Rhett & Link Find the Most Convincing BBQ Snacks

There are a whole lot of BBQ-flavored snacks out there. From chips to cracklin’ to almonds to “Jerquee” (just keep reading, you’ll get it), many of these snacks claim to be BBQ flavored— but how many of them actually live up to that promise?

On a 2017 episode of Good Mythical Morning, Rhett &Link set off to look at some popular and/or interesting BBQ snacks and score them based on how much they taste like the real deal: Good ol’ American BBQ sauce (specifically that sweet Kansas City style sauce). So Rhett & Link tried some BBQ sauce to set the standard, then dove into their first item, which also happened to win the competition …

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Lay’s BBQ Potato Chips

Upon the first bite, Link said “that’s a good chip.” Rhett even thought it was better than the sauce itself. In terms of flavor, Link noted that “it’s coming from the same exact place.” He also said it’s “so smoky, it’s got that bite.” And by bite, I am assuming the guys meant acidity/tang, which is a common characteristic of any BBQ sauce. Basically, Lay’s nailed it.

Weight Watchers Popped Barbecue Potato Crisps

Even though Rhett said these “taste like some old gum that somebody left on the gym floor,” these unlikely candidates came in second in terms of BBQ flavor accuracy. The guys tasted these after having Lay’s BBQ, David Bar-B-Q sunflower seeds, and Frito’s Bar-B-Q, so the cards were kind of stacked against them to begin with. However, when you lick these, it apparently tastes very much like BBQ sauce. Link still wasn’t fully convinced though, noting that this one had “more sweetness than [the other contestants], but none of the bite.”

Frito’s Bar-B-Q

Rhett found these to be extremely satisfying, even though the corn flavor was really strong. Link thought these were a great tasting snack but not the most accurate to the BBQ sauce flavor. Both Rhett and Link thought these Fritos lacked the sweetness of BBQ sauce. Link said, “It’s like half BBQ.”

The other three snacks they tried were tied for last place. They tried David Bar-B-Q Jumbo sunflower seeds and Rhett said, “They could just be salted and I wouldn’t know the difference.” But they did like these! Link concluded: “Not BBQ, [but] it’s still great David!” (These happened to take the top spot in Sporked‘s sunflower seed ranking.)

Stonewall’s Jerquee was a vegetarian BBQ “beef” they tried. Link bit into one and immediately said, “This is a dog treat. It’s horrifyingly horrible!” Geez, Link. Tell us how you really feel. Watching this made me appreciate all the progress alt protein has made since this was filmed in 2017. Rhett even went as far to say, “If I had a choice between eating this or just expiring, I think I would expire.” The one positive? The winking mustachioed man on the front.

And lastly, they tried Thai Taro Fish Snack BBQ Flavor, which apparently tasted like “a wharf or pier” and was very fishy with no hint of BBQ in sight. 


About the Author

Jessica Block

Jessica Block is a freelance contributor to Sporked, a comedian, a baker, a food writer, and a firm believer that Trader Joe's may just be the happiest place on earth. She loves spicy snacks, Oreos, baking bread, teeny tiny avocados, and trying new foods whenever she can. Also, if you give her a bag of Takis she will be your best friend.

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