Many restaurant forecasters have predicted that nostalgia will be big in 2023 when it comes to restaurant menus, and so far, they’re not wrong. Pizza Hut brought back its NY-style pizza, Burger King its iconic Stackers and KFC reintroduced a version of its famous wraps. This week, Domino’s joins the party with its Loaded Tots, which feature three tasty cheese options. Of course, I had to taste them for research purposes.
Toddlers return to the ultimate place for food nostalgia: the school cafeteria. Kids all over the world would turn to these little roasted potato creations when adorning this divided tray. But Domino’s Loaded Tots aren’t your usual tater tots, they’re kicked up several notches with three flavorful ingredient-packed variations: Melty 3-Cheese, Cheddar Bacon, and Philly Cheese Steak.
I hired another taster to take on the difficult task of tasting and classifying the three flavors. Here’s what we thought of it from really, really good to better.
Per 1/4 servingCalories: 210, 13g fat (6g saturated fat), 510mg sodium, 17g carbs (1g fiber, 1g sugar), 6g protein
The Melty 3-Cheese Loaded Tots certainly deliver the cheese with a filling of melted mozzarella, cheddar, and provolone. A creamy Alfredo sauce completes the dish.
The look: Before talking about the look, I want to mention the aroma of these three boxes. They smelled so good I took them around the house, I couldn’t wait to try them. I wasn’t surprised they were a virtual assortment of cheese because of the smells they gave off. They also looked amazing, with crispy chunks of cheese and hints of golden toddlers popping out.
Taste: Cheese, cheese and more cheese. Surprisingly, all of these cheeses played well together and the Alfredo sauce provided a break between layers of cheese. The crispy tots on the outside of the dish gave a bit of texture, but in the middle of the melted cheese it was all one big tasty mess. Domino’s says add them to a pizza, but honestly, you could get sick from all the cheese and carbs. Something fresh like a sprinkle of green onions might help lighten up this heavy dish. The last word was that they were good, but they didn’t have enough of a break between all the cheeses.
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Per 1/4 servingCalories: 240, 16g fat (5g saturated fat), 590mg sodium, 17g carbs (1g fiber, 1g sugar), 7g protein
This dish starts with the same layer of toasted buns and is topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, a mix of mozzarella, and garlic parmesan sauce.
The look: Again, these smelled amazing, plus they had the added element of smoky bacon mingling with the cheese flavor. This one also looked very well put together, with crispy tots on the sides and then a thick, thoughtfully placed layer of bacon. The parmesan cheese drizzle was slathered in a fun way which showed concern for the look it would give to the customer. I honestly didn’t expect this kind of attention to detail from Domino’s.
Taste: If you like bacon, this dish is for you. Domino’s does not use skinny little strips of bacon for this. They are substantial pieces of bacon with crispy bits and other rendered pieces that melted in our mouths. The cheddar gave that bacon cheeseburger taste to the dish and the mozzarella held it all together. The parmesan sauce was the little touch of freshness that added a nice finishing touch.
Per 1/4 servingCalories: 200, 12g fat (5g saturated fat), 530mg sodium, 18g carbs (1g fiber, 1g sugar), 6g protein
The Philly Cheese Steak version of the tots had thin slices of steak, Alfredo sauce, onions, green peppers, and mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
The look: Yes again, Domino’s really nailed the presentation. The toddlers were thoughtfully placed, not haphazardly thrown around, and it really set the stage for the toppings. The same grilled bits from the other dishes showed up, but also the refreshing green of the peppers. And, yes, these smelled amazing too.
Taste: I can’t say enough good things about this dish. The thin strips of steak were the perfect size so there was no struggle with chewy bits. The peppers and onions added the fresh element that other toddlers lacked. The cheese held it all together and the cheddar and mozzarella was the perfect combo.
Tater tots played the perfect paper for these toppings, however, if you expect to be able to eat them with your hands, you’ll quickly find that’s not possible. Although they are undoubtedly an appetizer that should be eaten with a fork, they are still worth serving as a party platter.
If you’re going to try any of these Loaded Tots dishes this weekend, go for the Philly Cheesesteak because it’s definitely the tastiest of the three. However, we had fun sampling each and trying to decide which one we liked best. Your guests will 100% love doing this. Go ahead, splurge for game day and host your own tasting.
