Gender-reveal lasagna takes a cheesy trend too far

You've heard of bleu cheese, but this is ridiculous. Pizza chain Villa Italian Kitchen introduced a gender-reveal lasagna on Tuesday and people on social media found the idea to be quite cheesy.

The chain, which has nearly 350 restaurants, including Villa Italian Kitchen and South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries, sells a cheese lasagna with a secret interior. Someone who knows the gender of an unborn baby orders one with either blue- or pink-cheese filling, and parents-to-be then cut into it at a party to deliver the news. 

The lasagna comes with garlic rolls and a salad and sells as a package for $140. Those who actually carry through with the reveal and share a video with the company are entered to win a week of catered meals once the baby comes.

Gender-reveal parties aren't new. Parents-to-be have popped balloons, cut into cakes, and even ignited a 47,000-acre wildfire while trying to share the simple "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!" news. 

But this saucy twist seemed to turn Twitter users' stomachs, probably because the dyed-blue or dyed-pink cheese, as shown in photos provided by the company, looks more like cake frosting than cheese. Or ... like something you should not be putting in your mouth. Cnet's own Ry Crist had an appropriately hot take: 

"According to this gender-reveal lasagna the baby's gone bad," cracked a Twitter user with the handle Taco Belle and Sebastian.

But the lasagna-makers didn't mind the burns. 

"We've fielded over 100 calls from guests thus far," said Andrew Steinberg, COO of Villa Restaurant Group. "In fact, our website crashed for a little over an hour and a half earlier today. We've had a lot of fun seeing the comments roll in on social media -- people certainly channeled their creativity -- especially on Twitter."

They also channeled their astonishment over the high price. A Twitter user going by Q marveled: "They spent $140 to look at dyed lasagna cheese."