For anyone who's ever felt seen by a Taylor Swift lyric, or had a friend in college that Travis Kelce reminds them of, there seems to be a vested interest in imbuing America's Sweethearts with the aura of a “normal couple.” Therefore quite a lot of hoopla was created this week over a brief shopping trip that Chiefs superstar Travis Kelce made to his local Trader Joe's store in Kansas City.
Kelce was spotted — though notably left unapproached or bothered during the visit — buying nothing but a pint of Trader Joe's seasonal confection favorite, Candy Cane Joe-Joe's Ice Cream. This immediately raised hopes that the purchase was for Taylor Swift, who has been well documented to be spending the holidays with Kelce during some down time from her Eras Tour international shows.
The scene was posted about by a fellow Trader Joe's shopper, Kansas City realtor Alex Owens, on Instagram. Owens excitedly detailed the scene in a video post, and included the caption, “That one time I saw Travis Kelce in real life buying ice cream for Taylor Swift (maybe) in Kansas City ❤️💛✨🥹🍨 – I'm a Kansas City Swiftie & I LOVE KC's Midwestwen politeness. Even more of a reason to love our city and living here.”
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The post was then responded to by a celebrity, former Biggest Loser contestant, Nicole Michalik. “I’m not going to say I told you so, but I told you our boy Travis was going to ask his girl what kind of snack she wanted,” suggested Michalik. “And sure enough, here he is, out and about.”
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From there, the relatable snack run has taken on a viral life of its own. But are we all being a little quick to assume this outing had anything to do with Taylor Swift?
Sure, a good boyfriend buys his girlfriend her favorite snack to have at his place when she comes to visit, but isn't it equally likely Kelce just downed this pint like a shot himself the second he got back home? Or maybe he did something to tick off Chiefs coach Andy Reid during practice and is making it up to him with his favorite seasonal treat?
Why were we all so quick to attribute the purchase to Taylor Swift?
Is it because of the enticing alliterative concoction of Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and Trader Joe's?
Or is it possibly because Trader Joe's is basically the Taylor Swift of the grocery world? A global phenomenon, beloved by a vast array of humans with any semblance of taste, and dropping surprise new tracks (or snacks) all the time and easter eggs galore (though Trader Joe's are usually literal and seasonal).
The mind-blowing thought of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift both enjoying shopping at Trader Joe's is like a relatability explosion for couples everywhere. In fact, “relatability explosion” sounds like it could be the name of Trader Joe's next hit trail mix.
Also, Trader Joe's followers are almost as rabid about their fandom as Swifties, and I'll bet there's a fair degree of crossover.
If Trader Joe's is smart, they'll seize on this momentum now and start a line of Taylor and Travis' fave TJ's snacks.
Think of the possibilities: Karamel is my Boyfriend ice cream, Shake it On panko bread crumbs, Look What You Made Me Brew IPA, Bad Blood oranges, Anti-Gyro sandwiches, I Knew You Were Brussels. The possibilities are endless!
Here's hoping the rumors are true, and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are happily enjoying their Candy Cane ice cream together. But if you bump into them at your local Trader Joe's and there's only one sample left at the taste test station, don't let this love story stand in the way of you and that last Everything But the Bagel cracker.