Chick-fil-A has always been a crowd-pleaser here on campus. Last week it welcomed a familiar favorite, much to the delight of many students. The Chick-fil-A mac and cheese, “a classic macaroni and cheese recipe featuring a special blend of cheeses including Parmesan, Cheddar, and Romano,” as stated by the restaurant’s menu, has had many changes in its recipe over the years. Its transitional periods have fostered much controversy within the devoted Chick-fil-A consumer community. According to a UW Chick-fil-A employee, the Wyoming Union location recently launched mac and cheese.
“Once you start, you’re kind of like, I need my fill of mac and cheese,” said UW student McCoy Schilleman. Schilleman often orders mac and cheese at Chick-fil-A, and was pleased to share his positive experience with the dish.
“It’s a really solid texture and creaminess, but there’s not a ton of seasoning,” he said. He was joined by fellow UW student Robby Miller, who sampled the mac and cheese for the first time on Friday.
“It’s a lot better than Kraft mac and cheese,” Robby Miller said. “The cheese is creamy, which is good, but it’s not wet. It’s not too runny, it sticks to the noodles well.”
Schilleman echoed this sentiment, explaining how the complementary relationship between the cheese and the noodles created a sensory experience that was “just right”. He also commented on the physical appearance of the mac and cheese, providing approving remarks about the way in which Chick-fil-A presents the beloved side to its loyal consumers.
“And then they got that little bit of real cheese on top, which kind of gives it a nice kind of fresh, homemade look,” Schilleman said.
Stratton Miller, a fellow UW student, described his tasting experience in detail, giving readers a unique description to ponder when potentially considering a taste of Chick-fil-A mac and cheese.
“The texture is noodley, more noodley than normal,” Stratton Miller said. “Better taste, a lot thicker. Like when you bite through it, there’s more texture to it. It’s very thick and not runny, and the noodles are bigger than normal.”
Stratton Miller rated the tasting experience an eight out of ten and said he would recommend the side dish to a friend, especially on a cold, cloudy day. He compared it to the popular Kraft brand mac and cheese, stating that it tasted different but better overall.
UW Student Waylon Nelson said the experience transported him on a creamy and cheesy journey back to his childhood.
“Takes me back to when I was young,” Nelson said. No further expansion was offered regarding this comment. Nelson agreed that the dish tasted better than Kraft mac and cheese, but cautioned potential consumers against disregarding the optimal consumption temperature.
“It’s pretty good when it’s warm, but I would say it could be really bad when it’s cold,” Nelson said.
Students gave the side dish high ratings with little critique overall, but many expressed hesitation regarding future interest due to the price of the dish.
“I think it’s a bit expensive, but I’d probably still pay it,” Robby Miller said.
