It has no additional flavor other than adding sweetness. I would rather have no syrup than "fake" pancake syrup (e.g. Ms Butterworths).
I much prefer maple syrup. Of course it is expensive, so the Log Cabin table syrup is a good substitute that still has actual flavor and is affordable.
Edit: Also if you still want maple flavor for cheaper, a mix of half maple and half cane works good, like the stuff at Cracker Barrel. It doesn't deserve the hate.
You what now? I've never met anyone who wanted corn or sugar syrup if maple was available. Plenty who will accept it if it's all that's available though. Maple syrup is very expensive down here.
Better than any syrup is berries macerated in sugar though. On pancakes or waffles. Yum.
Fake maple syrup has no place in my house. I dont eat pancakes or waffles often enough to require skimping on the syrup, so I will pay for the real thing.
That being said, if Im ever out at a restaurant and get pancakes or waffles, I will opt for jam rather than the corn syrup slop, and that's fine too.
To me, the cost of stuff like syrup works as a great example of how much we shouldn't be eating it.
It costs so much because it's very time consuming, labor intensive, and it's reduced from the source liquid about 80%.
I go through about 16oz of syrup in 1 to 2 years. It's a sugar (a very simple carb), that's plenty for the average person.
Even worse is what it's typically used for - high carbohydrate foods, like pancakes, waffles, and desserts. Again, stuff we really shouldn't be eating all that much of.
It's sort of naturally limiting by the effort involved in getting it. So I don't mind paying for the real thing.
I'm mostly with you, and I would definitely say this is unpopular on a large scale since so many people will default to that kind of syrup for pancakes (and waffles tbh).
I would, however, point out that what sucks about it isn't the fact of corn syrup being the sweet part; it's how they're flavored that makes them suck. Most of them use artificial flavoring that is completely one note, and overwhelming to the palate.
Plain corn syrup, particularly dark corn syrup, does have its own flavor, and it can be not only acceptable, but preferable, on pancakes that have additional things like berries. Even log cabin (which is the least chemically tasting brand) competes with berries or other fruit. Plain corn syrup, used sparingly, does not and still bring extra sweetness.
You could make syrup from cane sugar, add the same flavorings to it, and the result would suck just as much as corn syrup based brands. Hell, it might suck worse to some palates since the chemical additives aren't masked as much as with corn syrup.
I grew up poor, so pancakes or french toasts with Aunt Jemima syrup were a rare and special treat for me. I do like and appreciate maple syrup, but it's the cheap stuff that makes me smile.
One thing it's great for is making granola that holds together. Perfect consistency and sweetness. You need to use a lot because the point is to get the oats to stick together, so it would be ridiculously expensive to use honey instead like some recipes suggest (and I think that would probably make it too sweet, since honey is sweeter).
When I go to a well regarded diner and they hand me a bottle of that crap with my waffle I ask them to take it away as the sight of it will ruin my life! Barf city