Snack Wraps. Only in America would fried chicken tenders, shredded cheese and a pinch of vegetables in a flour tortilla classify as a “snack”.
Many a fast food restaurant has had a go at replicating these ergonomic grab-and-go wraps. McDonalds may lay claim to first conceiving the snack wrap, but those of us in Central Pennsylvania may recognize the snack wrap under a different name.
“Shnack Wrapz” at Sheetz may be one of their most heavily advertised menu items. It doesn’t take a long drive down US-15 to find a billboard advertising their “2 for $6” combo pricing. And, it didn’t take long for yours truly to find himself shnacking on a pair.
The brilliance behind the shnack wrapz is, in a way, how well it compliments the grab-and-go nature of gas station food. I spend lots of hours driving for work, and I need something convenient. The countless customizable combinations and small serving size wrapped tighter than Eminem on Christmas Eve is a big draw, if you ask me.
So, applying the same rules, The Union Cafe has their own take: U-Wraps. Priced at $4.75 for two 4-inch tortillas, the Union already beats Sheetz in price. Upon opening the clamshell box for the picture, I was promptly asked “what kind of tacos are those?” by another person in the room.
And therein lies the problem with the U-Wrap. They aren’t wrapped.
I then attempted to wrap my U-Wraps, but could not succeed due to the chicken tender to tortilla ratio. So, I took it like a man and just ate them like tacos.
As stated before, a key factor to the success of wraps such as this is their self-containment. I have the utmost of confidence in the wrapping of the shnack wrap to handle it without any napkin or plate to catch spillage. With these, I wanted them to be a convenient meal for students to grab and eat as they walk to class, but they simply don’t meet that mark.
All that to say, as I sat and enjoyed these wraps, I found them to scratch that craving itch. The ingredients were good, and with a drizzle of ranch dressing, these U Wraps were rather delicious.
I can’t tell if my expectations were off, or the U-Wraps failed to deliver on principle. But, I would recommend these wraps regardless. While they certainly lack the convenience factor, it is nice to have something that feels lighter yet substantive on the Union’s menu.
RATING – 6 Kim Phipps out of 10
