Doritos

Doritos originated at Disneyland in the early 1960s, where Frito-Lay operated a restaurant called Casa de Fritos. The story goes that the restaurant began cutting up leftover tortillas and frying them into chips to reduce waste, and the snack proved so popular that Frito-Lay launched it nationally in 1964. The name "Doritos" comes from Spanish, meaning "little golden things." The original chips were unflavored, but in 1967 the company introduced the first flavored variety, Taco, followed by Nacho Cheese in 1972, which remains the brand's best-selling flavor.¹

Doritos has expanded to dozens of flavors, including Cool Ranch (introduced in 1986), Spicy Sweet Chili, and Flamin' Hot, which has become a cultural phenomenon. The brand is also known for its innovative marketing campaigns, including the "Crash the Super Bowl" contest, which invited consumers to create their own Doritos commercials, and the "Doritos Roulette" promotion, where bags contained a mix of regular and extremely spicy chips.² In 2018, Doritos launched a line of "Blaze" chips in collaboration with the rapper Post Malone, and in 2020, the brand introduced "Doritos 3D," a revival of a 1990s product with a puffed texture.

Doritos has permeated popular culture, appearing in movies, TV shows, and video games. The brand's "Cool Ranch" flavor has a dedicated following, and the chips have been used in various culinary experiments, such as Doritos-flavored ice cream and sushi rolls. In 2017, a limited-edition "Doritos Locos Tacos" was introduced at Taco Bell, combining the chips with the fast-food chain's tacos, and it became one of the most successful product launches in Taco Bell's history.³ Doritos has also been the subject of academic studies on food marketing and consumer behavior, particularly regarding the appeal of intense flavors.⁴

One lesser-known fact is that Doritos was the first tortilla chip to be flavored, setting a trend that would be followed by many competitors. Another is that the original recipe was developed by Arch West, a Frito-Lay executive who championed the product despite initial skepticism from the company's leadership. In 2013, a bag of Doritos was reportedly sold on eBay for $1,000, and in 2016, a man named Casey Rowland attempted to break the world record for the largest Doritos collection, amassing over 1,600 unique bags.⁵ Additionally, Doritos has been used in scientific research on the effects of food additives on the brain, with studies examining the role of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in flavor perception.⁶

Tortilla chip

A snack food made from corn tortillas, cut into triangles and fried or baked.

Frito-Lay

An American subsidiary of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets, and sells corn chips, potato chips, and other snack foods.

Nacho Cheese

A flavor of Doritos introduced in 1972, characterized by a cheese-like seasoning.