These Quirky Ideas Prove that Food is Not Only for the Dinner Table

Food has always been an outcome of creativity. Our ancestors, having limited tools, managed to come up with timeless recipes that transcended decades and centuries of history and societal changes. Food can also be many other things: memorable, fun, strange, and sometimes quirky. 

 

Here are four food and product alliances that scream “quirky” -- from well-known fast-food chain inspired clothing cat walking on the runway to food scented candles. 

 

KFC x Crocs 

 

KFC’s long list of strange food items seems bound to lengthen forever, from the “Chizza” (a dish that replaces the usual pizza crust with breaded chicken) to the “Double Down Dog” (a hotdog in chicken fillet). The popular fast-food chain is clearly not done yet. They have just collaborated with footwear company Crocs to create the KFC X Crocs Bucket Clog. Hearing about it for the first time induces confusion, so to make things clear, it is a pair of clogs covered in a fried chicken print. Of course, it's a limited edition, so chicken-slash-clogs lovers need to hurry to get themselves a pair. Surely, this footwear can only be fashionably worn by the brave -- and the eccentric. 

 

McDonald’s x Moschino

 

Another fast-food chain that is not shying away from quirkiness is McDonald’s, which ends up on this list with not just one but two quirky items! 

In 2014, Moschino’s creative director Jeremy Scott took inspiration from McDonald’s for his debut runway collection during Milan Fashion Week. It was a collection that paid homage to 90s American brand iconography such as Cheetos, Hershey’s, Froot Loops, and SpongeBob SquarePants. The collection included a jacket in McDonald’s colors (red and bright yellow), a red quilted leather bag with the iconic M logo reminiscent of the Happy Meal Box, and a french fry phone case. 

 

McDonald’s Scented Candles

 

McDonald’s has not only been a source of inspiration for creative personalities, but it has also produced a broad line of merch aside from its usual food items. Their line includes the Quarter Pounder calendar, Quarter Pounder with Love Locket, and bumper stickers. They are also releasing candles. Yes, candles! We don’t know what the intention was behind this idea, but McDonald’s possibly had self-care in mind. Imagine coming home to the scent of one of the most beloved fast-food menu items of all time: the Quarter Pounder. 

 

The six candles come in the scents of Bun, Ketchup, Pickle, Cheese, Onion, and 100% Fresh Beef and are said to be best used together for “maximum deliciousness.” I can imagine myself coming home to the smell of brewed coffee, cinnamon, or even fish being fried at the moment, but not hamburger! Well, there may be people who love this menu so much that the scent says “Home Sweet Home” to them. A testament to this is the fact that this product has already sold out! It’s possible that the fast-food chain will release more candles based on their menu -- but please, not another hamburger! 

 

Pizza-Scented Perfume 

 

“Everybody loves pizza” is an undeniable statement. My family, friends, and students all have a huge love for pizza. It comes in different shapes and sizes, such as the most common circle, an oval, baguette-style, and on Valentine’s Day, a heart! There are also many variations of it around the world. Indonesia has rendang pizza. In 2018, Thailand’s The Pizza Company introduced durian pizza. Meanwhile, banana is a common pizza topping in Iceland and Sweden. Dessert pizzas have also become popular from summer-inspired fruit pizzas to ones that are heavy on Nutella.

 

It still comes as a surprise though that US fragrance brand Demeter released a pizza-scented cologne spray in 2014. The brand has a number of adventurous scents, such as childhood-reminiscent Play-Doh and sweet vanilla cake batter. The brand has specific customers in mind, such as cat lovers and bookworms, for they also have scents perfect for these communities: Kitten Fur and Paperback. Still, Demeter’s pizza fragrance is the most adventurous -- it comes with the blended scent of tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, and a touch of oregano. This product surely is not ideal for personal wear, but a quick spritz in the living room might eventually have our stomachs rumbling for pizza. 

 

Like dinner plates and fabric, food has always been around us, giving energy, sparking ideas, and creating memories. With these quirky ideas, it is easy to get lost in wonder as to where food is headed next. Bubble tea items, please! My fingers are crossed. 

 

 

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