It’s a truth universally acknowledged that chips are the greatest snack food ever created.
From the crinkle of the plastic to the visible flavour granules and the satisfying oily smell of a freshly opened bag of chips, the fried discs of potato goodness are without a doubt the MVP of the snack world.
But not every flavour is created equal. There are the top ‘Meryl Streep tier’ of chips (universally beloved crowd pleasers) and the ones you’ll eat because they’re… there.
So in honour of the greatest creation to ever come from potatoes, we rank the best chips flavours in existence.
Scientists have apparently found the perfect portion of chips and we disagree passionately. Post continues below.
7. Light and tangy.
I have a conspiracy theory about ‘light and tangy’ chips. They were invented in the darkness of night when a rogue chip factory worker accidentally mixed the BBQ flavouring, salt, vinegar powder and other additives etc resulting in this abomination.
Look it’s time we all admit that ‘Light and Tangy’ is really the chip equivalent of crunchy vomit.
6. BBQ.
What defines the 'BBQ' chip flavour, exactly? It's good (because it's a deep-fried potato) but that's about it.
We'll eat them when they're passed around at a movie night, or when they're just sitting there on a work snack table but that's about it.
5. Sour cream and chives.
It's a favourite of many but according to Mamamia's resident Kiwi, Chelsea McLaughlin, sour cream and chive chips in New Zealand just don't compare to those in our supermarkets.
"I could write a thesis on how hard it is to find a good sour cream and chive chip in Australia," she says.
We'll have to take her word for it. But to be fair, our sour cream and onion chips have never let us down.
4. Cheese and Onion.
It's a feat of chemical engineering that they can infuse two of our favourite things in chip form.
Tbh, if we could, we'd buy that flavour sachet in bulk. Cheese and onion flavoured butter on toast? Yes, please.
3. Chicken.
We can put a man on a moon, a lemon in a tomato and a chicken in a chip but I think we all know which achievement we're most proud of.
Not to play favourites (#notsponsoredjustgood) but Red Rock Deli's Honey Soy Chicken chips win this category.
2. Salt and vinegar.
According to the 15-odd pool of colleagues I harassed, salt and vinegar chips was a close contender.
It's like a party on your tastebuds and everyone is in fancy dress. If you want to one-up your chip game, enjoy these squished into a supermarket bread roll, with a generous smear of butter.
1. Plain salted.
Scoffing down an entire bag of plain-salted chips may be one of the most addictive things on earth. It might even be a potato in its finest form.
While all brands deliver, bonus points if they're from Red Rock Deli for their unparalleled crunch. Maybe Tyrrells if it's the week after payday.
What is your favourite chip flavour? Tell us in a comment below.
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Disclaimer: I worked for Smith's Chips for 23 years, starting from the last few years of being owned by Coca-Cola Amatil, through the 6 years they were owned by the UK outfit United Biscuits, and then their current and probably forever home with PepsiCo. They're the outfit behind Red Rock Deli, which used world first technology and techniques to finally crack the premium chip market that had been owned by Kettle chips up until that point.
Salt & Vinegar is the most polarising flavour there: the people who love it REALLY love it, but a lot of people - like myself - just find it too vinegary and over the top. And while I like the Honey Soy Chicken, I find it too intense in a big bad and much prefer the regular Smith's Chicken flavour. I do like Cheese & Onion and BBQ, but they rank after Chicken for mine.
But my favourite are Sour Cream & Onion Grainwaves, another Smith's innovation: those are awesome. And last time I checked, the private label stuff hadn't come close to cracking the crunchiness and texture of the branded product, which WWs and Coles are always striving to do so they can continue to screw over their suppliers with their own products.
Light and tangy are awesome! And not a bag of vomit! They’re unique. Plain salted is definitely not better than salt and vinegar though or honey soy chicken!