We were first contacted about the new Pringles Thanksgiving Dinner chips last week, and literally the next day the box was waiting for me at my desk.
"This is the future," commented a coworker, and I can't disagree. The package contained eight different types of chips, with a count of three chips in each flavor, and the flavors included Turkey, Stuffing, Mac & Cheese, Creamed Corn, Mashed Potato, Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry Sauce, and Pumpkin Pie.
The packaging also encourages consumers to "stack 'em for even tastier feastivities" (yes, that's FEASTivities, not FEST). Sample stacking combinations suggested by Pringles included "The Leftover Sandwich" (Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potato chips); "The Holiday Sweater" (Pumpkin Pie, Cranberry Sauce, Mashed Potatoes chips); and "The Touchdown" (Green Bean Casserole, Mac & Cheese, and Creamed Corn chips).
The Thanksgiving Dinner is also not available for purchase this holiday season—only the media and "select fans" were sent packages—which added to consumers' rabid fascination with it on Twitter last week. Reactions ranged from "I have so many questions" to "No ...", so I was curious to try the chips.
The first chip I tried was the Turkey variety, which was ... interesting. It definitely tasted like turkey flavor, but in chip form, and was surprisingly tasty.
I then tried a few of the combinations, including The Leftover Sandwich and The Holiday Sweater. The Holiday Sweater tasted like dessert, and was sweet; the Cranberry Sauce flavor by itself, as Food & Wine magazine indicates, is very sweet.
My favorite of the chip flavors were Mac & Cheese—it tasted like a Cheez-It flavored Pringle, almost—and, surprisingly, the Pumpkin Pie chip. I say "surprisingly" because I usually dislike most pumpkin-flavored things, but this had a nice flavor profile to it.
The Pringles Thanksgiving Dinner arrives at a time when flavor innovation is thriving, and when millennials such as myself are obsessed with new flavor combinations, so I wasn't too shocked to see the fascination with it on social media. I posted a few pictures of the box on my personal Facebook and Twitter accounts over the weekend, too, and received quite a few comments on it—many were wondering if it was a real thing, and if so, where they could find it.
The release of the Thanksgiving Dinner is perfectly timed to the holiday, too, and—if and when it's available for retail consumption—would be a fun conversation starter to bring to the Thanksgiving table to share with family and friends.
