Reddit Has Theories About Why Plain Tortilla Chips Rarely Come In Snack-Size Bags - Tasting Table

Snack-sized tortilla chips with flavor dust are easy to find, but smaller packages of plain tortilla chips are harder to locate. Shoppers report frustration and seek explanations. One idea is that plain tortilla chips are typically eaten with salsa and guacamole, which are not sold in single serves, so a small bag can feel incomplete. Some people view plain chips as a social snack rather than a personal snack. Another idea is that plain chips are cheap to make, so companies prefer large bags that generate more revenue. Brand identity and variety also reduce the need to search for specific plain-chip names when buying for gatherings.

""Party food," explained a chips lover on Reddit. "Goes with salsa and guacamole which also don't come in single serves." Another described tortilla chips as a social snack, not a personal snack. A smaller bag of plain chips without any accompanying side might seem like the buy was skimpy or incomplete. "A snack size bag of tortilla chips is the most depressing snack I have ever heard of," quipped another Redditor."

""That kind of food is very cheap to make, so packaging it in large quantities and selling it in a big bag makes more money for the company," wrote one user on Reddit. While marketing efforts have created brand identities around flavored chips like Doritos and Cheetos, various brands of plain tortilla chips have become something of a standard."

"With dozens of options in markets, shoppers are less likely to seek out a specific name when looking for chips to pour into a bowl to serve alongside guac at tonight's cookout. This dynamic makes smaller packaging an even more difficult sell. Though snack-sized tortilla chip bags do exist, they can be trickier"

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