Getting Your Hand Stuck In A Pringles Can Is More Common Than You'd Think
The premise of Pringles' relatable 2022 Super Bowl commercial is quite simple: A party goer spots a can of Pringles, reaches inside for a potato crisp or two, and gets his hand stuck forever — even until his final breath (via YouTube). The storyline may seem dramatic, but it's actually quite relevant. Per the chip brand's official website, Pringles was inspired to create the commercial by fans on social media, who have shared stories over the years about their arms getting stuck in the signature canisters. In fact, 43% of Kellogg's survey respondents said they've gotten a hand stuck inside of a Pringles can before, according to a press release.
Pop culture is filled with references to the "Pringles problem." Even Bo Burnham discussed the issue in the song, "Can't Handle This (Kanye Rant)." The comedian joked about how "the diameter of a Pringles can is way too small," so he typically has to tip the can over his mouth and create a mess of crumbs in order to get the chips out. He pleaded with the chip brand to make its cans bigger before settling on another solution: having a daughter with smaller hands. Other people have different ideas.
Other solutions to the Pringles problem
There's a specific reason why Pringles places its chips in a can: It helps preserve the chips' signature saddle shape. Still, this logic hasn't prevented people from proposing alternative Pringles container designs. Designer Dohyuk Kwon won a Red Dot Design Award for his "Bloom Chips" idea, which illustrates a Pringles-like cylindrical chip can that opens up into a bowl, per Fast Company.
Bloom Chips have obviously not become a reality for Pringles, so you may want to learn what to do if you get your hand stuck in a Pringles can. Alternatively, you could turn to robotfishbox on YouTube for a simple Pringles-eating hack that requires only a piece of paper: Simply fold it in half, curve it, and place it into the can so it arcs around the chips and easily slides them out. Otherwise, you could move to Asia, where Pringles cans apparently come with a tool to lift out the chips (via Reddit).