Our Least Favorite Auntie Anne's Pretzels Are A Soggy Mess

Auntie Anne's pretzels are an integral part of any mall experience, and with a menu spread between savory and sweet options, there's most likely a variety that fits someone's ideal snack. We ranked eight types of Auntie Anne's pretzels to see which ones were winners, and frankly, the one that took last place surprised us. That's because the pepperoni pretzel sounds magnificent on paper (after all, who doesn't love pepperoni pizza?), but its good looks couldn't redeem its disappointing qualities.

Our taste tester said, "Not only did it taste a little stale, but the plethora of toppings made it soggier faster. Somehow that didn't save the cheese from drying out, and it didn't help that said cheese already tasted kind of artificial and flat. I could detect some garlic powder and herbs, but I had to really try." 

The pepperoni did impart its signature cured meat flavor to the pretzel, but since they've got to stick to the knotted pastries, they're laid on flat and limp. The overall effect of this pretzel is that it comes off greasy and doesn't meet your expectation for anything pizza-flavored, which is a real bummer.

So if the pepperoni pretzel from Auntie Anne's ended up being disappointing, then what should the real move be, then? For those of you who prefer a meatier bite, Auntie Anne's pretzel dogs ranked much higher on the list, coming in at third place. This one focuses more on the meat rather than wan pieces of pepperoni, considering it uses a Nathan's Famous Skinless Beef Frank for its main component (Nathan's provides the hot dogs for the annual hot dog eating competition) — which means there's no lack of meaty flavor. It's also not overly greasy on the hands like the pepperoni pretzel is, which is a huge bonus.

Granted, the pretzel dog functions like more of a meal than just a snack, but honestly, if something as basic as a pepperoni pretzel isn't going to satisfy you, it's worth considering a choice that's not covered in disappointing dry cheese and flaccid cured meat discs. You don't want to wreck that mall kiosk experience by being bummed out, anyway. We say that even if it beckons you, ditch Auntie Anne's pepperoni pretzel and go for the hot dog pretzel instead, because we tried them all and it came in last for more than one reason. Or, you could also try our number one pick, the soft pretzel nuggets, which are a bite-sized version of a classic.