The Iconic Chip That Was First Served At Disneyland

It's no exaggeration to say Doritos might just be the most iconic chips ever made. And unlike most snack aisle staples, their backstory is every bit as memorable as their flavor. Instead of starting out as some restaurant delicacy like their potato chip cousins, the foundations of this ordinary chip were laid in an amusement park (not in a factory!) back in the early 1960s. They were first served at the Casa de Fritos restaurant in Disneyland's Frontierland, where leftover corn (not flour) tortillas were piling up.

Instead of throwing them away, a salesperson had the idea to salvage the tortillas by cutting them into triangles and frying them — thus, a fan favorite was born, and the chips have transitioned into a ton of different flavors since then. Some of the best things ever made were products of mistakes and accidental discoveries; there's something poetic about a contingency plan transforming into a full-blown enterprise, on nothing more than a whim. In addition to fixing a waste problem for Casa de Fritos, this humble snack quickly caught on with park guests because it was tasty, novel, and convenient. Eventually, Frito-Lay, which owned the restaurant, noticed the buzz and took the idea to a national level.

The thing that turned this chip into more than just discarded tortilla slices was timing and flavor. First, the tortilla base was mild, corn-forward, and very familiar; then came the crunch factor, as frying gave it texture and a satisfying snap. But even more than the taste, the novelty of something new in Disneyland helped — people love trying unique snacks at theme parks. 

Interestingly, at the beginning, Doritos weren't loaded with heavy seasonings like its Locos Tacos variety. The first versions were simply toasted corn, which allowed the natural texture and taste to be the main character. As the chips' popularity grew, Frito-Lay added more flavors, with taco coming not long after, then the wildly popular nacho cheese (who knew the nacho cheese flavor wasn't the original version?). That evolution kept people interested, and the chip kept growing and changing into the vast lineup of flavors we know and love today.

Also, the story of "waste turned into something delicious" gives Doritos a legacy that goes past the taste and crunch. A tortilla meant for the compost bin became something iconic. That sort of origin makes you appreciate the chip not just as a snack, but as a product of ingenuity.