Cheez-It Opens Roadside Diner, Complete with Cheez-It Milkshake and Cheezcake
The Cheez-It brand is no stranger to compelling, unique brand activations that give their audiences an interactive experience unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. Last year, they took over a gas station in Joshua Tree to give road trip enthusiasts the perfect refueling experience. Back in 2019, they brought New York City into the era of Dan Brown, creating a scavenger hunt to find a secret bunker filled to the brim with their new Cheez-It Snap’d crackers.
2024 is no different. Welcome to the Cheez-In Diner.
Located in Woodstock, New York–yes, that Woodstock–is the Cheez-In diner, a roadside throwback to nostalgic nourishment and creative culinary concoctions. Just two hours outside of New York City, the diner sits nestled in the scenic Catskills Mountains. Whether you find yourself nestled into a booth or perched at the bar, you’re bound to be cheezin’ the whole time.
As soon as we saw the menu, the munchies went into overdrive. The list of provisions was drool-worthy to say the least:
- The Extra Cheezburger: a pimento cheese smashburger loaded with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and the iconic extra-large Cheez-It cracker.
- The Big Grilled Cheez: Nothing says diner food like Cheez-It-crusted Texas Toast filled with cheesy pimento goodness.
- Cheezy Chicky Tenders: It’s no surprise I was most excited for these since I have the pallet of a child. Chicken tenders coated in Cheez-Its and dipped in Hidden Valley Cheezy Ranch? Yes. Yes please.
- Mac & Cheez-it: Pasta baked in a creamy White Cheddar Cheez-It cracker sauce topped with more heaps of White Cheddar Cheez-It crackers.
As if the main courses weren’t hearty enough, the sides and desserts truly elevated me to the ultimate Cheez-It fanatic:
- Cheez-It Fries: Crispy fries tossed in your choice of Original, White Cheddar, or Hot & Spicy ground Cheez-It crackers. We had to take it a step further and ask for it to come Loaded… AKA we got them to melt pimento cheese all over them.
- Cheez-It Biscu-it: A hearty staple biscuit with layers of Cheez-It crackers throughout. We decided to make the ultimate hack and create a Cheezy Chicky Tendy Sandwich. 10/10 would definitely recommend.
- Deluxe Cheez-It Milkshake: A creamy vanilla shake blended with Cheez-It crackers, a caramel and crushed Cheez-It cracker rim and topped with whipped cream, sprinkles and chocolate sauce, garnished with a chocolate-dipped Cheez-It cracker. This was by far our favorite item.
- Sweet-n-Salty Cheezcake: I’m a sucker for a good slice of cheesecake and this bad boy didn’t disappoint. A creamy cheesecake on top of a Cheez-It crust and adorned with caramel and Extra Big Cheez-It crackers. I’m sold.
The food is worth the trek from the city in and of itself but there’s also a second feast for the eyes. One of my favorite details was the World’s First and Only Cheez-It Jukebox which is literally powered by Cheez-It crackers! It fits in perfectly among the droves of groovy retro diner regalia and the sweet Cheez-It convertible out front.
Cheez-It fans (do I refer to us as Cheezheads?) will be delighted to see the Ultimate Cheez-It Tasting Station where Cheezheads (I think it’s catching on) can mix and match flavors, both rare and common, from around the world into an amalgamation of cheesy goodness! That, along with the heaps of memorabilia and souvenirs, also made the voyage worth it.
Here’s the kicker: this diner is only around for one week. That’s right, folks. The Cheez-It Diner has its doors open from today, May 20th, through Sunday, May 26th, at 261 Tinker Street in Woodstock, New York. Operating hours are 4-9pm EST. If you’re traveling for the holidays, the diner will be open late Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for Memorial Day until 12am!
All in all, the diner is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and brings retro revelry and culinary classics together under one roof. Whether you’re a Cheezhead (told ya it would catch on) or simply looking for a cheesy way to kick-start your summer, the Cheez-It Diner got you covered. Safe travels!
