Potato Chips
The Greatest Snack Love Story Ever Fried
I have never had a sweet tooth. Even as a child. I would get small bags of potato chips in my Easter basket and a large wrapped bag at Christmas. My niece had individually chosen table favors at her wedding and ... I got potato chips! I eat potato chips almost every day.
The most-told origin story puts potato chips in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 1853, at a restaurant called Moon’s Lake House. They were supposedly created by chef George “Crum” Speck, possibly in response to a picky customer complaining that his potatoes were too thick.
Footnote: historians say the story is a bit fuzzy and recipes for thin fried potatoes existed earlier—but Saratoga “chips” are definitely where the legend (and popularity explosion) took off.
In the U.S., potato chips are the largest category in salty snacks, reaching about $8.6 billion in sales recently, and staying #1 even as people flirt with pretzels and tortilla chips.
Globally, it’s harder to claim the #1 snack on Earth (the world snacks category includes cookies, candy, instant noodles, etc.), BUT potato chips are clearly one of the biggest global snack giants—huge market, huge cultural presence, and massive international flavor variations.
Did you ever wonder which flavors are most popular (puh leeze, not dill pickle). here and in other countries? When I traveled with Mr. Ralph, while he was working, I would visit shops and buy a bag of what the clerk would tell me was the most chosen flavor. Here's what I learned (I'm odd ... I would also visit local McDonald's and see what local items they served. Same with Starbucks. And YES both of these were abundant in any country I've visited.
🇺🇸 USA
The most common flavor in USA overall: Classic / Original salted. Then BBQ, Sour Cream & Onion, Salt & Vinegar
🏴 England (UK)
Most common “default”: Ready Salted (plain salted)
Also extremely common: Salt & Vinegar, Cheese & Onion (UK "crisp" culture is basically an Olympic sport.)
🇩🇪 Germany
Most common: Paprika is famously huge!
Also: salted, sour cream/herbs, “spicier/drier” BBQ styles
🇦🇹 Austria
Very similar to Germany: Paprika and salted dominate
(Also: “sour cream” styles are everywhere in that region.)
🇮🇹 Italy
Most common: Salted Very common “Italian classic”: Rosemary and olive-oil flavored chips show up a lot too
🇨🇳 China
Most common mainstream flavors often include: Original, Cucumber, Tomato, Spicy varieties
(Asian chip aisles are where flavor gets creative fast.)
🇦🇷 Argentina
Most common: Salted and Paprika-style flavors
Often you’ll see: “Jamón” (ham) BBQ-style flavors (Barbacoa) Mustard flavor, tomato and o nion.
🌺 Hawaii
Most common everywhere in Hawaii is still Classic salted But the most Hawaii-famous flavor is: Maui Onion (an icon—if you know, you KNOW)(And I still buy them occasionally on the mainland)
There’s even a potato chip song in my personal mythology. My sister sent it to me years ago — slow, folksy, sung by a man who sounded like he’d seen some things. I only remember one line about chips and lips, which, honestly, is the perfect summary of my relationship with potato chips anyway. By Slim Gaillard in 1953 (I'm pretty sure it was dedicated to ME as I was born in 1952)
https://youtu.be/NFpztcGHAog?si=M6zgDey9Fd5f03vUSome people want sweets or ice cream when life gets hard. I want salt, crunch, and the comforting certainty that I can eat the whole bag and still feel absolutely correct about it.
At this age, if you find something that brings you joy, doesn’t require a password reset, and comes in a bag with built-in portion denial … you hold onto it.
Potato chips aren’t a snack. They’re a mood. They’re crunchy therapy. They’re the reason I can tolerate email.
P.S. My sister sent me a tin of Bonilla a la Vista Olive Oil potato chips from Spain for my birthday last year.
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