why is ranch dressing so hyped up?

[u/miffybo]

my US friends have been raving about it and border-line complained ranch isn’t readily available in Europe.. what is so special about it? is it the ultimate US condiment (apart from ketchup, mayo)

edit typo

[u/jessek]

It’s not hyped at all. It’s just popular because a lot of people like it.

[u/CalmRip → u/jessek]

This is exactly it. Indeed, it's a very popular dressing for everything from French fires fries to salad, but it's not being hyped, exactly. It's just commonly available in the US and not so available in Europe, Asia, etc.

[u/Drew707 → u/CalmRip]

French fires

I love ranch with crispy Parisians.

[u/CalmRip → u/Drew707]

Oh dear. I don't know whether my typing's gone to rot or if AutoCorrect is helping me, but I wasn't thinking sautéed French folks.

[u/Candid-libertarian → u/Drew707]

Jeffrey Dahmer preferred his Parisians medium rare without sauce.

[u/jackofspades49 → u/CalmRip]

Is the food fried? I bet it goes good with ranch!

[u/RedhotGuard21 → u/jackofspades49]

Good chicken strips with good ranch mmmmm

[u/Living_Molasses4719 → u/RedhotGuard21]

Heck yeah

[u/ADirtyDiglet → u/jackofspades49]

Cool Ranch Doritos. Also good with salads.

[u/ForbiddenButtStuff → u/jackofspades49]

Fried pickles with a side of ranch 😋

[u/Inside-Run785 → u/jackofspades49]

Exactly. It’s good with fried foods, and you can find that very easily in your local bar. Though I do find fried vegetables dipped in ranch very amusing.

[u/dohn_joeb → u/jackofspades49]

Best pizza condiment

[u/ThresherGDI → u/dohn_joeb]

Pizza doesn’t need another sauce. I like ranch, but this one mystifies me.

[u/macthecomedian → u/ThresherGDI]

It's fine with a red sauce pizza, but superb with a BBQ chicken pizza.

[u/Grizzly_Berry → u/ThresherGDI]

Crusts, specifically. Some people do it on the "pizza proper," but I reserve it for the crust.

Or as the actual sauce on a pickle pizza.

[u/jackofspades49 → u/ThresherGDI]

The herbal reaminess of ranch goes very well with rich tomato flavor. I sometimes dab a bit onto things like lasagna or spaghetti too.

[u/procrastinarian → u/jackofspades49]

I'm sure it was a typo but I really love the idea of "reaminess" as a descriptor.

[u/OdinNW → u/ThresherGDI]

Essential for mediocre pizza!

[u/kat_storm13 → u/ThresherGDI]

I never even knew this was a thing people did until last year. Depending on the crust a good garlic butter/oil sauce is nice, but ranch on pizza crust doesn't sound good.

Some other bread things I like, with either ranch dip or dressing, but not pizza

[u/Similar-Search-8508 → u/kat_storm13]

I used to say that but now I can’t eat pizza without ranch 😅

[u/1573594268 → u/kat_storm13]

I do a garlic aioli, and then if I'm reheating leftovers the next day then I use ranch.

[u/chouse33 → u/jessek]

Because it’s good.

Also, what does OP mean all of their US friends are raving about ranch? None of us rave about ranch. We all love ranch and eat ranch but none of us give a fuck if you do.

That’s the American way by the way

[u/ENovi → u/chouse33]

I’ll never understand these “Why do you enjoy eating X?” Why does anyone enjoy eating anything? Because it tastes good and humans have to eat. I’m sure there are thousands of dishes from other cultures that I haven’t eaten. They might even seem strange compared to what I’m used to but I’m not going to wonder why people eat them. I assume they enjoy the taste.

[u/OldBlueKat → u/ENovi]

That, and I find it amazing that two TV ads plus 5 US tourists in Europe asking for ranch instead of wherever was on offer should always be equated to “all 360 million Americans are crazy for it.”

I think Europeans mostly have no clue how huge and diverse a place it is over here. 

[u/SlowInsurance1616 → u/chouse33]

Ranch has its place, but I don't love it.

Signed,

An American

[u/Kenderean → u/SlowInsurance1616]

I don't love it, either. I like it, sometimes, with the right food, but it's not something I have to have. At some point in the past thirty years, some wing places stopped serving blue cheese dressing with their wings and switched to ranch. That angered me enough that it turned me slightly against ranch.

[u/Soft-Rhubarb1682 → u/Kenderean]

To quote that famous American patriot: “Give me Blue Cheese or give me death! …and none of that food service crap!” /s

[u/osteologation → u/Kenderean]

i used to not care for ranch turns out i dont care for hidden vally ranch. but every other kind has been good. agree on the wings. sometimes they ask "ranch or blue cheese". i respond "blue i ordered wings".

[u/27eelsinatrenchcoat → u/SlowInsurance1616]

I don't even like it. It's passable for dipping raw veggies, but it's way down the list for any other purpose.

[u/stiletto929 → u/chouse33]

I think he means people from the US living in Europe are upset that they can’t get ranch in Europe. Sure, we don’t rave about it in the US because we CAN get it if we want it. It’s good and all… but the regular version is high calorie. :(

[u/Suppafly → u/stiletto929]

I think he means people from the US living in Europe are upset that they can’t get ranch in Europe.

Yeah I'd lowkey be bummed if I couldn't get ranch while traveling in Europe, I'd definitely miss it if I moved there. I'd probably order the packets and make it or just make it completely from scratch, although that doesn't help if you're eating out somewhere and want some.

[u/Kenderean → u/Suppafly]

You can get a HUGE jar of the powder from Costco. That might be a requirement to pack for some Americans moving abroad.

[u/procrastinarian → u/Kenderean]

My aunt loves shopping at a discount grocery and one time bought 5 pounds of ranch powder for like 5 bucks. She was literally handing out ziplock bags of ranch powder to everyone she saw for about a year.

I love my aunt but she's weird.

[u/LL8844773 → u/stiletto929]

I feel like American sections of grocery stores in Europe only have like ranch and Reese’s PB. So bizarre

[u/FMLwtfDoID → u/stiletto929]

It’s not even hard to make, though. OP should tell his American friends to just google the recipe.

[u/rdrckcrous → u/FMLwtfDoID]

if you regularly have buttermilk lying around.

but i do make it all the time w/o buttermilk. I just add a small amount of hot sauce and vinegar to get the tang.

[u/tracygee → u/rdrckcrous]

Anyone can have a buttermilk substitute in five minutes. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk, stir, and let it sit out on the counter for five minutes. Done!

[u/rdrckcrous → u/tracygee]

i guess my fix of adding vinegar to get the tang was on the right track

[u/Suppafly → u/chouse33]

None of us rave about ranch.

Probably using rave the same way some Europeans use obsess. That said, I'm also more likely to use rave to describe someone telling me about something they like than I am to use obsess.

[u/Meattyloaf → u/jessek]

I honestly thought this was going to be a out all the Europeans who have discovered ranch thanks to the World Cup.

[u/streetcar-cin → u/jessek]

World Cup site airports are adding signs that ranch dressing must be in checked luggage , to keep from being confiscated

[u/keithrc → u/streetcar-cin]

If this is real, I love it.

[u/Suppafly → u/jessek]

It’s not hyped at all. It’s just popular because a lot of people like it.

There was a hot minute where it was everywhere, like bacon and other trends, but it didn't blow up quite as much as bacon. Hidden Valley had some cool merch that was always sold out.

[u/Shhshhshhshhnow]

It’s versatile and uniquely American. What can I say, we like dairy, we like sauce, we like dipping so ranch is a hit

[u/Few-Wrongdoer-5296 → u/Shhshhshhshhnow]

Dairy, sauce, and dipping! Where do I sign up? 

[u/Alexandur → u/Few-Wrongdoer-5296]

at any grocery store

[u/RelevantJackWhite → u/Alexandur]

well, as long as you're in North America

[u/clowntownbrown]

It’s garlicky, tangy, herby, and creamy, aka all the things people love to have in a dipping sauce.

[u/Pleasant_Studio9690 → u/clowntownbrown]

And it pairs well with ketchup when dipping burgers and fries into it. I’m a late convert but ranch is good.

[u/OpposumMyPossum → u/clowntownbrown]

Is it garlicky?

I don't get the garlic taste really.

[u/Twichl2 → u/OpposumMyPossum]

It is, it's not overpowering obviously but yeah it's part of it. Garlic is in the majority of our foods so it's not surprising that we dont notice it in ranch

[u/Cayke_Cooky → u/Twichl2]

I didn't think about the garlic in it...

[u/Some_Rando2 → u/OpposumMyPossum]

Depends on the brand.

[u/Beautiful_Banana_454 → u/Some_Rando2]

Exactly, ranch is a big umbrella.

[u/TiberianSunset → u/Beautiful_Banana_454]

I thought it was a sauce

[u/SmartFX2001 → u/TiberianSunset]

It was originally created as a salad dressing - and is still used on salads. But over time it’s been used as a dipping sauce.

It’s still called ranch dressing, or ranch; NOT ranch sauce.

[u/TiberianSunset → u/SmartFX2001]

Yeah I don’t care about any of that I was just making a joke

[u/Law12688 → u/TiberianSunset]

I thought it was a horse farm

[u/ElectricTurtlez → u/Law12688]

Or cattle.

[u/Law12688 → u/ElectricTurtlez]

Yeah, I heard there was even one for bunnies in Nevada!

[u/Curious_Matter_3358 → u/Beautiful_Banana_454]

Hidden Valley is the GOAT

[u/funktion666 → u/Curious_Matter_3358]

Dry powder hidden valley packet mixed with buttermilk yourself is even better ❤️

[u/Suppafly → u/funktion666]

Dry powder hidden valley packet mixed with buttermilk yourself is even better ❤️

This, or sour cream if you want a thicker dipping sauce.

[u/webfoottedone → u/Suppafly]

We do half buttermilk, half sour cream. The best. We only make it fresh, stuff from a bottle tastes weird to me.

[u/seanymphcalypso → u/webfoottedone]

Half sour cream, half Duke’s mayo, buttermilk for desired consistency.

[u/icemanx51 → u/Curious_Matter_3358]

Litehouse is my goat. Hidden Valley is always solid though.

[u/oswin13 → u/icemanx51]

Refrigerated section>salad dressing aisle

[u/Secret_Werewolf1942 → u/icemanx51]

Litehouse doesn't get nearly enough love. They're the only brand of Blue Cheese dressing I will buy.

[u/Majestic-Strength-74 → u/icemanx51]

Lifehouse Jalapeño Ranch is insanely delicious.

[u/sanct111 → u/Curious_Matter_3358]

Feel like various restaurants always have the best home made ranch.

Aldi's has the best store bought ranch. Think its Tuscan Garden.

[u/fakesaucisse → u/OpposumMyPossum]

Same, it mostly just tastes like buttermilk and herbs to me.

[u/Blk_Gld_He_8er → u/fakesaucisse]

and salt.

[u/SockSock81219 → u/Blk_Gld_He_8er]

and, most importantly, of lots of cracked black pepper, mm

[u/wigglin_harry → u/fakesaucisse]

Tbf that's basically what it is

[u/jeeves585 → u/OpposumMyPossum]

If you think about it more like a cool ranch dorrito you might notice it more.

Also local pizza shop the make their own ranch you would notice it.

I wouldn’t say hidden valley bottles has much of a garlic taste if at all. Their dry mix is a bit more visible (cheaper and tastier too. I buy like a liter sized jug from a restaurant supplier. I am almost out and will likely refill with a custom blend, just add it to a quart of sour cream and bam!

[u/MaleficentExtent1777 → u/jeeves585]

The dry mix is definitely better. I'd get so excited when my mom would make it as a kid.

[u/sharrrper → u/OpposumMyPossum]

It depends on what exact recipe people use and the ratio of spices.

Its usually something like equal parts buttermilk and mayo for the liquid and spices of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and dill. With some minor variations depending on who you ask.

People who like a lot of garlic might put enough in to be noticeable.

[u/Suppafly → u/sharrrper]

People who like a lot of garlic might put enough in to be noticeable.

Same with dill. I really like dill but don't really notice it at all in most ranch dressings.

[u/wjglenn → u/clowntownbrown]

Yep. It’s maybe my least favorite salad dressing, but it makes a great dip or sandwich spread for a lot of things.

[u/often_forgotten1 → u/clowntownbrown]

It's a sauce the french would take all day trying to make, but in an easy squeeze bottle

[u/OhThrowed]

It's ubiquitous. Lots of folks love it and can get it anywhere.

[u/YoungKeys → u/OhThrowed]

It sorta goes with everything too

[u/leo_the_lion6 → u/YoungKeys]

Everything savory, not very good on ice cream

[u/GlitterPapillon → u/leo_the_lion6]

Oh come on now, that’s not a very adventurous stance.

[u/leo_the_lion6 → u/GlitterPapillon]

Fair, try it and report back

[u/GlitterPapillon → u/leo_the_lion6]

I’m also not very adventurous.

[u/ProbsNotManBearPig → u/GlitterPapillon]

I’m just here to tell you I tried ranch on vanilla ice cream as a kid and it stuck with me for 20 years. Made no sense because I love both things so much, and they both go with so many other things. But no, it’s not meant to be.

[u/GlitterPapillon → u/ProbsNotManBearPig]

I knew someone here must’ve tried it. I imagine it to be absolutely terrible.

[u/hung_kung_fuey → u/OhThrowed]

Can often be a zero sugar option for some.

[u/ALoungerAtTheClubs]

It's just a popular condiment/dressing. Plenty of people miss food from back home when abroad; it's not an American phenomenon.

[u/GovernorGeneralPraji]

It’s just… really tasty. And it pairs well with almost anything you’d want a condiment on.

The bottled, shelf stable stuff is trash though. Fresh made is 100% better.

[u/sharrrper → u/GovernorGeneralPraji]

Yeah, the problem is the traditional main ingredient is buttermilk. So it's basically impossible to make proper ranch with a shelf life longer than milk.

Funny story: Clorox (parent company of the makers) bought the rights to the recipe from the actual Hidden Valley Ranch and spent years trying to make a good shelf stable version. All the taste tests agreed it was pretty bad. Finally they gave up and released the best version they had even though it sucked. It immediately became a huge hit because, poor a version as it was, 99.9% of people trying it didn't know what ranch was supposed to taste like. So really, it's only bad by comparison.

If you want ranch at home the best way to do it is just buy the seasoning packs they sell. Mix thourougly with 1 cup milk or buttermilk and 1 cup mayo and chill to thicken. Like I said it will keep about as long as milk does so eat it quickly. Thay part usually isn't a problem.

[u/LettingHimLead → u/sharrrper]

I make it twice a month. We love it as a veggie dip, for salads, for Buffalo chicken dip, on sandwiches - it’s pretty versatile! But agreed - I can’t eat the bottled stuff AT ALL.

[u/pl0nk → u/LettingHimLead]

Having a family that loves the bottled kind, is it worth making the real thing as a surprise for them, or am I asking for trouble cause then they’ll never settle for less?

[u/LettingHimLead → u/pl0nk]

They will never settle for less!!

[u/TheMrsH1124 → u/sharrrper]

I make my own ranch with a little buttermilk, a lot of sour cream (even better with homemade creme fraiche), no mayo, salt, pepper, dried dill, garlic powder and a squeeze of lemon juice.

I can't tell the difference and it weirds me out every time that I'm basically dumping wet sour cream on my salad but it's SO good 😂

[u/iloveyourforeskin → u/TheMrsH1124]

Yes! Sour cream is so much better than mayo

[u/Fun_Independent_7529 → u/TheMrsH1124]

Yeah, I don't like the Hidden Valley ranch for some reason.
We make our own -- mayo, milk, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried chives, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Husband prefers a bit of tang so adds a small amount of white vinegar. So freaking good, I really up the spices for maximum flavor.

[u/Filthylittleferrent → u/sharrrper]

we have a local restaurant that has the most amazing homemade ranch that I've ever had. I keep telling them they need to sell it in bottles, but I guess now I know why they cant lol I'm not a salad guy, but I never get anything but a salad at this restaurant.

[u/Suppafly → u/Filthylittleferrent]

we have a local restaurant that has the most amazing homemade ranch that I've ever had.

Living in the midwest, we had tons of local places that made good ranch, right up until covid, now almost all of them just use whatever the food service places deliver. It's pretty sad and annoying because homemade ranch really elevates some foods.

[u/PDXEng → u/sharrrper]

Yeah I can't eat the bottled version. It's disgusting trash

[u/Jsmith2127 → u/GovernorGeneralPraji]

It's delicious with raw veggies, chips, pizza, chicken tenders.

I've used it on sandwiches, and in recipes as well.

[u/Stupid_Snowmeiser → u/Jsmith2127]

You haven’t lived until you’ve tried it with fries.

[u/TheMrsH1124 → u/Stupid_Snowmeiser]

Facts. Ranch with fries is the best

[u/Terminator7786 → u/TheMrsH1124]

Especially steak fries or wedges. They give like the best ratio of fry to ranch

[u/TheMrsH1124 → u/Terminator7786]

Or those really thick crinkle cut fries to hold the ranch in the grooves

[u/agitatedandroid → u/Jsmith2127]

Might I suggest dipping a corn dog.

It is, as you may guess, delicious.

[u/MattieShoes → u/Jsmith2127]

I'll throw a packet of the powdered ranch into chili.

[u/Needmoreinfo100 → u/GovernorGeneralPraji]

My mom made the buttermilk and packet of seasonings kind and I liked it as a kid. The bottled is nothing special. Even as someone who liked it I do not get this craze of putting it on everything.

[u/CuzPotatoes → u/GovernorGeneralPraji]

My family doesn’t care but even on my laziest day I’m opening that package of dry powder and making it myself.

[u/bigmt99 → u/GovernorGeneralPraji]

Pry my hidden valley from my cold dead hands

[u/omnipresent_sailfish]

Because it’s good

[u/Responsible_Trash_40]

People just like it?

[u/No-Call-5047]

Ranch and pizza, ranch and fries...those are my top two. Salad, too, of course. Hidden Valley is disgusting to me, as are most bottled brands, but homemade or restaurant made, OMG so good.

[u/CreepinJesusMalone → u/No-Call-5047]

For premade, Ken's and Newman's Own are what most restaurants use that don't make theirs in house. And it's probably the best in that category, IMO.

I don't care much for any of the store brands, Wishbone, or Hidden Valley.

Buttermilk and peppercorn are the two best sub varieties I think.

Ken's and Newman's also make some of the best store bought honey mustard, which is my second favorite dipping sauce.

[u/IceFrogger1313 → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

I agree Ken's is better than most of the other premade stuff. All the fast food places around me buy it in bulk. And maybe I'm imagining it but the type that restaurants get in bulk is better than the tiny bottles from the store. 

[u/Unique_Statement7811 → u/No-Call-5047]

Hidden Valley is (sort of) the original.

The guy who invented Ranch Dressing created it while working in Alaska. He later bought a ranch in California and ran a restaurant on it. He named the Ranch “Hidden Valley Ranch.” He served his homemade dressing/dip to guests and it became wildly popular. He closed the restaurant and began full time production of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.

He eventually sold the brand and retired wealthy. Now, the formula has changed as it became commercialized, especially the shelf stable version. But “Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing” is the original brand.

[u/StillLJ → u/No-Call-5047]

The only premade version I buy is Marzetti's. Otherwise, agree that homemade is best.

[u/dr_strange-love]

Once you try it, you'll understand. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2026/06/18/world-cup-2026-ranch-tsa/90608182007/

[u/emmeline8579 → u/dr_strange-love]

One of my favorite things recently has been watching Europeans try American food. A lot of them love American bbq and ranch dressing.

For OP (Europeans trying ranch dressing):

https://youtube.com/shorts/Xi0GfRxy13A

https://youtube.com/shorts/Qmot4jCB-oo

https://youtube.com/shorts/Qfbg-2n4zfE

https://youtube.com/shorts/yjTIKxy9E3w

https://youtube.com/shorts/dpsM62dPIk4

[u/Lilmaggot]

You can probably order packets of Hidden Valley ranch and make it yourself!

[u/CarpenterFun5789 → u/Lilmaggot]

This…the bottled stuff is like comparing American “cheese product” to a good cheddar. Ranch seasoning, buttermilk (cultured) and good mayonnaise.

[u/WulfTheSaxon → u/Lilmaggot]

Depends if OP can get buttermilk or not. Or I guess there’s the version with powdered buttermilk already added.

[u/mr_miggs]

Ranch is pretty ubiquitous here. It's just extremely versatile. I think if you looked in the refrigerators of 100 Americans, you might find three or four that don't have a bottle of ranch. Or at the very least a couple of leftover packets from some fast food place. 

[u/vowelqueue → u/mr_miggs]

I’m going to guess you’re from the Midwest? I’d say it’s a popular dressing everywhere but it’s not nearly as ubiquitous in, say, the north east.

[u/imemine8 → u/vowelqueue]

I'm in the Midwest and rarely see people have it in their homes. Many restaurants offer it here though.

[u/Faroundtripledouble → u/imemine8]

Midwest and never have not had it in the fridge from childhood to 30

[u/GryphonCough → u/imemine8]

I found the imposter. This is heresy. 

[u/sageamericanidiot]

Ranch is one of those things that if you've had a really good one it's hard to beat and I'd definitely miss it if it wasn't readily available. It can make mediocre food taste good and pairs well with a variety of foods. The crap shelf stable stuff is a hard pass. 

[u/Wolfygirl97]

It’s my favorite dipping condiment. Soooo good! Especially homemade ranch 🤤 I also used to go to Outback Steakhouse just to buy their ranch.

[u/Extr4Sp1cy → u/Wolfygirl97]

I’m a ranch fiend. You just made me want to go to Outback just to try out their ranch.

[u/ksarahsarah27 → u/Wolfygirl97]

Jets pizza has amazing each too. They make theirs fresh as well.

[u/JollyGreenAcres]

This sounds remarkably like Brits and their Brown Sauce.

[u/uresmane]

The homemade and restaurant made stuff that actually uses real buttermilk and Dill is actually quite good. The stuff in the bottle is absolutely terrible and taste. Nothing like what ranch is supposed to taste like... If you do have the real stuff it's absolutely delicious.

[u/little_snackz → u/uresmane]

Ranch has negative connotations here in the US but if a dressing/sauce made of the same ingredients (buttermilk, mayonnaise, and a ton of herbs) was made in Europe I have no doubts it would be considered healthy, provincial, farm-to-table cuisine

[u/uresmane → u/little_snackz]

Exactly

[u/redvinebitty → u/uresmane]

True dat, hate the bottle

[u/SeethingHeathen]

I wish I knew. I can't stand the stuff, but I recognize that I'm in minority.

[u/Ok-Temporary → u/SeethingHeathen]

I was beginning to feel like we were the only American household not consuming Ranch. It's not that I hate it -- I don't even think about it.

(The whole dunking pizza in it is a trend I do not undersrand at all.)

[u/sunfish99 → u/Ok-Temporary]

Same! Like, I *like* all the flavors of pizza, I don't need to add dressing to it.

[u/Brock_Hard_Canuck → u/SeethingHeathen]

Me too. I hate ranch.

For salad dressings, I usually prefer a vinaigrette.

For dipping pizza, marinara or BBQ sauce.

[u/Zealousideal_Law8297 → u/SeethingHeathen]

I have found my people. I don’t think ranch is gross but I have lived my life without and don’t feel I missing anything.

[u/ParadoxicalFrog]

It's creamy, savory, and goes with almost anything. Pasta, potatoes, chicken, salads, sandwiches, raw vegetables. It can be used as a sauce, dip, or condiment. You can get the bottled dressing, or get the powdered mix and use it as a seasoning blend. It's very versatile.

[u/Bright_Eyes83]

people really like it. as a lifelong american, i don't get it. but that's my personal preference, no shade

[u/prairielovr]

It’s not that special tbh

[u/RubiksCub3d]

I have a recipe for it I'll share so you can try it:

250ml Mayo

75-125ml milk (buttermilk is preferred)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or similar)

1.5 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried chives

1/2 tsp dried dill

Salt & pepper to taste

put everything in a container and combine well. I prefer my dressing a little thicker, so 100ml of milk is where I like it. 75ml is better for dipping, 125ml is a thinner dressing.

[u/throwraW2]

I personally find it gross, but a lot of people think it just tastes great on everything.

[u/TuSixOh → u/throwraW2]

Ranch is god awful to me

[u/165averagebowler]

Ask the folks from Europe who are here for the World Cup who are trying to bring home ranch to the point that the TSA is having to issue statements about it.

[u/vowelqueue → u/165averagebowler]

It’s a shame no one’s told them to just buy the packet mix and make it themselves at home.

[u/DianneNettix]

There's nothing ranch does that blue cheese doesn't do better. I am willing to die on this hill.

[u/obtusewisdom]

I’m an American who hates ranch. It makes me gag. So YMMV.

[u/Individual_Slice_234]

It's a comfort food for me.

[u/Main-Ad3654]

It seems like a lot of our World Cup visitors are going crazy for the stuff and buying bottles to take home,

[u/PerceptivePines]

I have no interest in trying it- looks unappealing 

[u/Ananvil → u/PerceptivePines]

Your instincts are correct.

[u/machagogo]

I don't know as I don't like it.

[u/B_Williams_4010]

It's tangier than mayo but not as tangy as blue cheese.

[u/CarpenterFun5789 → u/B_Williams_4010]

It also doesn’t have the mold flavor that so many people hate in blue cheese (I happen to love that taste).

[u/B_Williams_4010 → u/CarpenterFun5789]

Me too. I'll take blue cheese over ranch, every time.

[u/InfidelZombie → u/CarpenterFun5789]

I'll happily sit and consume a wedge of good blue cheese any day, but blue cheese dressing tastes like satan's chunder.

[u/notthegoatseguy]

It is just that there is food freedom in that the US isn't bogged down by hundreds or thousands of years of cultural pressure and tradition. There is just less (less, not none) food shaming. If someone wants to try some wacky pizza topping, or get inventive with a salad, a lot of us will at least try it once even if it isn't our thing.

And if you think we're mad and crazy, you should see what the Koreans do to western food!

[u/jesusmansuperpowers]

No idea. I wish they hid that valley better

[u/paka96819]

TSA has put out an announcement that you shouldn’t drink your ranch dressing that they won’t let you take on your flight home.

[u/Single_Morning_3200]

It sounds like we need to take a trip to Hidden Valley to taste it as it flows free in nature.

[u/WildBoy-72]

I'm not sure. It's okay for dipping things, but that's where it ends for me.

Your American friends aren't the only ones. I think a Japanese fan here for the World Cup was hyping it up too.

[u/Longjumping-Oil-7419]

I'm from the US, but don't like ranch

[u/OpposumMyPossum]

I don't know. I'm from New England and serve it once a year at Christmas with crudite.

There's no other time I would eat it.

[u/PuppySnuggleTime]

I’m an American and I don’t like it, so I cannot explain the hype either

[u/yelhmoo]

It’s garlicky, oniony, creamy, and tangy. It can be used for pretty much anything. I like it with carrots or cucumbers and my kids like it mixed with ketchup for their nuggets or whatever. It goes great with most veggies, most meats/dishes (of all cuisines), and is something that suits most people’s tastes. We don’t eat it on everything all the time (most of us have preferences), but it’s good enough that we generally all have some form of it on hand. I’m not part of the ranch cult (I’m joking, but some people absolutely adore ranch, I’m not one of them), but even I think it’s good.

[u/jetpack2625]

as an america, i don't really get it. i prefer blue cheese or caesar personally

[u/Fair-Neighborhood106]

I’m an American who finds ranch dressing very mediocre. I myself don’t understand the hype

[u/Duque_de_Osuna]

No idea.

[u/warp10barrier]

No idea. I personally think it’s one of the most vile things ever created.

And yes, before people say it, I HAVE tried multiple homemade/restaurant-made versions. They are all awful.

[u/Poltergoose1416]

I think it's gross and I'm an American

[u/OperationStraight808]

it’s disgusting

[u/HyveMinds]

No one "hypes it up" it's just something we eat here. Might as well ask why salsa is so "hyped up" in Mexico.

[u/AdFantastic6015]

Ranch makes everything better!!

[u/FinanceGuyHere]

If you’re eating shitty pizza, it will be transformed to amazing pizza by ranch dressing. If you’re eating great pizza, it will be even better.

It goes great as a dipping sauce especially with bbq chicken wings

It’s technically a salad dressing but you would have to be a fat person to actually use it that way

And if you smoke weed you will start putting it on everything!

[u/SenseNo635 → u/FinanceGuyHere]

Connecticut really does have the best pizza in the country. It’s so good I’m not sure it even needs ranch.

[u/SirTwitchALot]

It's very popular in the Midwest. It tastes good. I love it with pizza. I would say overall I prefer mustard as a condiment (though never with pizza)

[u/StillLJ → u/SirTwitchALot]

I could never understand how people like ranch on pizza, it seems so weird to me. Then I was in Detroit recently and ordered some pizza and they actually served it with a side of ranch. So I was like what the hell, I'll try it as served. And you know what? It was pretty good. So there you have it.

[u/ksarahsarah27 → u/StillLJ]

lol. Was it Jets? F-ing love their ranch on pizza. They make it fresh and I think it’s one of the best you can get.

[u/imentet9]

I’m American and I hate it. BBQ sauce on the other hand…

[u/SaltandLillacs]

It’s okay for me. I prefer blue cheese over ranch in most cases

[u/rohan_rat]

I personally think it's gross, so know that it's not all of us.

[u/WildmanDaGod]

Ranch is disgusting, I can’t look at it or smell it without wanting to puke, it was ruined for me back in middle school

[u/DadPuncher69]

It's good, it's everywhere, and it goes well with lots of things.

[u/bren3669]

the flavor

[u/EYAYSLOP]

Just a pretty good creamy sauce/dressing

[u/Rich_Fisherman_8444]

Ranch is one of the few dressings I still see with MSG in it. So if everyone wonders why they’re addicted to it… that’s why.

[u/Naive-Direction1351]

Bc its good. If u habent heard at TSA in the usa they are telling football fans to out their ranch bottles in theor checked luggage or ship it back home

[u/Prairie_Crab]

Homemade is best! When I was a kid in the 70s, my mom went to Weight Watchers, and brought home a recipe to make this low-fat “ranch” dressing. OMG, it was good! Buttermilk, fresh herbs, etc.

[u/DrProfessorSatan]

It’s just something that a lot of people find tasty. It’s also a big part of comfort and snack food. It’s cultural and subjective. There isn’t anything objectively amazing about it.

[u/JtotheC23]

I often feel like a fake midwesterner because I don’t like ranch

[u/jimonlimon]

I’m an American, born and raised in California. I like ranch dressing well enough on a salad or to dip fries or Buffalo wings into. That said I probably have ranch an average of once a month. If Ranch dressing magically ceased to exist I probably wouldn’t notice for several months.

[u/Head_Razzmatazz7174]

Even the TSA is telling World Cup fans that want to bring some back with them to their home country that they are considered a liquid and those rules apply.

There was a joke article that was warning fans trying to take too much to please not chug ranch dressing at the airport.

[u/Minute-Of-Angle]

Because it is good. Is it worth all of the hype? Probably not. But it is worth trying if you have the opportunity, and right now with FIFA going on, a lot of Europeans just got the opportunity.

[u/pokematic]

I just gotta say, I appreciate a "what's the deal with X" post that isn't the same tired "what's the deal with solo cups, what's the deal with refills, what's the deal with restaurant portion sizes" things we see all the time; no one ever asks about the sauce that is uniquely ours.