xkcd.WTF!?

Explanation ➲

Apple Jacks is a breakfast cereal produced by Kellogg's. As the title text begins to explain, there was an ad campaign for the cereal in the 1990s that focused on someone (usually someone in authority like a parent) pointing out that Apple Jacks doesn't taste like apples, and one or more kids pointing out that it doesn't matter and that "we eat what we like". However, instead of laughing off his dad's comment and correcting him, as in the campaign, this son responds by simply saying "Fuck off, Dad.".

This could be a commentary on today's youth being far less respectful, as the son is playing video games and seems annoyed at being interrupted, though this does not align with Randall’s public views. It may not be the first time the father has used the line, and the son is irritated by the repetition. It could also be saying that the response in the ads is unrealistic, and this is a much more realistic response. The same ad campaign was referenced previously in 27: Meat Cereals on a parody cereal labelled Scrapple Jacks. Cereal advertising would be referenced again in 1470: Kix.

As with many of the earlier comics, the title text and the original caption help explain the joke rather than adding to it.