If you’re like me, you were probably excited and intrigued when you heard about Jack’s new menu item. The thought of deep-fried macaroni and cheese is pretty darn cool. But unfortunately, not all ‘cool’ ideas result in great products. Such is the case with the Cheesy Macaroni Bites. My initial excitement has turned to overall disappointment.
fast_food_jack_in_the_box_cheesy_macaroni
Size-wise, they’re a little bit larger than a chicken nugget but thinner. They look good enough. In fact, the coating is a thing of beauty, with just the right color and texture you would expect from a tasty deep-fried snack. It’s crispy, golden brown, and breaks away with a satisfying crunch, revealing the soft noodles and cheese packed inside. The shell is nice, no doubt. The problem is — the crust to filling (flavor) ratio is way off.
You cannot taste enough Mac N Cheese! More specifically, cheese. The coating is simply overpowering. The end result is a snack that’s not very cheesy, doesn’t remind me of the traditional dish, and tastes pretty bland. I wanted to like these. I really did. Heck, I was ready to LOVE these. But I’m sorry, they’re not worthy of the love.
I’ve tried them 3 times, at 3 different locations. There were slight differences in how well-done each order was cooked, with some being darker brown and more crunchy than others, but the bottom line was always the same — crust steals the show.
fast_food_jack_in_the_box_cheesy_macaroni
The photo above was taken after slicing one in half with a knife. As you can see, the noodles are plentiful and everything appears in order, but looks can be deceiving. What you can’t detect from the picture is the lack of richness or strong flavor in the cheese sauce. And between the thick coating and the pasta, the cheese is muted and doesn’t stand a chance of making much of an impact on your taste buds.
I still believe in the basic idea. I’m sure there’s a way to make this work, but this is not the right balance. They need a thinner shell, and to increase the cheese content.
The Cheesy Macaroni Bites from Jack in the Box failed to deliver the beloved taste of the classic favorite I was hoping for. The flavor of macaroni and cheese is not strong enough, or satisfying enough for me to desire to eat them again. They don’t taste bad, they’re OK, but the ‘average’ label is totally appropriate here. Nothing special. After the first sandwich, I was ready to give the Chicken Bacon Ranch a score of “A”, but I had to try it at least one more time at another location.
Sadly, the second time didn’t live up to the first experience. There was barely any chicken. I didn’t mind so much the distribution errors, but at least I received a good amount of chicken with the first one. The bacon was just as good on the second sandwich, as was the sauce, cheese, and bread. Also, I received a cup of ranch dipping sauce, which I had not received on the first occasion. That extra sauce improved the remaining crust.
