taste buds weep.
