Bachelor on the Cheap

By Mike Thayer

Bacon & Cheddar, an enticing combo

On another road trip and grabbing a snack after refueling my truck, I picked up a bag of Tom's Bacon Cheddar Fries to munch on for the last leg of my trip.  That's one thing I like about road trips, driving down the Interstate, it's a great time to think about things and reflect while listening to some great classic rock tunes and enjoying a savory treat.

I've never had Tom's Bacon Cheddar Fries before, I like their BBQ Flavored Pork Skins.  So based on that experience and the enticing thought of bacon and cheddar flavors on a crispy 'fry' chip...  I pulled the trigger on these. 

Always looking for another chip variety to crack my Top 5 list (Nacho Cheese Doritos being my #1 all time favorite), I had high hopes for this chip, but it fell short in the flavor department.  You get a nice crunch, the cheddar flavor is there and you get the hint of bacon, but neither flavor is robust.  It's subtle rather than in-your-face and for me, if you're going to hype up bacon and cheddar flavors, such a fantastic combo, then those flavors have to be robust.  What Tom's offers here is a bit of a let down, kind of like that movie with all the funny one-liners in the teaser that entices you to go, but when you see the movie you find out, ALL the funny one-liners were in the teaser...

They look good, right?

Costing me $1.99 for the snack bag size at a truck stop (a typical price for that kind of shopping environment), I'm giving Tom's Bacon Cheddar Fries 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  They are a borderline repeat buy.  I'll look for something else before I buy these again.  In fact, I prefer Andy Capp's Cheddar Fries, they have a more robust cheesy flavor.  Too bad they don't offer a bacon/cheddar variety.

Related: Food Review: Tom's Fried Pork Skins BBQ Chicharrones