30 British Potato Chip Flavors, Ranked From Worst To Best

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There are two things that the British take very, very seriously: queueing and snacking. Snacking pauses are practically built into daily life with rituals like "elevenses" that constitute a cup of tea or coffee and an accompanying and often sweet snack. Crisps or chips are also a very serious matter, with chip-related quiz segments appearing on popular weekly chat shows like "Sunday Brunch" in the UK. Social grazing rituals are also built into British pub culture, like when crisp packets are torn open and laid flat on the table or bar, making an accessible salty snack to share with a pint. One thing you can also guarantee when it comes to snacking, is everyone has their favorites, often linked to the nostalgia of childhood, with little room for convincing otherwise.

All you have to do is gaze upon the snack aisle at any British corner shop or supermarket to understand that snacking is anything but bland. Though, we are certain many might disagree with our ranking, debating is half the fun! Here are 20 British chip flavors we ranked from worst to best.

Frazzles crisps are still around largely, we reckon, because of nostalgia. Originating in the mid-1970s by chip giant Smiths, according to Sainsburys, at one point in Britain's history, there wasn't a pub around that didn't serve a product of the brand. Its prevalence and associations with leisure clearly endeared the brand to the whole of the nation. In fact, Smith's was so prevalent in British history, a pack of its chips were included in the war rations for British soldiers in World War II, says Sainsburys.

It is this placement in history that has moved the chip into it's untouchable status; many will rush to defend Frazzles' snacking merits. With a slightly puffed, if not hollowed, corn base that is streaked with faint red lines to remind and reinforce its bacon-y inspiration, we found the chip's texture to be disappointing for lacking in real puffiness like that of a cheese curl. It's also without the snap or crunch of a good crisp. It's aggressive bacon scent is much like another vegan bacon-adjacent food product, the since discontinued Betty Crocker Baco's. While we can appreciate its place in British snacking history, we'll save this chip for the history books. 

The Scottish are known for a few of their culinary traditions, two of which are included in the flavor of this chip. Black pepper, though it has traveled the world, can often be found within Scottish foods, especially in conjunction with oats or barley, such as with skirlie, a Scottish stuffing. Black pepper is also one of the spices used to make haggis, a traditional Scottish dish comprised of sheep organs, alongside a heavy helping of oats, onions and other spices. The dish is often served with a dram of Drambuie, a sweet tasting liquor made from Scottish whisky, and "neeps and tatties" (as in, turnips and potatoes), which incidentally is another chip flavor Mackie's once made as a special edition in 2020, according to The Scotsman. 

Despite our love of the nod to Scottish traditions and this crisp's originality, the chip itself tastes overwhelmingly of black pepper, which, while great if you love the spice on its own, is a bit disappointing if you were keen to try the flavor profile of haggis without eating the actual dish. We still think they'd taste nice with a dram of whisky.

The new Beef Teriyaki flavor from Sensations should have been a welcome addition to the market. Sensations, one of the many brands owned by Walkers, excel at delivering well-balanced and flavorful chip varieties, like Thyme & Chicken, and a range of Indian and Asian-inspired seasoned nuts, crispy naan chips, and "poppadoms." A solid Teriyaki sauce recipe, with its wonderful sweet, savory, salty, and caramelized flavors, often works to lift a dish and create a bright, satisfying eating experience. Sadly, we think these chips fell just short of expectations. The thinness of the chip, punctuated by the overly subtle flavor makes this variety easy to pass over in favor of a bolder chip by the same brand. 

We found any highly seasoned chips within the bag to be glorious, which worked to showcase the deep charred or punchy teriyaki flavors that we were hoping would be a feature throughout. There were just too few of them in the bag. That said, shoppers at Tesco loved them for the exact same reasons we didn't: The beauty is clearly in the eye of the snack holder.

To understand the intended flavor profile of this chip it's important to note the difference between the U.S. version of pigs in a blanket, a hot dog or sausage wrapped in a puff pastry, and the U.K. version, as in a streaky bacon wrapped sausage. Given its origins, the M&S Pigs in Blankets chips reflects a porkier, smokier, and saltier flavor than its American counterpart. 

So, if you want to feel like you've eaten something smoky and porky without eating something smoky and porky, these chips might just scratch that itch. Non-greasy and light, we found that they taste like what they advertise. After a few too many, however, we felt the flavor becomes a bit flat yet, paradoxically, overwhelmingly smoky at the same time, all without any complexity present in some of the other varieties. If these packed a bit more sweetness like in dish itself, it would work as a treat to balance out the smoke and boost the chip much closer to the top of this list. That said, we wouldn't kick this chip out of bed or any blankets. 

You know those enticing smoky smells that fast food places like to billow out into the air, eliciting a practically pavlovian response of hunger? That smell is what these chips taste like: smoky but not overly so, and with a great crunch from the ridged chip. We can see why a pack of the McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak chips can satisfy those carnivorous cravings. 

There is an interesting divide between the U.K and U.S. approach to "meaty" chips. The U.S. tends to avoid mentioning meat when in chip form, focusing more on the sauces like barbecue or honey mustard that one would slather over said meat. The UK, however, leans in the opposite direction, embracing the meat aspect and placing it front and center, even if it's not an ingredient in the chip itself, as you can clearly see throughout much of this list. While we can't quite explain the origins and schools of thought behind these differences, it is something to keep in mind when sampling the snacks from across the pond — whichever side that might be. 

Prawn cocktails in both the U.S. and UK come with a retro association. The classic shrimp cocktail recipe, though originating stateside, was made popular across the pond by Fanny Cradock, and it's now linked to an era of culinary style from the 1960s through the 1980s. According to LoveFood.com, prawn cocktails were the epitome of glamor and sophistication and a must-serve dinner party staple, rendering them irreplaceable within British food history. 

Given this reputation it's no wonder it is almost a requirement for chip brands to offer a prawn cocktail variety, even if most of them taste nothing of the dish itself. Tyrrell's Posh Prawn Cocktail chips offers us a delectable version. These crisps have a distinctly salty and tomato flavor, though any taste of prawn is absent (a blessing in disguise, perhaps?). The hand-cooked potato chips are thin and crispy, not greasy. Though it may be a slightly disarming flavor to wrap your head around stateside, we think these are a good representation of the variety that has become so popular in the UK.

There really isn't anything equivalent of this potato snack in the U.S. and we think it's high time someone did something to change that. Aimed once again at kids, Hula Hoops crisps are pretty great for snacking no matter what age you are. 

Each piece takes the shape of a crunchy, round, and hollow cylinder (hence the name), making it perfectly acceptable, if not encouraged, to play with your food. We recommend following your inner childlike instincts and stacking the rings up your fingers, then nibbling them off one-by-one. Each Hula Hoop Barbecue Beef chip provides a satisfyingly substantial crunch and non-greasy texture, making it far too easy to stick your hand back into the bag for more in quick succession. The beef flavor (suitable for vegetarians) leans more towards savory than "beefy" by playing on the tomato, yeast, and paprika used as flavoring. Overall, this is an incredibly satisfying snack and one we would reach for again and again.

If you like the vegetal and herbaceous flavor of thyme, this might be the chip for you. The scent and flavor of Sensations Roast Chicken & Thyme elicit the warm and comforting notes of the perfect roast chicken, which is probably why it's named as such and not just "thyme flavored." That said, although roast chicken flavor is big in the UK crisps market, there is no actual chicken in the chip itself. What is left is just a light-but-clear thyme flavor, making the chips addictive without being overpowering.

Unless you've got a great dip lined up, you likely won't mind how thin the chips are, but we imagine that they wouldn't stand up to anything too hefty. That said, a lemon zest laden yogurt dip or even finely chopped summer tomatoes would match this light and bright flavor profile. These Sensations would also make the perfect addition tucked into a cold chicken salad sandwich, added crunch and flavor and doubling down on the chicken-y goodness this chip works hard to celebrate. 

Want to take it one step further in the British culinary tradition? Skip the chicken altogether and make yourself a crisp butty: two soft pieces of bread, generously slathered with butter, lined with a layer or two of chips, then eaten like a sandwich.

Wagu beef is a high end and well sought-after gourmet steak that originated in Japan. It should come as no surprise that Savoursmiths Wagu Beef with Honey & Mustard is sold in luxury shops like Harrods and Selfridges. And, while some of the other goods sold at these high-end designer stores could very easily fall under the category of style over substance, we think this flavor has earned its place.

The chips are a delectable balance of savory-meets-sweet and non-greasy with a thin-but-firm texture that's perfect for crunching. These are the kind of good crisps that could lend to unknowingly decimating a large bag alone and in one sitting. The only downside to them, aside from them being on the thicker end of the potato chip price wedge, is that the chips are is actually made with wagu beef powder, which, while ticking the box of "authenticity" feels like a waste of an ingredient so expensive and specialist. Interestingly, there's a vegan wagu beef option, as well.

Light, vinegary, and in a fun — if not slightly hard to eat — shape, it's no wonder why Walkers Monster Munch, and particularly its pickled onion flavor, is so popular. While these puffed-corn snacks are specifically aimed at children, there is an associated nostalgia for the snack amongst adults, a common theme running through many of the crisps included in this list. We think this would be the perfect snack to accompany a good ale or crisp lager. Equally, it would be an unarguably perfect hangover recovery snack to help pick you back up after one too many. 

Monster Munch was first launched in 1977, originally named "The Prime Monster," a wordplay on"Prime Minister," says Child of the 1980s. The site explains that there is debate as to whether the shape depicts the monster's foot or eye and eyelashes. Though still a firm favorite among many, Monster Munch did lose a few fans when the brand reduced the size of each monster piece when the company changed hands from Smiths to Walkers in the '90s. 

Oddly, Monster Munch's flavor varieties have never really screamed "aimed at children" to us, but they've proved popular over the years nonetheless. The limited-edition vanilla ice cream released in early 2000s did seem more aimed at a palate that favored sweeter, gentler flavors. Still, it has us scratching our heads over why one would eat an ice cream flavored chip when you could just have the real thing.