Why Girl Scout cookies have different names in different regions

The Girl Scouts of America employ two different companies to make their famous cookies — but the differences aren't in name, only. (Girl Scouts of the USA)

A Girl Scout Cookie by any other name is surely just as sweet?

Unless you live under a rock, you know what a Girl Scout cookie is. Every year, the cutest teensy-weensy troops set up shop at grocery stores and knock on doors to sell the most addicting baked goods to ever grace this Earth. Although Thin Mints are the organization’s best seller, the most delicious of them all, perhaps, is the Samoa. Doesn’t ring a bell? That’s because it’s also sold under the alias Caramel deLite.

W-w-w-what?! Be still your beating heart: Indeed, Girl Scout cookies have different names depending on your region. And it's not just regional slang.

The Girl Scouts of America employ two different companies to make their famous cookies: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers. Depending on where you purchase your precious cargo, things could look and taste different. This doesn’t differ by state, but by region. Dallas and Fort Worth don’t even enjoy the exact same cookies, and they share an airport.

So let’s get into this. The Samoa that half the country knows and loves has a heavy layer of caramel, dark chocolate coating and a liberal amount of toasted coconut. The Caramel deLite has milk chocolate, a vanilla-flavored cookie and less caramel. Are you familiar with Trefoils? They’re called Shortbreads elsewhere. Do-si-dos? More like Peanut Butter Sandwiches. Tagalongs? Nope. Try Peanut Butter Patties.

Even Thin Mints have been compromised. They have the same name everywhere, but like the others, the recipe varies by location. ABC Bakers’ version is crunchier with more mint than chocolate, and Little Brownie Bakers’ is richer with a smoother chocolate coating and stronger peppermint taste. The LA Times compares each company’s cookies in a side-by-side chart on its site, which also shows which regions sell which versions.

Girl Scout Cookies aren't the only ones two-timing us, though. These 10 food and drink brands are called something totally different abroad.