Ring Dings vs Ding Dongs
I’ll try to summarize what I found out about these: Basically, Ring Dings were first, Ding Dongs were second but were originally called King Dongs, then King Dons, then Big Wheels. Now they’re Ding Dongs but as I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I can’t keep up with companies buying each other. In the end, Hostess bought Drakes but you can read all the sorted details in this Wiki entry.
Ring Dings:
I don’t know when they stopped wrapping Ring Dings individually in foil but they are paired in cellophane now. The cake was slightly dry but soft and the creme was good; moist and with just enough vanilla flavor. The outer chocolate coating was ok, not all that chocolaty in taste, but like chocolate it started to melt a little if held too long.
Ding Dongs:
Ding Dongs are noticeably taller than Ring dings. I cut open a couple of these and neither of them had a continuous creme center, they seemed to be injected in two areas. Ethan found the creme to be plasticy and we both thought the chocolate coating was wax-like and stuck to our teeth. The cake was flavorless and dry.
Wrap up:
Bigger isn’t always better. We weren’t impressed with Ding Dongs, the whole product seemed tasteless in every way. When he was done tasting, Ethan just said, “These are pretty bad.” Ring Dings aren’t the awesomeness I remember from childhood but they were definitely better than the Ding Dongs.
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Just for the record: I thought the chocolate coating was like plastic, not the creme.
November 13th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Ding ding dong, ring-a-ding-ding-ding-dong, Keep their headz ringin!
-Dr. Dre
February 25th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Ding Dongs are not dry and tasteless. I guess it depends on which one you’re accustomed to.
April 12th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
sordid. sordid details
June 19th, 2009 at 3:34 am
well I am a target employee and I appreciated this site because my and a friend couldn’t figure out why hostess mad two very similar products.. just for the record ding dongs cost about 30 cents more!
September 19th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Thank you, Caroline! That’s what I was going to say!
November 14th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
I grew up eating Ding Dongs in the ’70’s and they were waaay better back then. Moist, chocolaty and delicious. The ones they sell now are like dry waxy hockey pucks. My daughter took one bite and threw it away.
It’s a shame. They really don’t make ‘em like they used to.
February 13th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Just got done doing my own “taste test” of the two, and I have to agree with this review. Although I noticed that not only is the cake moister, creme creamier, and chocolate coating more consistent on the Ring Dings, but also Ring Dings chocolate coating is a richer, darker chocolate. Ring Dings are the clear winner in this debate.
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Where did you get these? It’s not that I’m not opposed to these,but these must be owned by a New England based company because I’ve never seen either before.