The KFC Cheetos Sandwich Doesn't Look Like The Ad

Just when you thought the fast-food chain that brought you the Double Down sandwich, chicken-flavored chocolate, and Finger Lickin' Nail Polish was running out of crazy tricks, in comes the latest limited-edition menu item that made our heads spin in disbelief: the KFC Cheetos Sandwich.

Introduced this month, the neon-orange KFC Cheetos Sandwich will only be around for four weeks. The fast-food giant built this monstrosity by matching their Crispy Colonel Sandwich, which includes a fried chicken filet, mayo, and pickles, with a layer of actual Cheetos and a special hot sauce called (naturally) Cheetos sauce.

We couldn't resist trying this sandwich out, so we headed to the closest KFC (in my case, one in Raleigh, North Carolina) to drop $10 on two sandwiches. One was for me to scarf down immediately while it was still hot (in a better bid to fairly evaluate the sandwich), and another was to enjoy at home for a more leisurely critique.

After an unusually long wait in the drive-thru line (maybe everyone was rushing out to pick up a chicken Cheetos meal?), we finally got our two sandwiches, both piping hot and surprisingly swaddled in a greasy Smoky Mountain BBQ wrapper, obviously leftover from a previous promotion.

What does the KFC Cheetos Sandwich look like?

In person, the sandwich has two small buns bookending a thick, breaded chicken breast covered in a bright red sauce. The meat is perched on a few fat Cheetos that are resting on a thin white layer of mayonnaise.

Now, we realize that what you see in the commercials and on the marketing materials is the result of hours of food stylists angling to get the perfect photo, but I confess that I was ultimately disappointed by the lackluster presentation. Still, I pressed on.

How does it taste?

The first bite was actually quite pleasant. The chicken was piping hot, though a tad dry. The sauce was adequately spicy, and the Cheetos texture came through in the bottom in force with a satisfying crunch. I was surprised by the deliciousness of the cheesy umami flavor combined with the vinegary kick of the mayo, too. I was impressed, and so I went in for another bite.

After the bliss of the first bite, the rush of Cheetos-fueled flavor gave way to an off-putting sweetness that was largely unappetizing. In my opinion, the chicken filet was just too thick, and the Cheetos were too big and lumpy, making for an odd chewing experience. Perhaps worst of all, the star of the show—the Cheetos—were also slightly stale. That was confirmed when I gnawed on an errant piece that had fallen out of the sandwich.

I only got one bite into the second sandwich, which I took home. The staleness of the Cheetos and the quickly cooling chicken and sauce made it all but inedible.

The easy way to make healthier comfort foods.

I get that the novelty is clearly the main attraction here. However, it's worth noting that the flavors are there—they're just lurking behind a poorly executed sandwich.