Top 10 BBQ Chips, Ranked from Worst to Best

There’s nothing like walking into a friend’s or family member’s backyard on a hot summer’s day, the smell of cooking meat and vegetables wafting toward you, bowls of mayonnaise-spiked, carb-heavy salads arranged on a tablecloth-lined picnic table. BBQ season is undeniably one of the best parts of the year, a time when you can gather with your loved ones to enjoy some good, simple cooking over a fire. While, yes, technically, you can have BBQ at any time of year, when the weather is too cold or rainy or blustery, the idea of starting up the grill to cook a big chunk of meat or well-seasoned portobello mushrooms can simply seem like too much work.

That’s exactly where BBQ potato chips come in. They capture those same savory, sweet, and smoky flavors without requiring a grill (or any cooking skills whatsoever). BBQ chips make getting your fill of BBQ flavor as easy as possible.

I tried 10 different types of BBQ chips commonly found at grocery stores and ranked them from worst to best, so you’ll have an easier time picking out your next crunchy, umami, and smoky snack. I focused on both flavor and texture to ensure you have a BBQ-snacking experience you’ll never forget. (And don’t forget to pair your BBQ chips with beer.)

If there’s one chip brand you’re likely to find at your local grocery store or gas station, it has to be Lay’s potato chips. This brand is everywhere and offers several different BBQ-flavored chips for you to choose from. My least favorite of this group, though, was Lay’s Baked barbecue chips. Of course, this product is at a disadvantage because it doesn’t have the same fatty crunch as you’d get from fried potato chips, although it might be a good option if you don’t tend to prefer oilier chips.

That being said, the texture of these chips is not good. They’re almost cardboard-like, leaving you with an unpleasant mouthfeel that sort of crumbles instead of crunching properly. The flavor isn’t great either — these are significantly less flavorful than any of the other chips on this list. For those looking for a lower-fat snack, Lay’s baked barbecue chips may not be the worst choice, but if you’re craving traditional potato chips, this product is likely to be a disappointment.

I tried three different Lay’s products for this tasting, and I didn’t expect two of them to fall at the very bottom of the list. But, alas, Lay’s Wavy hickory BBQ chips are also quite low on my list. Are they better than the baked version? Of course. But they still can’t compare to the higher-quality chips on this list. The first descriptor I thought of when I took the first bite of these chips was “cheap.” It doesn’t exactly taste like you’re getting a high-quality product here. The flavor is decent, and there’s certainly a slight smokiness a la hickory, but it certainly doesn’t stand out from the crowd — it’s mostly just salty without really boasting and significant BBQ flavor.

The texture is also just okay. These chips have ridges, similar to Ruffles, but those ridges are quite a bit thicker than other “wavy” potato chips I’ve had in the past. The result just seems like a poor imitation of other BBQ chips on the market, so it’s certainly not a product I would go out of my way to seek out.

Some people want their potato chips to have a super concentrated flavor, while others prefer chips that are on the milder side. If you fall into the latter category, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy Utz Ripples barbecue chips. You’re not going to be blown away by the BBQ-esque flavor here. Rather, you’ll get a milder flavor profile, which makes these great for snacking alongside a sandwich. On their own, though, they’d probably start to taste bland pretty quickly, which is one reason why they’re not ranked higher on this list. The flavor is also quite simple compared to the other chips on this list, which probably isn’t what you’re looking for when you’re opting for BBQ-flavored chips.

In addition to that blandness is the fact that these chips are quite oily. If you like a fattier chip, that may not be a big problem, but it’ll result in messy fingers and a BBQ-flavored film coating your mouth after you’ve had only a few chips. The ridges are nice and add an interesting textural element to the snack, but that’s not enough for me to go out of my way to buy these chips.

If you’re looking for Utz BBQ chips specifically, I’d definitely recommend the Utz Kettle Classics smokin’ sweet BBQ over the ripples version right above this one. That’s because, first of all, kettle chips are inarguably more delicious than their more processed counterparts. You’re getting a snack that actually tastes like potatoes, and kettle chips provide an unmatched crunch that’s hard not to love. And the texture in these Utz chips is definitely top-notch. You’ll get maximum crunch that makes these chips fun for any real potato chip lover to eat.

That being said, what really holds these chips back is the flavor. As the name suggests, these BBQ-flavored chips are sweet — but maybe a bit too sweet. In fact, I picked up way more on that sweetness than I did on any real savory notes, which made this snack a bit lackluster and one-note. They’re certainly not the worst chips in this lineup, but unless you like aggressively sweet BBQ (or aggressively sweet potato chips, for some reason), this product is probably not your best option.

One thing that I really think sets Lay’s apart from the competition is just how thin the brand’s chips are. Other brands offer thicker-cut potato chips, which is ideal if you’re looking for a crunchy snack. But for those who prefer more of a light crisp, then Lay’s is a good option, and Lay’s barbecue flavor specifically is ideal for the BBQ-inclined. That thinness makes these chips taste a bit cheaper than the competition, but it’s all about personal preferences — that lightness isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if you prefer an easier-to-chew chip.

The flavor of these is solid. Although it’s not the best of the bunch, these chips have a slightly acidic flavor that most of the others in the lineup don’t feature. That acidity makes them easy to snack on and ensures that you won’t get bored of the flavor after just a few bites. Of course, that does make it easier to polish off the whole bag in one sitting, but hey, sometimes that’s exactly what you need from a BBQ chip-snacking experience.

Out of all the BBQ chips on this list, I think that Wise Golden Potato BBQ potato chips have the most interesting flavor. That’s because the BBQ flavoring itself isn’t that strong. Instead, you’ll actually taste the flavor of the potatoes in this snack. For those who absolutely love BBQ seasoning and want as much of it as possible, this probably isn’t the bag of chips you’re looking for. However, some snackers just want a bit of BBQ flavor and prefer chips that actually taste like potatoes, and if you’re one of them, then this is definitely a brand worth checking out. That subtlety is a nice departure from the super-bold chips you might have experienced from other brands.

These chips are also quite thin, which, again, gives off a cheapness that you wouldn’t get from, say, a kettle chip. But ultimately, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, depending on what kinds of chips you prefer. There are better-quality BBQ potato chips on the market, but if you’re searching for something that’s a bit different from the norm, then check out the Wise brand the next time you go to the grocery store.

It should come as no surprise that the kettle chips in this lineup fall near the top of the ranking. Kettle’s backyard barbecue offers a fantastic crunchy experience that’ll have you going back for another handful after you’ve finished your first. The thing I like most about these chips is the fact that there are a lot of folded pieces in the mix. Those folded potato chips offer the crunchiest possible experience, which is just what I’m going for when I’m craving a bowl of chips.

Flavor-wise, these chips are also solid. In fact, they actually taste very similar to actual barbecued beef — more similar than any of the other chips on this list, actually. That savory smokiness has just a hint of umami to it, which offers a complex but approachable flavor profile. However, the chips could be a bit saltier, which would round out the flavor better and make them a bit less bland. Although they’re not the best chips on this list, they’re definitely worth trying.

You won’t find mesquite BBQ everywhere, but if you hail from the southwest U.S. or Mexico, it may be a flavor you’re familiar with. I love that Deep River is offering mesquite BBQ specifically — it makes these chips a departure from what you’d normally expect from BBQ chips. The flavor is pretty mild, although the smokiness is pretty pronounced, which makes for an unusual snacking experience that I’m absolutely here for. That being said, the flavor isn’t too pronounced, so this is also a solid option for those who don’t want a very intensely flavored snacking experience. However, that lack of intensity means that these chips don’t quite take the top spot in this ranking.

Texture-wise, though, these Deep River chips are also a win. They’re cut thicker than most of the others on this list, which means you get a super crunchy experience. These chips are ideal for those who want BBQ chips that are a bit unexpected but undeniably delicious.

Most of the BBQ potato chips on this list are relatively similar to one another, but Ruffles flamin’ hot BBQ chips definitely stand out from the pack thanks to their slightly spicy flavor profile. Because they’re described as “flamin'” and they have a bright red color to them, you might assume that they’d be super spicy, but that’s not actually the case. That heat is quite mild and subtle (although you’ll taste it more on the back end than you will when you first put the chip in your mouth). The result is a vastly more interesting flavor than most BBQ chips on the market, although it’s also a departure from the norm.

That being said, Ruffles, in general, are just okay on the texture front, and this flavor is no exception. You’re not actually getting sliced potatoes but rather a processed and artificially shaped chip, which is why these don’t snag the top spot in this ranking.

If you ask me, Cape Cod potato chips are the best chips on the market, so it didn’t surprise me that the brand’s kettle-cooked sweet mesquite barbecue chips snagged the top spot on this list. They have the ideal texture: thin enough that munching on them doesn’t hurt your mouth but thick enough that you get a seriously crunchy experience. This bag of chips also contained a ton of folded pieces, which, again, make for the most delicious potato chips.

The flavor in these chips is also surprisingly complex for basic potato chips. Their umami quality really shines, offering that meaty flavor you’d expect from actual BBQ. There’s also a slightly sweet note, but it doesn’t overpower the other flavors in the mix. Add to that a lovely savory smokiness, and it’s clear why this product is the best of the bunch. For anyone who is a true BBQ potato chip lover, Cape Cod’s sweet mesquite barbecue potato chips are an absolute must-try.

I chose these chips based on availability and an attempt to feature a wide range of brands (instead of several more products from the same brands already listed). I tasted them each, one by one, with sips of water in between to clean my palate. Texture, of course, played an especially important role in determining where each product fell on the list, but flavor was the main factor determining these rankings.