From Stale Tortillas To A Snack Icon
Doritos may sound like it comes straight from Spanish—Frito-Lay executives have even said it means “little golden things.” But here’s the fun twist: it actually doesn’t translate that way at all. The name was dreamed up by marketing executive Arch West, who mixed the Spanish word for “gold” (oro) with Frito’s usual “-ito” ending, then tossed a “D” on the front simply because he liked how it sounded. And just like that, Doritos was born.
But the real gem of this story? Doritos were invented at Disneyland. In the 1960s, Frito-Lay ran a restaurant in the park called Casa de Fritos. When a salesman noticed they were tossing out stale tortillas, he suggested frying them into chips instead. Arch West loved the idea, took it back to the company, and by 1966, Doritos were being sold nationwide. From a theme-park kitchen experiment to a snack-aisle icon—now that’s a tasty bit of history.
Have you ever tried making your own chips at home—or discovered a favorite snack in an unexpected place?
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