REVIEW: Finding the best chip at the Barn

By Ayaan Sait ‘24

Potato chips sitting on a plate, waiting to be consumed. Courtesy of Business Yield

Are you a hopeless wandering soul hoping for gastronomical guidance? Tired of being in a chip predicament every time you go to the Barn? Look no further. I’ve rated 5 of the Barn’s most popular chips and ranked them below.

To find the best chip, I used the following three criteria. The first is obviously taste, which is most important in a chip. Next, is texture, which is often overlooked but is almost as essential as taste for a chip.

Lastly, since many of us, including myself, like to eat snacks during class, I will be rating these chips on how messy they are and how easy they are to eat during class. I will consider the noise, and how easy it is to type after you eat the chip.

As a quick note, the Barn is almost constantly changing their chip inventory, so some of these chips may not be being sold at the time of this article’s release. The chips I reviewed were available the week of January 31, and the following rankings will be from worst to best.

A pack of blue Cool Ranch Doritos.
Courtesy of Amazon.

#5: Doritos Cool Ranch

My first thought is that these chips are very hard, and do not necessarily melt in your mouth. The Doritos do not melt in your mouth like other chips, such as Lay’s do. The chips are hard, and the taste leaves much to be desired.

I could describe the taste and texture of this chip in one word: mediocre.

On a more positive note, the chips are not that messy, but there is still some dust left on your fingers. I would recommend napkins while eating these. The bag is quite noisy as it is fully plastic, and you might get a few side-eyes from your peers if you eat this during class.

If you have no better option for chips in the Barn, these are the ones to go with, but I would never recommend these as a first choice.

Taste: 5/10

Texture: 3/10

Messiness: 6/10

A bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos.
Courtesy of Amazon.

#4: Flaming Hot Cheetos

For the purpose of this article, Cheetos will be considered chips. They are extremely iconic and popular, and you can see loads of students eating these chips on a daily basis.

These have a hot taste, hence the name, and for spice lovers like me they aren’t too bad, but for some, the taste can be too hot to handle. I think that the taste is the strength of this chip. The mix of spice with the underlying flavors of cheese and corn provides a savory and slightly salty taste.

The texture is the same as the normal Cheetos, which is very crunchy. I am not the biggest fan of the texture and I believe that it is quite mediocre. So-so, hit or miss.

Now, messiness. These are the messiest of the chips, but this does come with an asterisk. If you eat these chips with a fork or a chopstick, they become the least messy chips out of all the ones I’ve rated. The shape of the chip allows it to be easily picked up by a chopstick or a fork.

I’d recommend these if you're looking for a chip to spice up your morning and get you going.

Taste: 7.5/10

Texture: 6/10

Messiness: 10/10 (without fork)

1/10 (with fork)

#3: Lay’s Classic chips

Lay’s Classic is the signature chip and a staple across the world. When I think of potato chips, original Lay’s chips are usually at the top of my mind.

I liked the taste, a combination of a fried potato in your mouth with a hint of salt that results in a pretty good match and a nice savory taste.

Lays chips have an elite texture. The chips are very soft and melt in your mouth, and I personally enjoyed the taste and aftertaste.

It is also not very messy. When I ate it, I found myself only using a napkin once, and I was a lot more comfortable typing without using a napkin at all. However, the bag is still quite noisy.

For some, like senior Claire Druker, Lay's original chips are their favorite. However, others like senior Olivia Levy, despise these chips, and think they taste “awful.”

I believe that these chips are pretty good, but nothing extraordinary. I would definitely recommend these if you want a consistently decent taste, and aren’t in the mood for anything besides the basic potato chip.

Taste: 8/10

Texture: 10/10

Messiness: 6.5/10

*Lays Salt and Vinegar Chips:*
Courtesy of Amazon

#2: Salt and Vinegar Lays

My first impression of this chip is the slightly tangy flavor, which is to be expected with a salt and vinegar chip. The vinegar has a sharp acidity. I appreciated the combination of the sour vinegar and savory salt, which allowed for a great mix.

Since this chip is a Lays chip, it has that elite texture mentioned before and is identical to the classic Lays in that way.

Unfortunately, the chip was a little bit messy, and I noticed myself using a bunch of napkins. It would still be possible to eat during class, just be wary of typing afterward, and like all these chips, beware of the noisy bag.

Regardless, I’d definitely recommend this chip and give it a slight edge taste-wise over Classic Lays. However, I probably would not eat these every day, as the flavor is quite strong.

Ratings:

Taste: 8.5/10

Texture: 10/10

Messiness: 5/10

Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream: Courtesy of Amazon

#1: Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream

Ruffles are arguably the greatest chip to ever be produced on this planet. When I ate the Ruffles, it felt like I had achieved a new sense of self. The taste was immaculate and was a perfect mix of potato, cheese, and sour cream.

Ruffles are iconic for their ridges, which I think is the best chip texture in the game. The ridges not only add visual interest but also enhance the chip's texture by maximizing its surface area. When you bite into one of these chips, you're immediately met with a crunch, and then the taste instantly melts in your mouth.

I talked to fellow Ruffles enthusiast, senior Sofiane Smahi. He stated, “I always go to the Barn and get Ruffles. They are my favorite chip.”

Eaters should probably keep a napkin handy while eating these to avoid leaving a little yellow dust on their hands, but licking your fingers can also suffice. It is a little questionable to type right after eating these, but not too big of an issue.

I recommend this chip to all, it will change your life and is the clear best chip at the Barn.

Taste: 10/10

Texture: 10/10

Messiness: 5/10

Regardless of my rankings, there are so many other chip options at the Barn and they constantly rotate chips. If you don’t like any of the options, you could always suggest to Kathy Dietz, who works with SAGE in the Barn to introduce new chips. And if you still can’t make a decision, there's always the reliable Barn cookie to fall back on.