Dill Pickle Potato Chips Ranked Worst To Best

With dill pickle potato chips hitting store shelves, pickle fans suddenly have a new way to enjoy their puckery favorite flavor. Though dill pickles got their name from the vinegar used in the brine they soak in and the herbal dill that imbues them with flavor, the dill pickles modern eaters know and adore have a specific flavor that's instantly recognized. This isn't to say there can't be variations, but straying too far from the familiar formula can be a catastrophic mistake, especially when you're a snack food company trying to capture the magic in the form of a potato chip.

Dill pickle may be one of the most unique flavors of grocery store potato chips to hit shelves in a minute, but that doesn't mean every bag gets the balance right. We looked at the top contenders for "Best in Bag" to see which purveyors of pickle potato chip goodness get it right and which are bound to leave a sour taste in the mouths of consumers. Ratings, brand familiarity, and customer commentary were all part of the mathing. Tear into our robust ranked listing below to see how these temptingly tart tongue ticklers stacked up.

Walmart's Great Value can always be counted to show up with copycat versions of other companies' flavored snacks at far more favorable prices. And so it is with Great Value Pickle Flavored potato chips, a twist on the pickle chip schema that takes this flavor in a more affordable direction than some of the other brands. Great Value also offers a version called Crispy Dillies, marketed as a topping rather than a straightforward snack. These little munchers are minuscule, bite-sized pieces perfect for sprinkling on salads, burgers, and casseroles. For anyone who knows the pleasure of crushed-up chips in mac and cheese, imagine dill pickle flavoring covering those chips. Now try not to drool.

As for the full-sized chips, the review site Influenster shows Great Value holding a 4.18-star average out of 22 total reviews — not the worst, but far from the best. While the listing over at crunchy chip competitor Amazon shows no reviews at all. So if you're desperate for dill pickle snacking on limited funds, this bag may give you something to snack on. If you have enough in your pocket to make better decisions, maybe go for a different option.

A champion of fun gourmet flavors, Trader Joe's concocted their own version of a dill pickle potato chip to draw Joe-goers away from the bigger brands. Cleverly named Chips in a Pickle, this version features Canadian russet potatoes cooked kettle-style for crunch and tossed with dill weed, onion powder, and vinegar powder for a dusting of pickle goodness. It follows the similarly named Popcorn in a Pickle, which attests to the chain's commitment to satisfy the pickle fans of the world. While this much razzmatazz might complicate the strange history of potato chips, snackers who love challenging their tongues to a tangy twist know that things can only get better with a formula this fantastic.

So are Chips in a Pickle pucker-worthy? One young fan on the Sweet on Trader Joe's website raves about the flavor, stating, "This tangy snack is the perfect food for you if you're someone who loves pickles." Another reviewer at Trader Joe's Reviews proclaims, "These are like sour cream and onion chips, but with 100x the sourness/saltiness." A combination like this can easily overwhelm a delicate palate, making this dill pickle potato chip a safer bet for snackers with a steel tongue.

Health food outlet Sprouts probably isn't the first store you think of when you wonder where you might find dill pickle potato chips. Lo and behold, this modern bastion of vitamins and minerals formulated a house version of the deli-style delight in extra-crunchy kettle chip form and slapped its name at the top of a bag intended to delight dedicated shoppers. The flavor of this fantastic formulation is more akin to a salt-and-vinegar tartness with a pop of herby goodness shining through, though not necessarily giving a dill essence. It's a novel spin on what could have been just another pretty pickle potato chip in an already loaded line-up.

And speaking of a lack of dill ... the absence of the flavor's namesake is a bit of an issue. reviewer Becky at A Billion points out, "Was disappointed as the dill flavor wasn't as strong as I hoped for." Reviews on the Sprouts site rate the chips at a 4.79-star average across 19 reviews. With Sprouts being a specialty outlet, you're more likely to find other brands in big box shops in your neighborhood — no need to go out of your way to pick up a pickled Sprout.

As the most popular grocery chain in the U.S. (via CNBC), Kroger has, of course, introduced its own take on spicy dill pickle potato chips into its exhaustive snack aisle next to the other knock-offs and one-offs it offers. These approximations of name-brand options usually come pretty close to the real thing without encroaching too closely on the formula. But how does the pinnacle of food stores rate when replicating the savory deli-style tingle of pickles in potato chip form? The ingredients are familiar to pickle potato chips in general, with onion, garlic, and vinegar powders providing much of the magic. There's also a touch of sugar to temper the tang with sweetness. In other words, nothing groundbreaking — or jar-breaking, rather.

A thorough lack of reviews, even on the Kroger company site, makes this selection a challenge to place. Kroger does valiantly with its other potato chip flavors, creating an array of tasty options that embody the notion of store-brand second-bests. It's safe to assume that these chips hold up to that standard. But with other chips more readily available online, we're putting this one near the middle of the bag.

Sneak into your office break room when snack-thirty hits, and you might be lucky enough to find Route 11 Dill Pickle kettle chips waiting in the vending machine to help you maximize your munch. This company has taken some big swings in the flavor sphere, ranging from Chesapeake Crab to the habanero-infused Mama Zuma's Revenge. The seasoning combo chosen for the dill pickle crunchers includes garlic and onion powders, as well as citric and malic acids for tartness. Dill weed is also in there, as well as something called "spice extractive," which sounds vague enough to cause a twinge of concern, though not enough to stop snack fans from digging in.

Though reviews aren't many on the Route 11 website, every write-up gives a shining five-star salute to these pickle-y chippers. In one stellar description, a reviewer writes, "My mouth lit up like a firecracker with flavor." A snack company would be selfish to ask for a more exciting description. Amazon ratings include similarly high praise, placing Route 11 relatively high on our list. It just shows you that a smaller brand can stand chip-to-chip with bigger brands if they know how to flavor their potatoes.

Deep River adds juice to its snack collection with New York Spicy Dill Pickle, a potato chip with grand ambitions that generate high expectations from the name alone. Who wouldn't be jazzing for something sharp and tart with a moniker like that? With extracts of paprika and a slew of non-GMO ingredients listed on the label, this brand spears the competition when describing the goodness found inside the bag. It would be a shame if such a promising dill pickle potato chip couldn't live up to its potential.

Luckily, Deep River seems to deliver a crunch that packs a wallop. Amazon reviewers offer glowing write-ups. " Nice dill pickle taste and the perfect amount of spiciness," calls out one reviewer. Another reviewer notes, "All that is missing is a reuben sandwich." When the flavor of a pickle potato chip makes you long for a fuller meal to add it to, you've found yourself a winner. And while the 4.6-star average out of 43 reviews may not seem like much, it helps Deep River find a suitable spot in the rankings. Maybe the spunky New York spirit is part of this winning formula after all.

Well-known for their Bavarian-style sourdough pretzels, Utz is also a player on the potato chip field. The company goes for extra points by picking up the dill pickle pigskin and running it to the end zone. With Utz Ripples Fried Dill Pickle potato chips, the snack maker takes a bold leap by offering spiced-up pickle flavoring on delicate ruffled chips that look surprisingly classy for coming from a company with a name that sounds like a belch. This long-standing outlet has been in business since 1921, showing longevity that makes it inevitable that, at some point, the catalog would include a dill pickle potato chip option. It seems like if you last long enough in the snack game, you end up craving pickles just as much as customers who choose your treats.

The 71 reviews on the company's website rack up a nearly five-star average, giving Utz a solid standing for its ripply pickle potato chips. Amazon reviews are fewer, though hardly less favorable, bringing the overall ranking down slightly. Still, if you're a stickler for pickles and looking for that zesty zip on a crispy chip, you could do worse than satisfy your urge with Utz.

If you're asking, "Hal, who?" you might be missing out on one heck of a dill pickle potato chip. Hal's New York Dill Pickle kettle chips may not be as recognizable as other brands, but this company is a scrapper in the mean streets of snack flavoring. Dillweed oil and dehydrated parsley add herbal zing to the acidic vinegar tingle. This company's New York pride is front and center on these crisps, whether stamped on the front of the bag or as described on Walmart's website, "New York deli pickle on a chip." Hal's also produces and markets a line of New York seltzers, though dill pickle isn't part of the flavor catalog. Not yet, anyway. That's probably for the best.

What do those who've tried Hal's think about how they taste? Reviews are trim but pretty positive overall. A respectable 85% of Hal's 72 Amazon ratings are five-star tone poems to the quality of this sneaky snack. Though largely available online in individual serving-sized bags, if you're looking for a new take on the flavor to compare or contrast to the better-known bags on the block, these chips are a find.

So dill pickle flavor really spruces up a flat potato chip, but what does it do to a chip renowned for its ridges? Luckily, Ruffles Spicy Dill Pickle lands a powerful punch of flavor. Unlike the limited location given to hot dog-flavored Ruffles, this fiery-tangy taste is available in outlets like Big Lots, allowing pickle fanatics to find a new favorite snack in a broader array of locales. Dill weed and red pepper are in the mix to give something a little different than what the other pickle pushers provide.

A review of these perky Ruffles on The Impulsive Buy calls out the pepper aspect, saying, "The spice reminds me of crushed red pepper flakes in that they create a blanket of spiciness without introducing any other flavors, which is great because the strong pickle flavor gets to shine." This is great news for lovers of flavor blends that tap dance on the tongue and create savory sparks to be enjoyed the whole bag through. Other reviews are scarce due to the limited edition nature of these chips, but with the Ruffles name on the package, you're pretty safe to grab a handful if you find them.

You've undoubtedly enjoyed Miss Vickie's chips in Subway sandwich stations as a side for your salami and Swiss. But have you had this company's dill pickle potato chips as part of the package to rival the pickle chip topping on your sub? Because the company has introduced its dill pickle potato chips as part of Subway's selection. In addition to enjoying the robust flavor as part of your toppings, you can add an extra pop of pickle-y joy as part of your combo. Of course, grocery and online retailers also carry Miss Vickie's, which makes it easy to grab a bag when the sting of hunger is upon you.

But will you like this take on the dill-sprinkled chip? Not according to Amazon reviewers. A tart one-star listing from reviewer Madeline is even titled, "Would give 0 stars if possible." Ouch. Homester Test Club tells a different story, with Miss Vickie's racking up a 4.6-star average across 543 total reviews. Though some signal that the spice might be too much, it looks like when the chips are down, these little crisps come through with big flavor. Snacker, beware: Amazon reviews don't always tell the whole story.

How well do tastebud-twisting vinegar and herb fare when meeting the uber-crunch of Kettle chips in their most crinkled form? Pretty tastily, it seems. Though garlic and vinegar powder are higher on the ingredient list, A touch of sugar and yeast extract in the formula adds something unique. One thing missing from this sacked snack? Dill. The only herb mentioned on the label is parsley, which hardly calls to mind the flavor of real dill pickles ... you know, the ones with the word "dill" in the name? It seems an odd choice for a treat with a proven recipe to follow, but maybe the folks at Kettle know something the rest of the snack realm doesn't.

As for public reaction, high marks at Influenster speak to a warm reception for Kettle's Dill Pickle crinkle cut chips, with a 4.54-star average out of 644 reviews. And it isn't always for the resemblance to pickles, either. Reviewer Holly says, " They're quite crispy, and they have a creamy dill taste that borders on Buttermilk Ranch." So maybe dill isn't the most important part of a pickle chip after all. Who knew? Apparently, the Kettle brand did. Good on them!

If there's a chip company that should make a knock-out of a dill pickle flavor, Lay's is the heavyweight to bet on. The monarch of the chip circuit and the belt-wearing bagged snack company who made it impossible for chip lovers not to eat too many potato chips, Lays got on the pickle bandwagon with a flavor that promised to be a crowd-pleaser. Don't confuse these with Flamin' Hot Dill Pickle, a novelty flavor that Instagram users call out for the hide-and-seek temporary releases Lay's plays with it. This little pickle chip is a dilly of a tastemaker, with special dill pickle seasoning scattered all over Lay's classic potato wafers.

It might be easy to take a sour view of the 3.8-star average out of 5 stars Lay's has received out of the 95 reviews on Amazon. This may be due to packaging issues that feature heavily in the lower ratings, an aspect that has nothing to do with flavor. Influenster's reviewers are far more generous, with a 4.57-star average among 914 reviews. Even the pickle-avoidant, like reviewer Valentina F., is a fan, declaring, "I am not a pickle lover, but [these] chips are delicious."