Lay's vs. Pringles vs. Doritos vs. Tostitos: Which One Wins the Chip Brand Showdown?

Whether you're a fan of Pringles, Lays, Ruffles, or Doritos, you probably can't eat just one. 

What Are the Most Popular Chips?

VIA SHANECO.COM

To find the most popular chips, Shane Co. analyzed interest in 17 different chip brands on Google Trends. Here’s what they found:

1. Pringles (13 states)

2. Tostitos (8 states)

3. Lay’s (8 states)

4. Popchips (4 states)

5. Sun Chips (4 states)

Shane Co. recently analyzed Google Trends data to determine the favorite potato chip and favorite chip dip in each state. Overall, Shane found that Pringles potato crisps was the most popular brand nationwide with a search volume of more than 25% of the states. Tostitos came in second with Lay’s coming in third.

Editor's Review：4 Best Chip Brands Ranked

1. Tostitos

If you want a chip brand that's perfect for any occasion, look no further. Tostitos chips come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. Let's start off with the Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chip. This classic chip pairs well with dips or to build the perfect nacho plate. For an extra bit of flavor, we also love the Hint of Lime version.

While variety definitely boosts Tostitos to our No. 1 spot, we also appreciate its innovative nature. Tostitos Scoops changed the dip scooping game. If you have a hearty dip, Tostitos Scoops create a mini chip bowl in every bite. Visually, you can not beat how cute they look on any party platter.

Overall, Tostitos takes the cake for being consistently tasty, offering a fantastic variety, and for its availability at the most popular grocery stores. If you have a party approaching or want to enjoy chips at home, Tostitos has you covered.

2. Doritos

It's an age-old debate: What Dorito Flavor is better — Cool Ranch or Nacho Cheese? While we will forever struggle to make this decision, one thing is certain, how much we love Doritos as a whole. I mean, let's face it, would Taco Bell center an entire entree around the chip if it did not taste so good?

Doritos make the perfect snack chip. Our only complaint is the Doritos Dust you can't seem to get off your fingers after inhaling a bag. But don't worry, we'll lick that off our fingers any day to make the most of our Doritos experience.

Otherwise, we love that every bag of Doritos is guaranteed to be crunchy, the perfect amount of salty and flavored. You will never eat a bland bag of Doritos; we can promise you that. Doritos may be our comfort chip because we're slightly addicted, but we have no problem yelling that from the rooftops.

3. Lays

According to Statista, 284.37 million Americans in 2020 consumed potato chips, which was equal to approximately 85% of the U.S. population at the time. We can only imagine a good majority of them were fans of Lays potato chips.

Lays have been an American classic for over 75 years. The famous potato chip brand offers so many flavors, that any chip lover is guaranteed to find one to match their taste bud's preferences. If you are craving a salty flavored snack, Lays has you covered with options like Cheddar and Sour Cream, Kettle-Cooked Jalapeño, Barbecue, Original, and more!

Lays stands out against its competition because of its consistent flavor and constant innovation. You can always count on Lays to bring a new flavor to life when you least expect it. Lays uses farm-grown potatoes seasoned to perfection in every bag. This ensures every handful you reach for will be perfectly crispy every time. This deliciousness has allowed Lay's to be a staple snack at the ballpark, side to your sandwich, or part of a birthday party spread all over the country.

4. Pringles

Pringles revolutionized the potato chip industry when it debuted. Ever wonder how the uniform chip in the tall cylinder came to be the chip we know and love today? The invention and perfection of Pringles was a team effort. According to its site, Fredric Baur sought to improve the pain point of reaching into a chip bag and grabbing greasy, stale, and broken pieces of chips. After creating the shape we know today, Alexander Liepa then stepped in to help improve the taste. Finally, Gene Wolfe invented the machine that could repeatedly produce the Pringles potato chip.

With factories in four countries, Pringles have become a global phenomenon. We understand the hype and agree this chip revolutionized the industry with its chip shape and container. Our most significant critique is that many of Pringle's flavor offerings lack just that: flavor. With more seasoning in each cylinder, we would push Pringles higher on our chip brand list.

Lay's vs. Pringles vs. Doritos vs. Tostitos：what are they？

Frito-Lay North America Inc. is the division which controls Frito-Lay product research and development, sales, and distribution within the U.S. and Canada. Its primary brands include Lay's and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos tortilla chips, Tostitos tortilla chips and dips, Cheetos cheese flavored snacks, Fritos corn chips, Rold Gold pretzels, Sun Chips, and Cracker Jack popcorn. 

Products made by this division are sold to independent distributors and retailers, and are transported from Frito-Lay's manufacturing plants to distribution centers, primarily in vehicles owned and operated by the company.

Pringles is an American brand of stackable potato-based crisps. Originally sold by Procter & Gamble in 1968 and marketed as "Pringle's Newfangled Potato Chips", the brand was sold in 2012 to the current owner, Kellogg's. 

Lay's vs. Pringles vs. Doritos vs. Tostitos：what are their historical origin?

Pringles 

The history of Pringles began in 1956, when Procter & Gamble, the company that first produced it, sought to create a potato chip that would not break apart and be uniform in flavor and shape. This was done to address customer complaints about chip packaging breaking frequently, as well as concerns about stale air and air inside the chip bags.

An organic chemist named Fred Baur was recruited by Procter & Gamble to create a new type of chip that would address the aforementioned customer complaint. It took Fred Baur about 2 years to design a saddle-shaped potato chip out of fried dough and to invent a new tubular jar design that can be used with the chips as a storage container. Supercomputers were used to ensure the chips would fit inside the tubular aluminum-coated cans and be aerodynamic enough to hold the chips in place to avoid breakage.

While Baur was able to create the shape and invent the can for what would become Pringles, he was still working on perfecting the taste. He tried his best, but he couldn't make the Pringles taste good enough. Eventually, Baur got a new assignment with a different product. In the mid-1960s, another Procter & Gamble researcher from Montgomery, Ohio, Alexander Liepa, picked up Fred Baur's work and succeeded in improving the quality of potato chips. taste, enough to bring the product to market.

A patent for Pringles, issued in 1976, lists Alexander Lipa as an inventor but does not mention Fred Bauer. In the December 21, 1976 Pringles patent, the snack is described as "a potato chip product and process in which a dough is made from dehydrated boiled potatoes and water, then deep-fried. "

Pringles is often thought of as like potato chips, but technically it might just be called "potato chips" by its parent company. When Pringles first came out, the product was called Pringles Novelty Chips, however, other snack manufacturers objected to the brand's use of the term chips to describe Pringles.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled in 1975 that Pringles could only use the word "potato chips" in its product name and include the following phrase: "Potato chips made from dried potatoes." Instead of doing that, the company started referring to Pringles as potato "chips," not potato chips. However, this has caused some problems in the UK, where the term potato crisps is considered the same as Americans think of potato chips.

Pringles is subject to the 17.5% VAT rate that applies to chips and potato-derived snacks, according to a ruling by the UK's VAT and Customs Tribunal. Lawyers for P&G successfully challenged the decision in July 2008 in the High Court in London. Lawyers for Procter & Gamble have argued that Pringles aren't really potato chips, even though their containers are labeled "Potato Chips." It has been suggested that the shape of the Pringles does not exist in nature and that it is only 42% potato.

Court grants P&G and Pringles exemption from 17.5% VAT. However, in May 2009, an appeals court overturned an earlier decision to impose the then-current 17.5% VAT on Pringles. "Suffice in the potato content to reasonably believe it was made from potatoes," said Justice Jacobs. Procter & Gamble reportedly voluntarily paid VAT, possibly to avoid tax arrears. As of 2019, Pringles container tubes appear to continue to label the product as "Potato Chips."

The machine used to cook Pringles was developed by Gene Wolfe, a mechanical engineer and author known for fantasy and science fiction. Wolf said he didn't invent the machine, he developed it, and said it was a German whose name he forgot. Wolf said the man invented the basic method of making potato dough by pressing it between two shapes, more or less like a wraparound.

Gene Wolfe works in Engineering Development and is responsible for the cooking portion of the mass-production facility that makes Pringles. Asked to find new ways to accommodate rising production rates, those on the team responsible for the filling part of the process nearly went nuts, says Wolf. Len Hooper was the person responsible for developing the equipment for the dough-making/dough-rolling part of the Pringles process.

The origin of the name Pringles is unclear, and there are several theories as to where the product name was inspired. There is one theory for the origin of the Mark Pringle brand name, he filed US Patent 2,286,644 on March 5, 1937 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Processing Potatoes." Mark Pringle's work is cited by Procter & Gamble for a patent for improving the taste of dehydrated processed potatoes.

Another theory is that the product got its name from the fact that two P&G advertising employees who lived on Pringle Drive in Finney Township (north of Cincinnati, Ohio) took the name from where they lived and thought it would go well with potatoes. Another myth about the origin of the product's name suggests that the name was picked at random from a Cincinnati phone book, again because it sounded pleasing to the ear.

After nearly a decade in development, Pringles was released to the public in 1967. The product started small, with limited geographic distribution, until it became nationally available in the United States in the mid-1970s. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Pringles didn't sell well, in part because the taste still wasn't good enough for many people.

Charles Jarvie, vice president of P&G's food division in the late '70s, made the statement about Pringles' poor performance that "it was dead when I was there 30 years ago". Pringles fared so badly early on that there were calls to remove the product from P&G's line. However, the product made a strong comeback in the 1980s when the taste of Pringles changed and a new ad campaign called "Crazy for the Taste of Pringles" went into effect.

Pringles slowly but surely became the largest brand owned by P&G, surpassing $1 billion in revenue by the late 1990s. In July 1991, Pringles Potato Chips was launched in the UK. By 2011, Pringles Potato Chips had been sold to more than 140 countries, becoming one of the most popular snack brands in the world, accounting for 2.2% of the global market share.

On Tuesday, April 5, 2011, Procter & Gamble announced the sale of the Pringles brand to Diamond Foods, a food company that originated in California and is now a brand. The deal is valued at $2.35 billion, includes $1.5 billion worth of Diamond stock, and will triple the size of Diamond Foods' snacks business. However, the deal was canceled in February 2012 after lengthy delays due to problems with Diamond Foods accounts.

Kellogg announced on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 that it would acquire the Pringles brand from Procter & Gamble for $2.695 billion. The deal came together just days after P&G's deal with Diamond Foods fell apart. The Kellogg Company acquired Pringles to expand its snack business, adding the brand to other brands it owns, such as Cheez-It and Keebler. The acquisition roughly stumbled Kellogg's snack business. The deal, which closed on May 31, 2012, made Kellogg Company the second-largest snacking company in the world at the time.

The saddle-like shape of Pringles has been described as a hyperbolic paraboloid. It is a double ruled surface: it contains two sets of lines that are inclined to each other. As of 2019, Pringles is produced at plants in Jackson, Tennessee; Mechelen, Belgium; Johor, Malaysia; Kutno, Poland; and Fujian, China. The Pringles mascot is usually depicted as a human face on the product container. The mascot has a prominent mustache and his name is Julius Pringle. Over the years, Pringles has launched a number of flavors, including grilled shrimp, milk chocolate and cheddar cheese.

Lay's

While there are more than 200 varieties of Lay's Potato Chips in countries around the world, the salty, crunchy snack had humble beginnings. To get a bag of Lay's chips, you have to find Mr. Herman Lay and hope his car trunk is full of fried potatoes for sale.

Herman Lay got into the business in 1932 when he opened a Nashville-based company that produced a variety of snack foods. A few years later, in 1938, he bought another Southern snack company — one that made potato chips in Atlanta — Barrett Foods. Herman Lay named the combined company HW, Lay Lingo & Company, an ugly name even for a food manufacturer.

Before long, Herman Lay hit the road, traveling the American South, peddling his Lay's Potato Chips from his car and keeping lifelong customers out of the transaction. Lay knew his product was great, and he knew that anyone who tasted it would want more, he just had to figure out how to take his sales opportunity to the next level.

In 1944, Lay took a very bold step by shortening the company name to "Lay's Lay Lingo Company". Lay's Lay Lingo Company buys TV commercials. It was the first snack maker to advertise on television and the first to hire a celebrity spokesperson.

Doritos 

In 1955, Frito-Lay struck a deal with Disney to open a restaurant at their theme park in Anaheim, California. It will be Mexican-themed and located in the Frontierland portion of the park.

The restaurant was named "Casa de Fritos" (now Rancho Del Zocalo), and it would become a popular ethnic food option at the theme park. Casa de Fritos also has a deal with local food distributor Alex Foods to supply the restaurant with tortillas.

This business partnership would unwittingly become how Doritos was created.

One day at Casa de Fritos, an Alex Foods sales representative was delivering meals at the restaurant. He noticed some of the kitchen staff were throwing out some tortillas.

Seeing this, the salesman advised workers not to throw out the spoiled tortillas. Instead, save them, chop them up, season them and fry them.

That way, instead of losing money throwing away old tortillas, restaurants can make a profit.

The kitchen staff at Casa de Fritos loved the idea, and they started saving stale nachos and frying them. They love the taste of the quesadilla and make their own wraps to resell.

One day in the early 1960s, Frito-Lay Vice President Archie West visited Casa de Fritos. He saw the restaurant crowded and several bags of chips were sold.

West would try these chips and immediately fell in love with them and saw their potential to be big. Archie would report to Frito-Lay on the restaurant's success of these nachos.

After his boss agreed with West, West offered Alex Foods the exclusive opportunity to produce potato chips. Alex Foods agreed and the first mass production of Doritos has begun.

Archie West is actually the one who came up with the name Doritos. Since the chips are gold, he wanted to name them after the Spanish word for gold, "oro."

He would then mix the Spanish word with a company called fritos and add a D at the beginning. Named the snack Doritos, which has remained true for nearly 60 years.

To test whether Doritos would be a hit, Frito-Lay made a soft debut with potato chips. Released in the Southwestern United States only.

The Alex Foods factory was overwhelmed with demand for Doritos because it couldn't make enough potato chips. That forced Frito-Lay to start making the snack at its larger factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Before Frtio-Lay knew it, Doritos were hugely popular throughout the Southwest. People can never get enough of these tortilla chips.

1966 was a landmark year for Frito-Lay. The company will merge with PepsiCo to create a giant company that also produces soft drinks and snacks.

Unfortunately, the FTC started antitrust proceedings against Frito-Lay in 1963. The lawsuit prohibits cross-promotion between Frito-Lay snacks and Pepsi beverages.

Without that lawsuit, the company could be infinitely large, but they've still been incredibly successful.

In the same year as the merger, Doritos would debut nationally and become an instant hit. They were the first nachos to be sold nationally in the United States.

Ever since Doritos were released nationwide, they have been hugely popular with the American public. Backed by a successful advertising campaign, Doritos was advertised as "tastier and crunchier" than any competing brand.

Doritos quickly became one of the best-selling potato chips in the United States in just its first two years of release.

Tostitos

Tostitos, affectionately known as Doritos' twin brother, was created in 1978. These nachos are very popular, but regular Doritos are more common in the UK. Tostitos are more popular in the US. Regular Dorito's existed for 15 years before Tostitos, but they were all made by Frito-Lay.

Jack Liczkowski led the original research team that developed the chip. What they set out to do (and finish) was create a tastier, more authentic Mexican style and processed nacho. They do this by cooking corn in slaked lime, creating a delicate flavor.

Over time, as the brand grew in popularity, the company tried various things. This includes different versions (using other grains and spices), adding flavor (by adding cheese, lime, and pepper) and various shapes (triangles, restaurant-style, bite-sized rounds, tubes, and bowls).

In addition to experimenting with the flavors and shapes of the nachos they offer, they've also created some of the best tested dips that go perfectly with nachos. The first bag of Tostitos hit store shelves in 1978, and it's not showing signs of slowing down anytime soon!

Frito-Lay owns Tostitos, so you might want to learn more about this great American company. Frito-Lay products can be found everywhere. It's impossible to walk into any store and not see a variety of brands associated with the Lay's name. In addition to stores, you will find these products everywhere - concerts, movie theaters and schools. They can be found in lunchboxes, backyard parties, sleepovers, and more!

So how did this great company come to be? CE Doolin bought a bag of cornflakes at a San Antonio cafe in 1932. Then he learned that the manufacturer wanted to sell the company, so he bought the formulas and sold them with his Model T Ford.

Meanwhile, Herman W. Lay started a snack delivery company in Nashville. He also bought a stake in a former manufacturer to create the company.

In 1961, the two companies merged to form Frito-Lays. Then in 1965, Frito-Lay merged with PepsiCo to form PepsiCo.

Decades later, the company is still going strong. It has transformed from a handful of entrepreneurs buying recipes from manufacturers to a company with 55,000 employees and 29 different popular snack food brands. Tostitos top the list of popular snacks they create.

The logo has undergone several redesigns over the years. They're all recognizable from each other, but Frito-Lay experimented with 4 completely different looks on the brand.

Tostitos had its original logo from 1978 to 1985. It's a bold and plain design with black bold typeface with little to no spacing between letters, the "i" in the word Tostitos is dotted with a bold red dot that sits on top of the letter with no spacing between letters Lowercase Letter "i" and dot. Below the "s" is the brand in capital letters and next to the "s" is the trademark symbol.

In 1985, the brand received its first design and this new logo lasted until 2003. It's similar, but more fun. It's a Greek-inspired logo, and the letter "s" that appears twice in the logo looks almost like a zigzag. Since the letter is centered, the letter "o" also appears twice, so it's obvious. They kept the dot above the "i" red, but now there is a prominent space between the "i" and the dot. It still shows the word "Brand", but between the last two letters, and the trademark symbol is now near the top of the last "s".

In 2003, the logo was changed again. The third design of the logo lasted from 2003 to 2012. At this point, the logo becomes more colorful by adding a yellow and orange background. The yellow part in the middle of the logo actually has an orange gradient. Then it has a dark orange around it. It's bold, modern and fun. The two t's in the middle of the logo became fun lowercase t's instead of the traditional uppercase T's found throughout the logo. This logo is also angled rather than straight. The trademark symbol is still there. However, instead of the word "Brand" underneath the logo, it says "Brand Tortilla Chips".

Finally, in 2012, they created the logo they still use today. Basically, the latest logo combines the styles of the previous three logos in one cohesive design. The ellipse in the letter "O" is back, just like it was in 1978. The font is closer to the 1985 font, without the jagged s. The lowercase "t" retains the 2003 logo. The logo is straight again, without any angles, and there is no longer always a background. The trademark symbol and branded or branded nacho title have also been removed from the logo.

When the log was changed in 2003, Tostitos added something extra, something they kept with their current logo. While they did replace the uppercase T in the middle of the logo with a lowercase t, there was an artistic reason for doing so. The capital t in the logo is actually stick figures facing each other. The lowercase I is the basis of the table. Order is Tostito's salsa. Two stick figures are sharing (or fighting over) a large nacho to dip in salsa.

This design is also believed to be an optical illusion. They use blanks to portray or trick onlookers that it's actually a young couple sharing their delicious snack. This design chain focuses on going from a basic or traditional design using fonts and colors to adding elements that allow customers to feel connected to the brand by seeing themselves in the actual logo.

Lay's vs. Pringles vs. Doritos vs. Tostitos：How do they taste?

Pringles

As Pringles grew in popularity, the company began looking for new markets. In 1995, it set its sights on Europe, Latin America and Asia, which also meant new flavors. Pringles has prawn cocktail, seaweed, serrano ham, roast chicken and even blueberries. The following year, as popularity grew, so did Julius' mustache. That thing is full of secrets.

Lay's

Lay's is known for its wide variety of flavors, both in the United States and around the world. In recent years, they've even held a "Do Us a Flavor" contest to solicit new flavors, offering $1 million for the next big idea. Competitions aside, Lay's has come up with plenty of flavor ideas of its own, including quite a global list.

In the U.S., the flavors are a little slower to hit the market. In addition to the ordinary Lay's potato chips, Americans finally introduced a new flavor of barbecue potato chips in 1958. Finally, another flavor emerged in the late 1970s, sour cream and onion.

From then on, things really took off in the US market. Lay's has Garden Tomatoes and Basil, Honey BBQ, Sweet Southern Hot BBQ, Tapatio Limon, Simply Sea Salt Thick Cut, Fiery Habanero, and Dill Pickles. Several other newcomers have also been tried and tested through the "Do Us a Flavor" contest. These include Sriracha, Chicken and Waffles, Crispy Tacos, Everything Bagel, and Tzatziki.

Doritos Flavors

As of now, there are over 100 Doritos flavors sold throughout the world in different markets. Here is a near complete list of the flavors currently available.

• 2nd Degree Burn Fiery Buffalo

• 3D Crunch Chili Cheese Nacho

• 3D Crunch Spicy Ranch

• 3D’s Jalapeño & Cheddar

• 3D’s Nacho Cheesier

• 3D’s Texas Paprika Flavor

• 3D’s Zesty Ranch

• 3rd Degree Burn Scorchin’ Habanero

• After Dark Last Call Kebab

• After Dark Southern Fried Chicken

• Baja Picante

• Baked! Cooler Ranch Tortilla Chips

• Baked! Nacho Cheesier

• Bits Zero’s Texas Paprika

• Black Pepper Jack Tortilla Chips

• Blazin’ Buffalo & Ranch Tortilla Chips

• Blue Grilled Steak

• Burn

• Chilli Heatwave

• Collisions Blaze Ultimate Cheddar

• Collisions Chicken Sizzler Zesty Salsa

• Collisions Hot Wings Blue Cheese Tortilla Chips

• Collisions Pizza Cravers/Ranch

• Collisions Zesty Taco Chipotle Ranch

• Cool Ranch 100 Calorie Mini Bites

• Cooler Ranch

• Cooler Ranch Mini Go Snacks

• Corn Chips Cool Original Flavor

• Crunch Mix Nacho Cheese

• Crunch Nuts Cool Ranch

• Crunch Nuts Nacho Cheese

• Dinamita Chile Limón

• Dinamita Chile Limón/Cheetos Flamin’ Hot

• Jacked Texas Spicy Barbecue

• Jalapeño & Cheddar

• Jalapeno Cheese! Golden Toast Crackers

• Jumpin’ Jack Cheese

• Ketchup

• Late Night All Nighter Cheeseburger

• Late Night Last Call Jalapeno Popper

• Locos Tacos Cool Ranch Crunchy Taco

• Locos Tacos Nacho Cheese Crunchy Taco

• Megawhat Chilli Cheese

• Megawhat Salsa

• Mexican Hot Flavor

• Mexicana

• Mild Salt 

• Mini 3D’s Zesty Ranch Go Snacks

• Mix Cheese Explosion

• Mix Taco Explosion

• Mr. Dragon’s Fire Chips

• Nacho Cheese

• Nacho Cheese 100 Calorie Mini Bites

• Nacho Cheesier

• Nacho Cheesier Mini Go Snacks

• Nacho Italiano

• Natural White Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips

• Original Taco

• Pepper Bacon

• Pizza-La Curry Monterey

• Pizzerola

• Poppin’ Jalapeno

• Queijo Nacho

• Ranchero Tortilla Chips

• Rollitos Cooler Ranch

• Rollitos Nacho Cheesier

• Rollitos Zesty Taco!

• Roulette

• Salsa Rio

• Salsa Verde!

• Salsa!

• Screamin’ Sriracha

• Sizzlin’ Picante

• Smokin’ Cheddar BBQ Tortilla Chips

• Sonic Sour Cream

• Sour Cream & Onion

• Spice 2.0

• Spicier Nacho!

• Spicy Nacho

• Spicy Sweet Chili Tortilla Chip

• Stadium Nacho(EA Sports Madden NFL 11 edition)

• Supreme Cheddar

• Taco

• Tailgater BBQ (EA Sports Madden NFL 11 edition)

• Tangy Cheese

• Tangy Pickle

• Tangy Ranch

• Tapatio

• Thai Pepper Chicken

• The Quest

• Toasted Corn! Tortilla Chips

• Turca

• Twisted Lime

• Ultimate Cheddar

• Wasabi

• Wild White Nacho Tortilla Chips

• X-13D Tortilla Chips

• Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Fire Zone 

• Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Nacho

• Zesty Cheese

• Lay’s Potato Chips Doritos Cool Ranch Flavored

• Munchies Sandwich Crackers Jalapeño Cheddar Doritos

• Simply Organic Doritos Spicy White Cheddar

• Simply Organic Doritos White Cheddar Tortilla Chips

Tostitos Flavors 

Over the years, Frito-lays has added so many different flavors to its lineup. There really is something for everyone! So let’s look at what they are offering.

Tostito Chips Flavors and Varieties:

• Original Restuarant Style

• Bite Size Rounds

• Scoops! Original

• Lightly Salted

• Crispy Rounds Original

• Scoops! Multigrain

• Hint of Lime

• Habanero

• Hint of Spicy Queso

• Hint of Guacamole

• Salsa Verbe

• Black Bean and Garlic

• Tostitos Baked

• Simply Organic Tostitos Blue Corn

Lay's vs. Pringles vs. Doritos vs. Tostitos：which is healthier？

Baked vs. Fried: Which Is Better?

There is a heated debate among health experts about which is better (or worse) for your diet, fried chips or baked chips. Advocates of baked chips point to the fact that fried foods are higher in saturated fat, total fat, and calories. Fans of fried chips say that their products generally provide fewer unnatural and processed ingredients.1 So who is right?

The fact is that chips are a source of empty calories—whether they are baked or fried. You're not likely to gain any health or nutritional benefits when you indulge in these snack foods.2 These foods also tend to boost your daily sodium and starch intake. So the healthiest snack food for you is probably the one that you are likely to eat less of.

It is fairly common for us to overeat foods that we perceive to be healthy or at least healthier. It's called the health halo effect.3 We feel that certain foods either provide a benefit or do less damage so we are less careful about how much of the food we eat. 

To keep your healthy eating program on track, check your portion size and try to eat just a small amount —regardless of whether the chips are baked or fried.

Are Tortilla Chips Better for You Than Potato Chips?

When you’re in dire need of a crunchy, salty, and delicious snack what do you reach for? If your go-to is a bag of chips, you’re not alone. You’re also not alone in thinking that reaching for tortilla chips might be a slightly healthier alternative than potato chips. But does the evidence stack up? Alicia Romano, National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and registered dietitian at Tufts Medical Center, says no.

“There really is not a tremendous difference nutritionally between standard potato chips and tortilla chips,” she explains. “Generally speaking, a one ounce serving contains about 130-150 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 1-2 grams of fiber, and 6-10 grams of fat. The biggest difference is the potato versus corn base.” Which just comes down to personal preference really.

She adds that blue corn tortilla chips are slightly healthier than both potato and regular tortilla chips because they contain antioxidants from the blue corn, but the frying process may damage some of these benefits. Same with chips that have added ingredients like flax and chia seeds—while great, they are still fried snacks and should be enjoyed sparingly.

Are Lay’s Healthier Than Pringles?

Compared to Pringles, Lay’s Classic chips have less saturated fat and fewer added ingredients, but a bit more sodium. These nutritional differences are somewhat minor. Lay’s and Pringles are both processed, relatively unhealthy snacks.

Here’s the detailed side-by-side comparison of Lay’s vs Pringles:

Are Lay’s Healthier Than Pringles?

Another difference between Lay’s and Pringles is in the ingredients list. Lays Classic chips have very minimal ingredients—basically just potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt.

However, Pringles have a few more ingredients, including degerminated yellow corn flour, cornstarch, rice flour, maltodextrin, mono- and diglycerides, and wheat starch.

None of those ingredients dramatically change the nutritional profile of Pringles as compared to Lay’s. But some people would prefer the minimal ingredients list of Lay’s.

Overall, to be frank, Lay’s and Pringles are both similarly bad for you.

Are Lay’s Healthier Than Doritos?

Lay’s chips are likely a bit healthier than Doritos. Lay’s are lower in sodium and sugar, they have fewer calories per chip, and they don’t have the artificial colors of Doritos. However, Lay’s have more saturated fat per serving than Doritos. Overall, they are both relatively unhealthy.

Here is a table comparing Lay’s vs Doritos side-by-side:

Are Lay’s Healthier Than Doritos?

While Lay’s have about 10 and 11 calories per chip, Doritos have more like 12 or 13 calories per chip. So on a per-chip basis, Lay’s may be a bit of a lighter snack.

The ingredients for Lay’s are also much simpler. The ingredients list for Doritos is quite long, including artificial colors, which have been linked to behavioral issues in some children.

Lay's vs. Pringles vs. Doritos vs. Tostitos：Best Healthy Chips

#1. Baked Lay’s: The Best Choice for Low Calories

What Are the Healthiest Lay’s Chips?

The healthiest flavor of Lay’s is probably Baked Lay’s Original, as it has less vegetable oil compared to regular Lay’s. However, Baked Lay’s do come with some more processed carb ingredients—corn starch, sugar, and dextrose. So it’s a trade off.

Serving size 1 ounce (oz), or about 17 crisps

Calories 120

Total fat 3.5 grams (g) (0 saturated)

Sodium 160 milligrams (mg)

“You’ll save 40 calories and 6.5 g of fat per serving by choosing Baked Lay's over regular Lay’s Classic Potato Chips,” “The low calories and fat make this the healthiest choice when you can’t resist chips.”

#2. Lay’s Lightly Salted

Another healthier option is Lay’s Lightly Salted. It only has about 40% of the sodium of regular Lay’s. If you’re trying to eat a low-sodium diet, that might make a meaningful difference.

But the fact of the matter is, even if you reduce the sodium or fat content of Lay’s a bit, you are still left with a pretty unhealthy chip. It’s still low in fiber and other nutrients. It’s still mostly just starchy carbs, vegetable oil, and salt.

Unfortunately, all flavors of Lay’s are pretty unhealthy.

#3. Pringles Reduced Fat Original: Skip the Saturated Fat

Serving size 1 oz, or about 16 crisps

Calories 140

Total fat 7 g (2 saturated)

Sodium 130 mg

“Don’t be misled by the label,” Namkoong cautions. “Pringles Reduced Fat Original has only 10 calories and 2 grams of fat less than the original version.” You’re not saving enough by choosing the healthier version here. Plus, these reduced-fat chips still contain 2 g of unhealthy saturated fat per serving, making them not a great choice in their own right.

A single serving of Pringles Original provides 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrate, and 1 gram of protein. 

#4. Pringles Baconator Chips

PER 15 CHIPS: 150 calories, 9 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 220 mg sodium, 16 g carbs (<1 g fiber, <1 g sugar), 1 g protein

When a snack prides itself on the amount of bacon flavor it can cram into a snack, approach the item with utmost caution. This rule doubly applies to Pringles' latest foray into bacon flavor, as it loads up 15 chips with a hearty count of saturated fat and salt, with very little positive net health benefits. When in doubt, always pass over bacon-centric items to keep your eating plan controlled and healthy.

#5. Doritos Nacho Cheese Flavored Chips

Courtesy of Doritos

PER 12 CHIPS (28 G): 150 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 210 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 2 g protein

You might imagine Doritos couldn't possibly pose the same nutritional threat as a traditional potato chip. When it comes to levels of sodium and fat in a small serving size, don't let your guard down—these chips can't satisfy any serious hunger and only provide empty calories. Doritos' relatively large serving of saturated fat and total fat does nothing for your diet, and only prove to add excess nutritional waste to your day. Steer clear of these classic diet-killers at all cost.

#6. Pringles Wavy Applewood Smoked Cheddar Chips

PER 12 CHIPS (28 G): 150 calories, 9 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 310 mg sodium, 16 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 1 g protein

Chips that feature cheese or bacon never offer anything wholesome, but when you combine them, you end up with the perfect storm of malnutrition that can derail your eating plan for days. Even if you get to indulge in 12 chips, the serving includes a massive 2.5 grams of saturated fat and 9 grams of total fat. Without even mentioning the massive dose of salt you consume, it is safe to say that these chips easily rank as some of the worst you can indulge in.

#7. Tostitos Strips Tortilla Chips

PER 11 CHIPS (28 G): 150 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 115 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar)

Next time you host a party and want to serve salsa, think twice about what kind of tortilla chips you use to scoop your dip. If you ignore the nutrition label, you'll feel shocked to learn that only 11 of these tiny tortilla strips pack in a solid amount of fat and calories. If you want to go to town on your favorite dip, opt to choose a chip with less fat to truly let the salsa shine.

Best Tortilla Chips

Nearly every major manufacturer of snack products has their own line of tortilla chips that range in shape from traingles to circles to strips to custom shapes designed to enhance the scooping and dipping experience. It's amazing what new innovations they come up with each year.

But when it comes down to it, aren't we all just after a little bit of corniness? I say, let's forget the strange synthetic lime-dust powders or the neon-orange glow of Doritos. Give me a good, crunchy, sturdy, salty chip that tastes of corn, and let your choice of dip do the flavoring for you.

#1.        Tostitos Simply Natural (7/10, $.31/ounce)

Tasters praised its salty crunch, good structure, and corn flavor. At least one taster could pick it out of a blind lineup, saying "That's a Tostito." They are "a little oily, which is nice." The one drawback? Its size. "This is three bites," said one taster. You might have trouble dipping it into a regular salsa jar without dumping it out into a bowl first.

#2.        Tostitos Original (6.3/10, $.31/ounce)

Like their Simply Natural version, the Originals are also a salty bunch with a good amount of corn flavor (though not quite as prominent as in the naturals), and a touch of oiliness. "Good crunch!" These ones, made with white corn, are even larger. "This is the size of my palm." Some tasters noted toastiness, almost like popcorn.

#3.        Tostitos Chunky Habanero Salsa

Tostitos isn’t afraid of trying out new chip flavors, and if you haven’t crunched on the recently released hint of guacamole and hint of spicy queso flavors, then you’re missing out. The new flavor, however, doesn’t just have a “hint of” heat — it’ll take over your taste buds. Tostitos Habanero is here and it’s the brand’s spiciest chip yet!

The new Tostitos Habanero are seasoned with real habanero pepper, so you’ll get that pop of spice in a bite-sized, round chip. If you can handle the heat, you can level up by it in the Tostitos Chunky Habanero Salsa.

To make the launch extra special, Tostitos has teams up with Kate McKinnon and Dan Levy to launch the “For the Love of Chips and Dip and…” campaign. As part of the fun, Tostitos has released a television and online commercial featuring the comedic duo and there will be Snapchat lens available beginning on April 6. The idea is that when you have Tostitos chips and dips, fun moments are bound to happen.

FRITO-LAY

“Tostitos’ ambition is to fuel togetherness and help bring people closer to those they love by telling the stories of connections friends share and things they love to do together,” Anya Schmidt, senior director of marketing, Frito-Lay North America, said in a press release. “This new campaign with Kate McKinnon and Dan Levy showcases some of the ways that these moments are made, all while enjoying Tostitos chips and dip.”

You can find the Tostitos Habanero chips at retailers nationwide now in 11-ounce bags for $4.29. Don’t forget to pick up some dips while you’re at it, like Tostitos’ Avocado Salsa (as featured on the packaging) or Salsa Con Queso.

#4.        Nostalgia in a bag

Doritos Nacho Cheese Chips (about $3.50 for a 9.75-ounce bag at the time of publication)

Are Doritos the most sophisticated, nuanced chips out there? No. But do they deliver during a midnight hankering for something crunchy and flavorful? Absolutely. While I like all the flavors, I am partial toward Nacho Cheese—it’s the type of salty, in-your-face flavor that coats your tongue in the best way.

I am at times overcome with a ravenous craving for convenience-store junk food, and at those times, Whole Foods’s fancy whole-grain puffs simply won’t do. No, this craving is one that is insatiable until I am sitting cross-legged with an open bag of artificially flavored Doritos in my lap, crunching away happily.

—Brittney Ho, newsletter coordinator

Chances are that you can immediately answer if you prefer Cheetos or Doritos. Both are under the Frito-Lay umbrella, but they offer a different type of snack. Things are about to get serious with the Flamin’ Hot Faceoff campaign, and you get to get in on the delicious fun.

Last year, Frito-Lay released its hottest Cheetos variety ever made in the U.S., the Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs, and has brought them back in honor of the showdown. To make sure that the competition would be heated, the brand has created new Doritos Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Nacho chips. Now it’s time to try them both and let the fans determine which one is the true Flamin’ Hot icon. Pro tip: Keep milk within arm’s reach.

Yes, pickle-flavored Doritos exist and, yes, they’re available in the United States. The new Doritos Tangy Pickle from Frito-Lay will bring that sour taste you love in a crunchy form.

Doritos has come out with a pickle flavor in the past, but the Intense Pickle chips were only available in Canada. So it looks like this is the first time that a pickle-flavored Doritos are on shelves in the U.S. We’re just as surprised as you that it took this long for them to come out.

Based off of the name, we can only assume that the new Doritos have a vinegar-y taste. The “i” in pickle is replaced by a lightning bolt, so we’re hoping that means the chips have a real kick to them.

#6.        

Pringles Pizza Potato Crisps ($2 for a 5.5-ounce can at the time of publication)

These flavor-packed chips sure are addictive! Pringles Pizza Crisps are tangy, tomatoey, and a little cheesy with a satisfying crunch, and they transport me back to junior high when I would inhale a snack pack of pizza-flavored Pringles after tennis practice. Plus, who can resist recreating the classic duck bill silhouette?

Prepare to throw out every bag and tube of chips you have in your house, because Pringles is making sure its new one is the only one we want. The brand just announced the brand-new Wavy Deep Fried Pickle flavor that you’ll only be able to get at one store.

This isn’t the first time that Pringles has released a pickle-inspired flavor. In December 2019, it announced a Rick and Morty Pickle Rick flavor would be coming out for a limited time, and then it was released again in September 2020. This new flavor, however, sounds like it takes that pickle flavor to another level.

The Pringles Wavy Deep Fried Pickle was inspired by the classic dill appetizer that’s battered and fried. That may or may not mean that we should try dipping the chips in a zesty ranch, you know, since it’s reminiscent of the real thing.

You won’t have to wait long to get your hands on the limited-edition crispy treat, because the Pringles Wavy Deep Fried Pickle will be on shelves in April 2021 while supplies last. They’ll be exclusively available at Dollar General in locations nationwide, so this chain is about to see a whole lot of foot traffic.

“The Pringles brand prides itself in delivering insanely accurate flavor combinations that are familiar and delicious,” Gareth Maguire, senior director of marketing for Pringles, said in a press release. “With the debut of Pringles Wavy Deep Fried Pickle, fans can experience their favorite, iconic fried appetizer flavor in an entirely new, easy to snack form. Paired with other Pringles staples, these snackable, stackable crunchy crisps are an absolute must-try.”

As if the flavor isn’t noteworthy enough, we can’t help but to acknowledge the fact that these chips are wavy. It just reinforces the notion that we should try dipping them in ranch … for research purposes, of course.

Extrabux is an international cashback shopping site, offering up to 30% cashback from 10,000+ Stores!

Squarespace, SkinStore, MATCHESFASHION, The Wall Street Journal, NordVPN, Visible, Armani Exchange, Sam's Club, PUMA, AliExpress, Card Cash, NET-A-PORTER, Udacity, Udemy, Selfridges, LOOKFANTASTIC, Vimeo, Coach Outlet, lululemon, PrettyLittleThing, Booking.com, Ripley's Aquarium, iHerb, Groupon, etc.

Join to get $20 welcome bonus now! (How does Welcome Bonus work?)