Via @mrdenny833 TikTok/Adriana Adobe Stock
A man says that Ritz crackers taste worse now. Here's what he means, and whether there have been any recipe changes to back up his claim.
A man says Ritz Crackers no longer taste the way they used to. Here’s whether there have been any recipe changes to back up his claim.
A content creator who goes by Mr. Denny (@mrdenny8) posted a video that received more than 42,000 views. In it, he tells viewers Ritz Crackers taste “weird” now.
“It don’t taste right,” he says, biting into one. He then turns on the sink and puts the cracker under. It holds its shape, not dissolving, which he thinks adds credence to his theory that they are different now.
In the comment section, multiple viewers discussed the apparent shift in flavor and texture.
“They’re flatter and harder instead of fluffy, not as golden, and not as buttery tasting as they once were. It’s ALL Ritz crackers, too,” one commenter said.
Another added, “Taste changed over a year ago. They used to be my favorite.”
A third commenter wrote, “Nothing tastes right anymore.”
“My son has high sensory and a staple in our house for him is ritz crackers, in the last two months he will NOT touch them. He refuses to eat them. I tried them and they are NOT the same,” another said.
A few viewers tried to guess what happened.
“Mmmm love those forever chemicals,” one viewer said.
Another added, “I gave them up once I noticed they had bioengineered ingredients.”
Did The Ritz Cracker Recipe Change?
Ritz hasn’t announced any changes to its crackers, but many customers suspect something happened. Multiple online discussion threads, Reddit posts, and Facebook complaints say the crackers have changed “for the worse.” Tasting Table reports that there are a slew of online complaints about the snack brand in 2026.
The publication cites one customer, who posted on Reddit and said, “The last couple boxes of Ritz I have got have been different. They took something out! Whatever makes that buttery flaky texture and taste.”
Tasting Table’s own read of the ingredients list found that the 2026 version has less sugar than the 2015 one. In addition, Ritz switched out its hydrogenated cottonseed oil for canola oil.
The publication says, “The most significant change is in the fats, particularly the loss of partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil. Hydrogenated fats in baking add structure and produce a flakier end product.”
What Are Hydrogenated Oils?
Hydrogenated oils “are oils that have had hydrogen added to them to make them less likely to spoil.” They’re usually shelf-stable at room temperature.
Using a hydrogenated oil makes it significantly easier to mass-produce shelf-stable products. In addition, shortenings add certain texture enhancements, per Healthline.
“During normal mixing and baking, wheat flour’s gluten strands stretch and form a matrix,” Healthline says. “This gives baked goods like bread a chewy, stretchy texture. But when a fat such as shortening is cut into flour before baking, it coats the gluten strands, preventing them from lengthening and forming a tough matrix. This results in a tender, crumbly, and flaky product.”
When Did Ritz Cracker Customers Notice A Shift?
Considering how many people are already convinced Ritz Crackers have permanently changed, a few asked a follow-up question: When did Ritz actually shift in texture and flavor?
Some online reports suspect that Nabisco selling the brand to Mondelēz International in 2012 resulted in a shift in quality. However, Tasting Table uses the 2015 version of the product as an example, indicating that Ritz crackers were generally well-perceived at that time.
Tasting Table says major complaints about the crackers changing go back as early as 2023, although a majority of customers fully noticed the issue in 2025 and 2026.
At the end of 2023, the Food and Drug Administration partially banned certain hydrogenated oils. It’s unclear, however, if this affected Ritz crackers.
BroBible reached out to Mr. Denny via TikTok direct message and Mondelēz International via email for comment.