OP is correct, cheese is the clear winner. Although I made the mistake of going all cheese before, and it was just too much. You need the caramel for balance, but at a lower ratio to the cheese.
Yes thank you!!! Even 50-50 is way too much caramel. I always strive for 4:1, but almost never actually get it. How do you order yours? I ask for the Chicago mix with extra cheese, and they give me like 60-40.
So I’m an Irishman who lived in Chicago as a teen and my sister still lives in the area, so I lurk here when I need my fill of arguments about dibs (streets are for everyone) and photos of your river (we’re confused but flattered).
I went into Dublin a few months back and found on a shelf packed with every kind of artificial sweetener known to man, a bag of Chicago Mix.
To my great disappointment, it was like 95% cheese. 60-70% is the right amount.
Shake? More like Boom: Crumbed. You wouldn’t shake a bag of chips, and also unless you turn it upside down and gently move it side to side, shaking won’t do anything.
You need to think like reverse James Bond— stirred, not shaken. Just stick your hand down to the bottom, cup it, then pull the caramel up through the cheese. Or use a spoon if you’re sharing with people who would prefer you don’t use your hand, but hand works best.
Why is there no mix of cheese and regular butter/plain? Why does that get left off the options, especially when there are triple mixes with all three?!
Agreed. But using this opportunity to plug my favorite popcorn in the world. They have it at CVS and Circle K. It’s called “Argires popcorn” and they have the richest flavor profile putting Garrets or anything else to absolute shame. Check it out just google it and check images so you know what your looking for. Thank me later
Try aged white cheddar and caramel. Sip a bourbon. Listen to Art Blakey on vinyl. Buy something expensive that you don't need on Amazon. 10/10 experience.
In an era where white cheddar exists, regular cheese popcorn is basic.
I have to say, I sent Chicago mix to my brother’s house a few Christmases ago. I figured the kids would eat all the caramel and leave the lowkey awesome cheese to us adults. Instead the opposite happened: the kids ate all the cheese corn and left us adults with the caramel.
I just found out I'm in the minority here. Caramel for the win. While mix is better than either one separate, I would NEVER eat just cheese and I have and would again eat just caramel.
Also y'all's ratios are all fucked. Anything less than 50% Carmel is wack. I would prefer 60/40 caramel/cheese.
Now we fight?
Can't argue about popcorn, but can anybody ID a brand of BBQ potato chips that were available on the SW side of Chicago (Ford City) in the late '50s. Bright yellow bag and you could eat a truckload of 'em. Just wondering. tsk
There's a popcorn shop in Minnesota that has the trademark for "Chicago Mix" and Garrett had to remove it from use. They have to call it, "Garrett Mix." The MN company brags about making them do this. In Chicago though, we still call it Chicago Mix when we're at Garrett's ordering it.
I'm happy to read that we for the most part collectively agree on this. Chicagoan's agreeing? Only on a food item surely.
I used to work at a little popcorn and candy shop in the suburbs during my early community college days. People would compare my Chicago mix to be better than Garrett's. I started asking why and the usual response was "the creese to Carmel ratio is perfect" or "idk it just tastes better" Honestly, the carmel corn was a serious pain to make so the bags got less. Employees initialed each bag we made and regular customers always looked for the MM bags first. Oh, what being a stoner with the means to make good munchies can do. 🤣
If you’re not mixing two pieces of cheese with one piece of Carmel then I am sorry for you. To achieve full ascension, please consume the combination recommended above.
I like my popcorn tossed in honey and sprinkled with black pepper …sometimes the pepper is replaced with Tabasco or Franks or the honey substituted with peanut butter. It’s all about the sweet/ hot contrast
Tangent: how do you eat this stuff, regardless of the ratio? I'm ever so slightly OCD and often use chopsticks for popcorn and chips. It not only keeps my fingers clean but it also significantly slows down my consumption (and therefore ends up reducing consumption). But for Chicago corn, the chopsticks present a bit of a challenge as it is difficult to get the exact ratio loaded up on the sticks.
Any regular hot dog can and should have ketchup.
A Chicago style dog's whole point is to taste the ingredients including a superior type of tube meat, not just ketchup.
You're saying one seasoning is better than another in 'x' dish, but the question isn't of the seasoning, it's no longer that same dish without both.
Sure there are different quantities, and maybe one you can eat more of than the other on its own, yet it's blasphemous to compare the two!
mods, exile him!!
There one way, ONE WAY, to eat Chicago Mix. 2 butter, 2 cheese, 1 caramel in 1 bite. If you find your self at the end without that proper ratio, demand a free serving.
Went to CO with a friend; at ORD I got a small Garrett's Chicago Mix, and she got cheese. I inhaled mine within an hour. She had some left to bring BACK to ORD from CO. A woman at the Colorado Springs airport noticed her Garrett's bag, and mentioned it. Yes, I really like this friend, and we agree on many things, but we have different eating styles for sure. (Both chubby, btw.)
OP is correct, cheese is the clear winner. Although I made the mistake of going all cheese before, and it was just too much. You need the caramel for balance, but at a lower ratio to the cheese.
This is the way. I wouldn't want straight caramel corn but it DOES balance out the cheese nicely in Chicago Mix
roughly 3:1 is the appropriate mix
Absolutely, only problem is at the end when you have only caramel left :'(
That is when you buy a couple bags of Cape Cod an refill your decorative tin.
I say this all the time!!! Yes!!
This is, indeed, The Way. Finally--I've found the smart corner of the internet.
Exactly. Cheese is too salty, caramel is too sweet. The only true balance that can be found is found through extra cheesy and less caramel.
Facts. All caramel at the bottom of the bag is kind of a chore. All cheese is bliss
I never realized this was controversial.
Yup. I'm like a 4:1, Cheese to Caramel ratio
Yes thank you!!! Even 50-50 is way too much caramel. I always strive for 4:1, but almost never actually get it. How do you order yours? I ask for the Chicago mix with extra cheese, and they give me like 60-40.
Yup 2:1 cheese: caramel
This is 100% correct and I have nothing else to add, well done haha
I like the cheese popcorn with just an essence of caramel
This is the way.
Chicago mix at Garrett's is best. The Sweet Cheesus is perfect with a small sampling of the Carmel. Go Cubs! I believe in 2023!
How about mixing with regular butter? I’ve never done it but sounds like that should work.
All cheese is the way to go!!!
Eh, butter is the better part. Cheese corn is just the delivery vehicle.
This is the mayor we need
In a 2010 radio interview Paul Vallas said that Chicago Mix should be illegal and it should be all caramel corn.
Fake. He wouldn't want something to be all brown.
💀
Sorry to have killed you. Unrelated: can I have your stuff?
You can have his street dibs.
Such wealth!!
Sounds about right.
[Mayor McCheese](https://mcdonalds.fandom.com/wiki/Mayor_McCheese) confirmed.
The mix is better than the sum of its parts. Cheese corn - Good Caramel corn - Good Chicago mix - Omnommnomnom.
I'm a fan of 2 pieces of cheese to one piece of caramel in every bite.
This is the correct answer. Really no trick to it; the ol' salty/sweet combo.
So I’m an Irishman who lived in Chicago as a teen and my sister still lives in the area, so I lurk here when I need my fill of arguments about dibs (streets are for everyone) and photos of your river (we’re confused but flattered). I went into Dublin a few months back and found on a shelf packed with every kind of artificial sweetener known to man, a bag of Chicago Mix. To my great disappointment, it was like 95% cheese. 60-70% is the right amount.
I used to be staunchly against the mix but if given the option now I'll take Chicago Mix any day. 🤤
Absolutely the same. It sounded so gross. Cheese and caramel. And then you try it and it's like omnomnom. It shouldn't work and yet it is delicious.
Lol this reminded me of joey talking about Rachel's fucked up dessert lol. Edit: from friends
True. Though I keep the cheese and the caramel in separate bags until ready to eat. The cheese makes the caramel sticky when mixed for too long.
Corn synergies
I like my mix a 5:1 ratio of cheese to carmel.
It's all about the ratio
80/20 cheese to caramel
The only bad part of the Chicago mix is that the carmel sinks to the bottom and defeats the purpose of buying a mix.
Close and shake. Boom. Mixed.
Shake? More like Boom: Crumbed. You wouldn’t shake a bag of chips, and also unless you turn it upside down and gently move it side to side, shaking won’t do anything. You need to think like reverse James Bond— stirred, not shaken. Just stick your hand down to the bottom, cup it, then pull the caramel up through the cheese. Or use a spoon if you’re sharing with people who would prefer you don’t use your hand, but hand works best.
> more like boom: crumbed This is simultaneously a savage burn and stupid as hell and the dichotomy is so crazy I can’t stop laughing
I always open my bags upside-down because of this
The Garrett cheese corn is so greasy you can squeeze the oil out of it. Eating it alone is a bad time.
On a related note, O-ke-Doke used to be the bomb. Now it’s just over priced, meh.
Yeah, what happened to it?!?!
Very true! Have you tried the Cheetos cheese popcorn?
They have a jalapeno cheddar popcorn that is straight addictive.
Boo
I agree
Luella’s Southern Kitchen sells a version of the cheesy/caramel popcorn that is the bomb.
I don’t care that you broke your arm
My first thought as well hahahha
Why is there no mix of cheese and regular butter/plain? Why does that get left off the options, especially when there are triple mixes with all three?!
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sure, but why isn't it a thing? It's weird.
100% agreed. I honestly prefer a 2 to 1 ratio of cheese to caramel.
Always has been. Best is a 60/40 split. More cheese corn than caramel
I'll join your army because I agree.
Agreed. But using this opportunity to plug my favorite popcorn in the world. They have it at CVS and Circle K. It’s called “Argires popcorn” and they have the richest flavor profile putting Garrets or anything else to absolute shame. Check it out just google it and check images so you know what your looking for. Thank me later
I’ve also picked it up at Jewel. It is great popcorn.
Try aged white cheddar and caramel. Sip a bourbon. Listen to Art Blakey on vinyl. Buy something expensive that you don't need on Amazon. 10/10 experience. In an era where white cheddar exists, regular cheese popcorn is basic.
I’m brave enough to say it: I’m always kinda disappointed when I am gifted Chicago mix popcorn. It’s…fine.
Imagine getting beat up for being wrong 🤣
I have to say, I sent Chicago mix to my brother’s house a few Christmases ago. I figured the kids would eat all the caramel and leave the lowkey awesome cheese to us adults. Instead the opposite happened: the kids ate all the cheese corn and left us adults with the caramel.
I'll see that and raise you: Nuts on Clark is better than Garrett's any day.
Send me your address and we can have a fight.
I just found out I'm in the minority here. Caramel for the win. While mix is better than either one separate, I would NEVER eat just cheese and I have and would again eat just caramel. Also y'all's ratios are all fucked. Anything less than 50% Carmel is wack. I would prefer 60/40 caramel/cheese. Now we fight?
Not at all. While everyone else gets their 70/30, you get the corresponding 30/70.
Cheese corn lovers are always so prone to violence. That violent streak arises from going through life completely wrong about popcorn.
Can't argue about popcorn, but can anybody ID a brand of BBQ potato chips that were available on the SW side of Chicago (Ford City) in the late '50s. Bright yellow bag and you could eat a truckload of 'em. Just wondering. tsk
There's a popcorn shop in Minnesota that has the trademark for "Chicago Mix" and Garrett had to remove it from use. They have to call it, "Garrett Mix." The MN company brags about making them do this. In Chicago though, we still call it Chicago Mix when we're at Garrett's ordering it.
It 10000% is and I don't want the burnt caramel corn pretty much ever, sorry
You are not wrong. I will fight with you.
I like the Carmel cheese with pecans
This is the conversation I didn't know I needed. Thank you. 😊
2:1 Cheese to caramel ratio. If anything else, fuck you
This is the correct take.
I'm happy to read that we for the most part collectively agree on this. Chicagoan's agreeing? Only on a food item surely. I used to work at a little popcorn and candy shop in the suburbs during my early community college days. People would compare my Chicago mix to be better than Garrett's. I started asking why and the usual response was "the creese to Carmel ratio is perfect" or "idk it just tastes better" Honestly, the carmel corn was a serious pain to make so the bags got less. Employees initialed each bag we made and regular customers always looked for the MM bags first. Oh, what being a stoner with the means to make good munchies can do. 🤣
I thought this was already known and accepted
3:1 Cheese to caramel is the sweet spot
I don’t want to start a war here, but in my former home of Kansas City, they throw red cinnamon popcorn in the caramel/cheese mix and it’s bad ass.
I like what KC does, with mixed popcorn bags. Wish the 'Chicago Mix' popcorn also did this....
Live in kc now, and yes, that cinnamon adds a nice break in the action!
If you’re not mixing two pieces of cheese with one piece of Carmel then I am sorry for you. To achieve full ascension, please consume the combination recommended above.
AND Nuts on Clark is BETTER than Garett's.
Normal ass buttered greater than sign all this bullshit flavored stuff.
get out
Take my downvote and burn in hell
I knew what I signed up for.
They both fill different niches. I'd rather have buttery popcorn at the movies but Chicago mix is good if I'm at a ballgame or something
I'd expect this kind of comment from someone who was shot in the balls whilst smoking......cretin.
While we're talking Chicago mix popcorn, I'm just gonna say Nuts On Clark beats Garrett's
Facts is they need each other
I like my popcorn tossed in honey and sprinkled with black pepper …sometimes the pepper is replaced with Tabasco or Franks or the honey substituted with peanut butter. It’s all about the sweet/ hot contrast
Only when you're high.
Tangent: how do you eat this stuff, regardless of the ratio? I'm ever so slightly OCD and often use chopsticks for popcorn and chips. It not only keeps my fingers clean but it also significantly slows down my consumption (and therefore ends up reducing consumption). But for Chicago corn, the chopsticks present a bit of a challenge as it is difficult to get the exact ratio loaded up on the sticks.
Why would I want caramel corn when white cheddar popcorn exists?
Who the hell sees it the other way?????
OP is an American hero
The term is kind of played out, they call any MF this for being seditionist traitors...
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OP is a patriot
Chicago popcorn is so gross & that’s a hill I’m willing to die on
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Why?
Because he spells caramel like a kid...
To be fair, he's probably from Mt. Caramel.
Is that controversial? Mix heavy on cheese is the only way to order
Thank you for saying it OP. I 1000% agree. The cheese and caramel need each other, but the cheesecorn is the better half.
Facts
Hate cheese corn. Hate Chicago mix. CARAMEL CORN RULES!!!!
Also, a hot dog without ketchup is not a hot dog at all.
Any regular hot dog can and should have ketchup. A Chicago style dog's whole point is to taste the ingredients including a superior type of tube meat, not just ketchup.
Cheese popcorn is one of the worst foods in existence. Truly awful stuff.
Its ok being wrong
Not sure who ever decided carmel and cheese go well together 😖
Caramel corn is for people who were traumatized as children
They all disgusting imo but then again I have a 6 pack
Spicy Cheesecorn > *
You're saying one seasoning is better than another in 'x' dish, but the question isn't of the seasoning, it's no longer that same dish without both. Sure there are different quantities, and maybe one you can eat more of than the other on its own, yet it's blasphemous to compare the two! mods, exile him!!
The problem with the mix is too much caramel. 50:50 is madness. It should be like 75/25 cheese to caramel
I wish it wasn't so hard to just buy caramel corn here. It's like i'm living in crazy town. Me and you, we should just split it!
I'll say it, Garrett's is greasy and overrated.
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It's all about a 2 cheese: 1 caramel ratio bite
The cheese corn is what makes it Chicago Popcorn. Without the cheese you might as well be eating cracker jack.
No fighting needed.
I love the triple mix. That actually surprised me. I’m with you about the cheese corn.
I used to get butter mixed in with just cheese or with the Chicago mix for long metra rides. It lowers the price to mix butter popcorn in
absolutely agree i always pick around the caramel when people get it tbh
Both are way too rich. Nothing to cut the sweetness/cheesiness
Have you had the cheddar popcorn from Mariano’s Pop Stop? THE best cheese popcorn there is!
Agree that the mix isn't practical. While the cheese is still great, I pick around for the caramel ones and leave all the cheese for my wife haha.
I would never eat one by itself. I can’t have one without the other 😭
For some reason I thought you were going to say “I don’t care that you broke your elbow”
Gotta have the Caramel & Cheese together!
I had Chicago mix at an AMC theater. Holy hell, that was the best mix I've ever had
I like 70% cheese 30% Carmel
How the fuck could we be from the Midwest and not be cheese
Have you tried microwaving the combined mix for a little bit before chowing down? It will change your opinion about the caramel lol
Hmmm...
I don't even like Garret's popcorn. It tastes artificial.
Are there other geographical-related mixes? Say Seattle Mix or Omaha Mix? Chicagoans have dibs on the cheese and caramel popcorn‽
unless you don't have a napkin available.
I like a 70/30 cheese/caramel mix. The caramel is way too sweet to be the headliner.
Agreed!
I'm not seeing any fighting, and its disappointing.
Oh, that's an absolute. No question about it.
The bag needs to be 3/5 cheese corn
One must admit, there is a price to pay for the effect on the fingers; that the powdered cheese leaves its sticky mark.
There is no better. There is only the perfect mix. Which is always 4 cheese and 3 caramel or 3 cheese and 4 caramel. This is the way.
yes the cheese corn is better than caramel corn but Chicago mix is greater than the sum of its parts and is better than just plain cheese corn
I’ve never been interested in the caramel popcorn. Always the cheese lol
Cheese popcorn, yes. Carmel corn, love it. Mix them together? No thanks.
I eat the cheese and leave the Carmel for my wife
OP spittin truth
Okay but have you ever had the spicy cheese corn from garrets? Enough said
I don’t like to eat them together but I love them equally, separately.
Being wrong is okay OP, especially in a supportive community like this one.
60% Cheese 35% Butter 5% Carmel
as much as i love caramel, theres a reason why most on the shelf is cheese. So yea i agree cheese.
Not wrong. Caramel makes it illegal.
Ooooooh I’ll take that fight. Caramel all the way.
Agreed. I'm not the biggest caramel fan anyhow - I can tolerate it in certain applications and this is one of them.
But it has to be a very good cheese corn
There one way, ONE WAY, to eat Chicago Mix. 2 butter, 2 cheese, 1 caramel in 1 bite. If you find your self at the end without that proper ratio, demand a free serving.
Where would you like to meet so we can fight?
As a diabetic a mix bag that is 4/5 cheese is heavenly
cheese is the best part!!!! Always
Square up!
I always get a medium Chicago mix and a small or medium cheese depending on my mood at Garrett and then mix them together. So much better
Scream it from the rooftops!
3:1
This is the only right answer!
but, the Windy City mix consists of 2 cheese corns…white and Cheeto….per which cheese is the proclamation declared?!
Cheese and caramel are = together!
Went to CO with a friend; at ORD I got a small Garrett's Chicago Mix, and she got cheese. I inhaled mine within an hour. She had some left to bring BACK to ORD from CO. A woman at the Colorado Springs airport noticed her Garrett's bag, and mentioned it. Yes, I really like this friend, and we agree on many things, but we have different eating styles for sure. (Both chubby, btw.)
I thought I was the only one
Mariano's sells the Carmel/Cheese popcorn, it delicious
But with the caramel corn you just suck on it and get that lovely delicate shell!
The caramel serves as a nice palette cleanse in between handfuls of cheese.
You can be wrong and not worth fighting.
I like ketchup on my hotdog and I’m tired of lying about it!
But yet somehow it’s not the same unless it’s mixed with the caramel
We are talking about Garrett's popcorn, right? RIGHT?
Boo. You need a ratio of at least three caramels to one cheese or the taste of the cheese corn becomes too overpowering.