I Tried 7 Corn Chip Brands, and Fritos Has Some Serious Competition

Some products are so distinctive that their names become stand-ins for entire categories, like Kleenex for tissue paper or cotton pads. In the chip aisle, Fritos have a similar niche.

Launched in 1932, Fritos were the first widely marketed cornflakes, created by Texas confectionery company C.E. Doolin. The exact origin story varies: according to some accounts, Doolin bought a bag of fried cornflakes from a San Antonio café owner, who then sold him the recipe. Others say Dolin responded to a newspaper ad for Gustavo Olguin, a man selling his recipe, equipment and customer accounts. Either way, Doolin brought the idea to his mother’s kitchen, where his family began frying and selling potato chips, eventually creating a nationwide sensation.

Fritos has also suffered due to its variety. Firmer than tortilla or potato chips, they’re perfect for dipping and adding crunch to dishes like chili, casseroles, and Frito pie. While flavors like Chili Cheese and Flamin’ Hot BBQ have gained fans, the original corn flavor remains a pantry staple.

But how do the store brand versions compare to the original? We set out to classify corn chips in major grocery stores alongside classic Fritos chips. Here’s how they stack up.

Best Corn Flakes, Ranked

Seventh place: Snacks corn flakes

They were only available in scoop form, and were stale and a bit bloated, like eating salty peanuts. Quite durable for dipping but not so great for casual use.

Sixth place: Clancy’s Corn Flakes

Aldi’s generic cornflakes are extremely salty and alarmingly brittle, which is a good thing for sodium-starved munchers or anyone looking to liven up a nice bowl of soup. But it’s not so great if you want to use it as a snorkeling vehicle.

Fifth place: Hy-Vee Corn Flakes

These chips actually do the best job of any competitor at mimicking the size and shape of an original Fritos bar. But unfortunately, someone overdid the salt shaker here too, drowning out any rich corn flavor.

Fourth place: Kroger cornflakes

The country’s largest supermarket chain is making a strong showing. They’re wonderfully crunchy chips with a nice hint of salt, but not so much sodium that they overpower the light flavor of the corn. A handy player good for dipping, folding and eating on its own.

Third place: Trader Joe’s Organic Cornflake Dippers

Trader Joe’s is known for the quality of its private label products, and this entry will not disappoint. Organic yellow corn, organic vegetable oil, and sea salt combine for a salt-rich crunch. And although these sinkers are wide and strong enough to scoop even the largest guac, they’re still narrow enough to pass as fritos. But at just 160 calories per one nine-slice serving, you’re paying the price for that decadence.

Runner up: Great Value Crunchy Corn Flakes

I’ll admit, I was surprised by this special Walmart branded bag. It’s the closest thing I’ve tried to matching the original Fritos. The shape, texture, crunch and salt are all there. They are well prepared for dipping or drizzling into a bowl of tortilla soup. Corn flavour barely there. And for less than half the price of the brand, you can’t do much better.

First place: Fritos Original Corn Chips

But if you have a few extra bucks, stick with brand name Fritos, and if you don’t have the money, maybe try cutting elsewhere on your grocery list. Because in reality there is no multiplication of the original. In a blind test against all of these other chips, I chose Fritos every time. They are very good.