Technically they’re called “Ketchup and Fries Flavored Potato Snacks”, but a chip is after all, a chip, so that’s what I’m going with. I’m guessing most of you have never seen this particular snack food in you local store. In fact, I wouldn’t have even noticed them myself if WhatTheDeuce contributor, Anthony Siano, hadn’t found them in a vending machine at one of our job sites.

If it isn’t obvious to you, the Burger King branded chips (there I go again), are the company’s attempt to bottle, errr bag the taste of their not-quite-as-popular-as-McDonald’s fries. Were they successful?

Here’s what the bag says:

What’s better than ketchup and fries? How about a a mystical merge of ketchup and fries and snack chips? You heard us. Only from BK™. A flavor that pairs the yin flavor of your favorite BK™ side with the yang crunch of a chip. Keep on chippin’ on.

I like BK™ as much as the next guy. I absolutely love the way the company has embraced the biggest, fattiest, belt-bustingest menu imaginable during a time when the other guys are trying to go low-cal, low fat, no more supersize, etc. And yes, I love the creepy King comercials. but… Yin flavor? Yang crunch? Mystical merge? Seriously, what’s the King been smoking? Whatever…

The Smell

Much to my surprise, they actually kind of smelled like Ketchup and fries. Mind you, not fresh ketchup and fries, but a reasonable approximation none the less. Truthfully, they smell more like what’s left over in bag of fries and ketchup after a long night of drinking. It’s not putrid or anything, but it doesn’t exactly scream “eat me” either.

The Look

The best description I can give for how these mystical merges of yin and yang look, is to say that they look sort of like thing Fritos without the curl, and dusted with salt and paprika. Doesn’t that sound appetizing?

The Taste

With food, it’s really the taste that matters. Of course, this assumes that Ketchup and Fries chips actually qualify as food, and well, I have my doubts. I didn’t really get a lot of french fry flavor out of the chips. Instead, they taste more like…wait for it…wait a little longer…potato chips, which as most of us already know isn’t really the same as a french fry. Good try though, guys. The ketchup part is pretty close though. It tastes like what I image you’d get if you left a spot of ketchup to dry/rot in the afternoon sun, and then dusted it with salt prior to licking it off whatever surface you dried it on.

The Ketchup and Fries Chips, aren’t good. There, I said it. You won’t want a second bag, and worse still is the aftertaste. If you do decide to try these for yourself, make sure you have a toothbrush, some mouthwash, or a can of gasoline nearby. Unfortunately, I didn’t. Instead, I had to face a 45 minute ride home with a most unpleasant taste in my fry-hole. It took everything I had not to chew on the inside of my cheeks until they bled (which probably would have improved the situation in my mouth).

For 75 cents the BK™ Ketchup & Fries Chips were worth a go. I’ll give you 75 cents (not really), if I never have to eat them again.

Nutrional Info

Finally, in case you’re wondering about the nutritional value of a potato chip product produced (at least in conjunction with) the #2 fast food chain in the country:

• 265 Calories (1.75 oz bag)
• 14g fat (2g saturated)
• 420mg Sodium
• 33g Carbohydrates
• 2g protein
• No Vitamins to speak of

On the upside, there is no trans fat, which really doesn’t matter, but it is a nice marketing tool, that works exceptionally well for convincing stupid people that a sack of deep fried crap covered in salt is pretty much the same thing as a bag of carrots.