TikToker Jake Musser (@mvsser) went viral after posting his Friendsgiving mashed potatoes hack: he just purchased them from a Kentucky Fried Chicken location and poured them all into a bowl he bought from Target.
Throngs of other users on the platform thought it was a genius way to help fulfill an obligation you may have forgotten you promised ahead of a potluck meal.
“The other day my friend asked me if I wanted to do Friendsgiving and I was a little bit tipsy so I was, ‘like sure, I got the mashed potatoes.’ Um, I worked all day,” Musser, says while standing outside of a KFC location. “And I’m exhausted and I don’t have time to make mashed potatoes so I’m gonna get them from KFC and see if anyone notices.”
The video then cuts to Musser showing off a white bowl on the camera.
“Step one: buy a bowl from Target because I’m still moving in and don’t have any of my stuff,” he says.
The clip then cuts to Musser picking up some mashed potatoes from the KFC counter, saying, “Step 2: buy 15 pounds of KFC mashers and some gravy, too.”
He then dumps the mashed potatoes in the bowl and then the video cuts to him walking through the streets, then smash cuts to the Friendsgiving dinner with folks chowing down on food.
“Do you like the potatoes?” Musser asks one of his friends at the table.
“Oh yeah,” the man replies, before the video cuts to the TikToker’s face, who gives a knowing smile.
“John, Kendall, you guys like the potatoes?” he asks two other people.
“My potatoes?” John asks.
“No, mine, the mashed potatoes,” Musser responds, which elicits a laugh from a friend.
@mvsser lifehack alert incoming.. 🥔🥔🥔
♬ original sound – Jake Musser
Folks who viewed Musser’s clip had a litany of different responses. Some thought it was pretty lame of him to not make homemade mashed potatoes, while others thought it was a brilliant time-saving hack. Others wanted to know why he was throwing a Friendsgiving so early with his pals, while some wanted to know if he washed the bowl he purchased from Target.
“Why Friendsgiving so early,” a user asked.
“Can you imagine being at a dinner party and ACCUSING someone of that tho? I would never, not even if I found the receipt in mine,” another user wrote.
There were viewers who said they have been in situations where store-bought food were snuck into gatherings to great acclaim.
“My dad participated in a chili cookoff… bought & mixed the chili from Texas Roadhouse & Wendys…. He won 1st place,” a user claimed.
Others said he could’ve just purchased instant mashed potatoes and it would’ve taken less time and tasted better. But some professed their love for KFC mashed potatoes.
If you’re thinking about heading to a KFC for your actual Thanksgiving meal, the franchise has been known to offer specials in the past, and depending on your area, the store may actually be open on Thanksgiving Day itself.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Musser via TikTok comment and KFC via email for further information.
