The star of any vending machine, barbecue, and snack variety pack is a bag of Doritos. Whether you prefer Cool Ranch, Nacho Cheese, or Spicy Sweet Chili, these savory snacks are a fan favorite for a reason. The brand has been a grocery store staple for over half a century and remains one of the most popular chips on the market.
Generations of snackers have enjoyed eating Doritos, but there is a lot of lore behind each powder-coated chip that you might not know. We've rounded up 14 facts about these iconic chips that may change the way you look at them.
1. Doritos Are The Stars Of The Super Bowl
Frito-Lay, the parent company of Doritos, is an official sponsor of the Super Bowl—so it's no surprise that Doritos commercials on gameday are among the most memorable. One of the most popular concepts the brand has used was crowdsourcing the Internet to find the best fan-made commercials.
2. They're Behind One of Taco Bell's Greatest Hits
T-Bell has deemed the launch of Doritos Locos Tacos — a taco with a Doritos-flavor-dusted crunchy shell — one of its biggest product launches in history, bringing in $1 billion (BILLION!) one year after its debut. The brand hired an extra 15,000 employees just to keep up with demand.
3. Doritos Is Derived From A Spanish Word
Okay, so just because you're well phrased in Doritos doesn't mean you're technically bilingual, but the name of the famous chip is derived from the word "Doradito," meaning "golden." Does the color make more sense now?
4. Disneyland: "Where (Doritos) Dreams Come True"
Frito-Lay had a Disneyland restaurant named Casa de Fritos. In 1966, workers at Casa de Fritos decided to experiment with leftover tortillas, so they fried and seasoned them. Little did they know, but their revised recipe would become the famous orange chips in 1967, when Frito-Lay's VP of Marketing, Arch West, realized their potential.
5. Cool Ranch Isn't The Global Standard
Cool Ranch is among the most popular Doritos flavors, but you might not find it by the same name in every corner of the globe. Because ranch isn't a common condiment or seasoning internationally, you might find the chips by the name Cool American or Cool Original.
6. They Were Among The First Tortilla Chip Pioneers
Doritos were the first tortilla chips to be nationally released, which makes them an even harder act to follow behind their explosive flavor.
7. The Chips Have Had A Few Makeovers
Aside from the revision of the Casa de Frito's employees' initial recipe, Doritos were also revamped in 1995. The chips were made 20% larger, 15% thinner, blasted with even more seasoning, and the edges were rounded to fend against breakage in the bags.
8. Doritos Are Available In Wacky Flavors Across The Globe
While U.S. fans of the famous chip might be used to the Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch flavors, South Koreans munch on a yogurt variety and Japanese fans snack on clam chowder, Italian seafood, and crispy salmon versions. We've also had to say a fond farewell to flavors like Sour Cream and Onion, Sesame, Nacho Chipotle Ranch Ripple, Texas Tang, Jumpin' Jack Monterey Cheese, Chester's Cheese, and Buffalo Wing n' Ranch.
9. You Can Buy Doritos-Flavored Alcohol
You may love eating Doritos, but would you like to drink them? Now you can! Doritos partnered with experimental spirits company Empirical in 2023 to sell a Nacho Cheese-flavored liquor.
10. Studies Show That There Is An Average Time Of Day When Doritos Are Consumed
Researchers have concluded that, on average, Doritos are eaten during primetime, between 8 and 11 p.m. Sounds about right.
11. Doritos Are The Most Popular Tortilla Chips In America
According to research firm Statista, Doritos outpace every other tortilla chip brand on the market. They sell an estimated 1.14 billion units annually, with Tostitos following far behind at only 332 million units.
12. You Can Still Taste The Original Recipe
The original seasoning blend from 1967 wasn't Nacho Cheese—it was Taco. Taco flavored Doritos had long been discontinued. But, in 2010, the brand reintroduced the flavor for a limited time in retro packaging. The hype surrounding the original recipe was so overwhelming that Doritos soon gave the flavor a permanent spot in their lineup.
13. A Lot Of Ingredients Go Into Each Chip
Doritos have more than 30 ingredients, including corn, romano cheese, cheddar cheese, buttermilk, red and green bell pepper powder, and a whole lot of other things we can't pronounce. All of that, just for us to scarf them down in one bite.
14. Doritos Are Designed To Encourage Snacking
The creation of Doritos might have been a happy accident, but the chip's magic is no mistake. For instance, you might be wondering why you can't finish your pork chop dinner, but can easily inhale a whole bag of Doritos. Thank "vanishing caloric density," the phenomenon that occurs when fatty snacks melt in your mouth and trick you into thinking the fat has melted away, too. Lactic and citric acids awaken salivary glands and get you to eat more. So blame science when you can't seem to resist one more chip.
