The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
As the undisputed destination for poutine, smoked meat, and bagels, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that Canada is also a crispy contender when it comes to potato chips. While the True North carries just about every major potato chip brand under the sun, Canada is notably home to a few signature chip flavours that you'll only be able to find here.
Ketchup, dill pickle and of course, all-dressed, are a few oh-so-Canadian options. We decided to put all-dressed to the test. A question you may have is: what the heck is all-dressed? All-dressed chip packaging, which is typically purple, frequently showcases a vinegar bottle, an onion, garlic and red pepper. But the taste is far more than just those few ingredients.
@mtlblog I tried 6 all-dressed chip brands to see which one was the best, and one is now my new favourite! 😳🤔 #foodreview #chips #chipbrands #alldressed #alldressedchips #foodranking #doritos #lays #olddutch
All-dressed chips really are dressed with it all — from barbecue, salt and vinegar, to sour cream and onion, and a hint of the classic potato chip. The flavours are all thrown together in a mashup that can be best described as tangy and savoury with a touch of underlying heat.
As someone who loves a good all-dressed option, whether it be rippled or classic cut, I was determined to find which all-dressed brand is top tier. I purchased six all-dressed brands, including Lay's, Doritos, Ruffles, Selection, Old Dutch and No Name.
I went ahead and sampled, savoured and scrutinized the flavour, crunch and cost of each brand, and found that one reigned supreme, so much so that it is easily my new fave snack.
Old Dutch All-Dressed Chips
A bag of Old Dutch all-dressed potato chips.
Old Dutch
Old Dutch all-dressed chips were a major disappointment. I was excited to give these a go considering I'd never had Old Dutch before, and it is safe to say that I will never be having them again. Sorry, not sorry.
While I can't speak to the other flavours of Old Dutch, the all-dressed option was a flop. Now, the texture was alright, offering a nice crunch, but the flavour was just… off. It offered a cheesy aftertaste that fell too far off the all-dressed path for my liking. Luckily, it was the cheapest (and smallest) bag of the bunch.
Price: $0.99
Score: 1/5
Lay's All-Dressed Chips
A family-size bag of Lay's all-dressed potato chips.
Lays
Lay's Classic never disappoints, so when it came to giving its all-dressed flavour a try, I was certain that it would be a top contender. Well, it seems as if Lay's didn't bring the heat this time around.
The chips were thin and greasy, which isn't ideal for getting a fair taste of all the seasonings because there's hardly any chip to coat. Nevertheless, it still offered the typical all-dressed taste in a subtle, enjoyable way. While I hoped that the Lay's all-dressed would have packed a bigger punch, it still got the job done.
Price: $4.79
Score: 2/5
Ruffles All-Dressed Chips
A bag of Ruffles all-dressed potato chips.
Ruffles
When I think of all-dressed chips, Ruffles is the first brand that quickly comes to mind. I mean, they really don't play around when it comes to all-dressed chips. Although it had been a minute since I'd last bought a bag of Ruffles, I distinctly remember the flavour being strong and well-coated across the thick and crispy chips. Now, while the chips were, in fact, thick and crispy, the flavour is not at all how I remember.
It lacked that explosion of spices and herbs that I fondly recalled, and left a greasier residue on my hands than I would have liked. Despite its muted flavour, Ruffles still held up, and when I am in the mood for a strong chip that offers a decent flavour but an even better crisp, I know where to turn.
Price: $3.49
Score: 3/5
Selection All-Dressed Chips
A bag of Selection all-dressed potato chips.
Selection
Selection certainly surprised me. The all-dressed option was not only the cheapest of the entire roster of chip brands but its rippled version made me question all of my notions about what makes for a good chip. While Ruffles is my go-to rippled chip brand for all-dressed, Selection is giving it a real run for its money.
The chips offered a nice crunch, and I mean one of those satisfying ASMR-style crunches. Selection's all-dressed chips also packed a lot more flavour than Ruffles. While I wish there were a little bit more of a tanginess to 'em, they still tasted great.
Price: $1.39
Score: 3.5/5
No Name All-Dressed Chips
A bag of No Name all-dressed potato chips.
No Name
Now, No Name has no business offering up an all-dressed chip this good. The No Name brand really stunned me and will easily be my go-to for a cheap and delicious all-dressed choice. The chips held up really nicely, and for a classic cut potato chip, they weren't nearly as greasy as Lay's or other brands and had a stunning coating of seasoning all around.
As for the flavour? It was there. I was getting notes of tanginess, saltiness, spiciness and even some slight sweetness, too. I find myself going in for third, fourth and even fifth handfuls of these tasty little buggers because of how satisfying they were.
Price: $2.99
Score: 4/5
Doritos Tangy All-Dressed
A bag of limited edition all-dressed Doritos.
Doritos
While I thought No Name was going to be the winner, turns out Doritos knows a thing or two about all-dressed chips. While the Tangy All-Dressed is only available for a limited time, it still reigns supreme over any other brand I tasted.
The flavour of the tortilla chip matched with Doritos' own take on all-dressed offered a slightly less spicy version of Doritos Sweet Chili Heat. While the flavour profile was different than Sweet Chili Heat (my absolute favourite chip) it still packed a heck of a punch, and one that lingers for a while too. This way you can savour the flavour for longer.
Although it is the most expensive brand, can you really put a price on quality?
Price: $5.29
Score: 5/5
- I Tried McDonald’s New Chicken Big Mac & It’s Not Worthy Of The Hype ›
- I Tried Ganadara's Massive, Loaded $27 Poutine & It Was... A Lot ›
- I Tested 7 Bottles Of Water Sold In Canada & There's One I'll Be Avoiding ›
- Singer Tori Kelly Visited Canada & Tried Ruffles All-Dressed Chips For The First Time Ever (VIDEO) - MTL Blog ›
- We Compared Rotisserie Chicken From Costco, IGA & Maxi — There Was A Clear Winner - MTL Blog ›
- I Tried Cheap Instant Noodles From Canadian Grocery Stores & 1 Brand Makes The Best Budget Meal - MTL Blog ›