Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo Says They’re the Next Best Thing to Wings—We Investigate

Look, we’re no strangers to game day snacks. In fact, we’ve written over 30 articles on the topic. Yet, despite all the recipes for mini mac and cheese bites, seven-layer dips and bruschetta bars, one food tends to reign supreme: buffalo wings. In fact, according to National Restaurant Association, 48 million Americans order takeout or delivery for the big game—with wing orders increasing by 35 percent during the NFL Playoffs. Put another way? You can’t post-season without ’em.

But what happens when you finish all the wings or worse—you forget to place an order ahead of time and your favorite delivery spot is backed up for hours? That’s where Cheetos wants to come in. They know they’ll never be able to replace America’s favorite buffalo thing, but they are excited about being the second best buffalo thing. On what grounds? Here’s what you can expect from a bag (or two) of the new Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo.

The innovative snack, not unlike buffalo wings, offers the perfect balance of heat and tang, with the addition of buffalo cheddar flavor and a satisfying crunch. Um, are we mistaken, or did we just describe the perfect game day snack?

No ordering ahead. No bake time. No need for multiple ingredients. Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo are perfect just as they are. One bag (they come in an 8.5 ounce bag, as well as personal 2 ounce sizes), lots of cheesy fingers (P.S. did you know that Cheeto dust is called “cheetle”?) and plenty to share (or not). Basically, it’s the same experience as eating a pile of wings minus the time and money.

Being second-best is sometimes the most fun. Challengers take chances; challengers stick their nose up at the status quo. And in the case of Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo? Challengers bring the flavor with a side of rebellious mischief. Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo hit shelves January 15, and there’ll be chatter about their second-best status leading up to the biggest game day celebration of the year on February 11. Who knows, they might even become your new favorite buffalo thing.