Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
WEKU
WEKU
Rachel Treisman

The journey of 'seemingly ranch,' from meme to top of the Empire State Building

Taylor Swift Empire State Building Heinz Garfield (Person) Travis Kelce Met (Person) McDonald MerriamWebster
Taylor Swift watched the Kansas City Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. At one point she ate a snack and unknowingly set a meme in motion. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

The hottest condiment these days isn't ketchup or aioli or even chili oil. It's seemingly ranch.

And that's largely thanks to one person: Taylor Swift. (Heard much about her lately?)

Let's back up.

The pop star sent her fanbase — and much of the internet, frankly — into a tizzy over the weekend when she attended a Kansas City Chiefs game to root for her rumored beau, tight end Travis Kelce.

Pictures and video of Swift decked out in a red Chiefs jacket and cheering excitedly beside Kelce's mom have dominated social media ever since (Kelce jersey sales also spiked nearly 400%). And one behind-the-scenes photo has gone especially viral.

The fan account @twsifterastour shared a picture of Swift posing with a fan in the family's suite, clearly mid-snack. She's sitting at a table with a plate. On it is a chicken tender and two dipping sauces — one red and one white.

"Taylor Swift was eating a piece of chicken with ketchup and seemingly ranch!" the account posted, in an act of admirable journalistic hedging. It's been viewed more than 32 million times.

The tweet went viral almost instantly, sparking costume ideas and pop culture spoofs. Brands from Hidden Valley Ranch (of course) to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream to Lay's to Infiniti got in on the fun too.

New York City's iconic Empire State Building even lit up in red and white on Wednesday night.

And "seemingly ranch" has blossomed from meme to reality in recent days as more companies have started taking it seriously.

Chief among them is Heinz, which announced on Wednesday that it will be releasing limited-edition bottles of Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch in the near future. It has actually been selling Kranch since 2019 (along with other flavor combos including Mayochup and Honeyracha), but the packaging promises to be different.

On Thursday, Primal Kitchen — which has been owned by Heinz since 2018 — went a step further by unveiling a promotion of its own. It's selling 50 limited-edition bottles of Seemingly Ranch and throwing in a Swift-esque friendship bracelet (which fans often make and exchange in the crowd at her concerts) for free.

Here's who else is in now proudly indulging in their seemingly ranch era:

The dictionary

Merriam-Webster, known for its pithy tweets, posted a link to the definition of ranch dress, with an added note: "Seemingly."

Walmart

The retailer got creative with Photoshop, advertising a store aisle dedicated specifically to seemingly ranch.

Mrs. Met

One of the anthropomorphic mascots of the New York Mets recreated Swift's now-iconic photo, shouting out the Citi Field concessions stand.

Garfield

The cartoon cat's official X (formerly Twitter) account shared an illustration of him swiping a piece of chicken — and you'll never guess which condiments — off of Jon's plate.

Arby's

The fast-food chain may be known for its meats, but it couldn't resist promoting its dipping options too.

McDonald's

Social media users pointed out on Thursday that the McDonald's app was promoting a "Definitely McNuggets" deal.

New York casinos

Two casinos in central New York are offering "The Taylor" special this Sunday, Localsyr.com reports. Customers can get seven chicken tenders, a side of ketchup and you-know-what for $8.70, in honor of Kelce's 87 jersey.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Tom Hardy's Venom And Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man Crossover Teased.
Fan trailer 'Venom: The Last Dance' hints at a clash between Tom Hardy's Venom and Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 3, sparking exc...
Top News
Top News
The Anxious Generation wants to save teens. But the bestseller’s anti-tech logic is skewed
There’s no doubt about the mental health crisis facing young people. Jonathan Haidt blames our devices – which oversimplifies the problem
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
How to play with Barbie dolls: 6 ways to use the iconic doll as a positive role model at home
If you have a little one who loves to play with Barbie, there are lots of positive ways in which you can encourage them to play in a way that helps their development and self-esteem. We’ll show you how.
GoodToKnow
GoodToKnow
7 Google Docs keyboard shortcuts to get more done in less time
Google Docs is a great free online word processor, and you can get a lot of productivity out of it once you know these keyboard shortcuts.
Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Woman Misses Her Freckles So She Paints Them On, Gets Called Out For ‘Cultural Appropriation’
Cultural appropriation in beauty and fashion is nothing new. But today, it seems impossible that white models could walk a runway in dreadlocks, tribal and Native American dress, or geisha makeup and kimonos. Appropriation happens when consumers or companies use and manufacture products that either promote cultural stereotypes or take…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
50 Texts Women Got From Men That Are A Crash Course In How Not To Communicate
For many of us, texting is a huge part of our lives. However, some messages can take an unexpected turn for the bizarre, hilarious, and even downright cringy. The post 50 Texts Women Got From Men That Are A Crash Course In How Not To Communicate first appeared on Bored…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play