National Tortilla Chip Day

The story

Tortilla chips are a crispy snack made from corn tortillas, typically fried into triangular wedges. While yellow corn is most common, you can also find chips made from red, blue, or white corn. These chips have become a go-to snack, but their history is just as crunchy.

In the late 1940s, Rebecca Webb Carranza, working in a Los Angeles tortilla factory, began using misshapen tortillas that automated machines rejected. She cut them into triangles, fried them, and served them at family gatherings, where they were an instant hit. By the 1960s, she marketed them as “Tort Chips”.

Meanwhile, Jose Martinez of San Antonio also helped shape tortilla chip history. His use of leftover masa led to mass production, though Carranza’s innovation helped make them popular across the U.S.

In 1961, Archibald Clark West of Frito-Lay discovered seasoned tortilla chips at Disneyland. He brought the idea back, and in 1966, Doritos were born, becoming the top brand in the U.S.

As tortilla chips gained popularity, so did dips like salsa and guacamole, making them a staple. In the late 1970s, Tostitos emerged as the second-most popular brand, solidifying tortilla chips as a beloved snack in American culture.