Chick-Fil-A's Mac And Cheese Is A Questionable Cheese Bomb Before It's Baked
Chick-fil-A is a key figure in fast food mythology at this point, with its weird worker rules and legendary menu items stirring up more than a fair share of internet buzz. The franchise's mac and cheese has been subject to speculation and debate ever since it was introduced to menus in 2019. Many praised its crispy baked outer layer and its creamy pasta. The crunchy, creamy, melted cheese combo gave us the typical texture of homestyle mac and cheese that so many adore. While it is offered in-restaurant in normal portions, those who simply can't get enough or are hosting larger events can get the mac by the tray in an advance catering order.
On its official website, Chick-fil-A describes the Mac & Cheese as "A classic macaroni and cheese recipe featuring a special blend of cheeses including Parmesan, Cheddar, and Romano. Baked in-restaurant to form a crispy top layer of baked cheese," featuring a mouthwatering photo of the final product, this cheese blend melted into a single golden layer of perfection. Because of this mouthwatering final product, it's easy to imagine the collective confusion when a video revealed the not-so-appetizing cooking process. Before the mac is baked, it resembles a dubious mass of soggy noodles and shredded cheese. Furthermore, while the restaurant boasts that the product is "baked in-restaurant," very little of the assembly of this seemingly homemade mac and cheese appears to be done at your local Chick-fil-A restaurants.
How the mac gets made
In the behind-the-scenes TikTok video, a Chick-fil-A worker recorded the step-by-step process the franchise uses to make its magic mac. The worker starts off by spraying the baking pans with nonstick oil. Then, he fetches a large sealed bag of the gluey, pre-cooked macaroni from the refrigerator. The pasta was already been mixed in a white cheese sauce by the supplier before it arrived at the restaurant. After the bag gets cut open and the unrecognizable mac and cheese is spread on the tray, the worker gives it a heavy sprinkle of the cheese mixture. Before the mac and cheese goes into the oven, it doesn't exactly look like the most appealing food in the world. With its largely colorless pasta mixture covered in a blend of cold shredded cheeses, it's hard to imagine the final product.
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Many viewers didn't seem too phased by the simple, heavily processed preparation of the dish. In response, one TikTok user wrote, "I wish I had a lifetime supply of their mac i swear." Another user wrote, "Since it's prepackaged, can you tell me where you order it from?" with other users chiming in with ideas. If you're wondering what's really in Chick-fil-A's mac and cheese, the true ingredients aren't so simple. The official fine-print ingredient list holds far more than just a blend of cheeses; it contains a litany of processed chemicals like nitrates, preservatives, and unhealthy oils. While some of these likely allow the mac and cheese to last a long time in storage, some probably help produce its mouthwatering flavor. That being said, you can always try making the Chick-fil-A Mac yourself.