There’s a practical reason tortilla chips were invented (as a way to use up imperfect tortillas and prevent food waste), but the most important part is that today, we get to reap the benefits and have delicious tortilla chips whenever we want. In fact, there are a lot of options out there to pick from, with more brands than you can count vying for your attention to be the tortilla chip invited to your next dinner party. To help make your decision easier, we at Chowhound have taken a look at 15 store-bought tortilla chips and ranked them from worst to best. And for us, when all was said and done, the bottom of the barrel chips ended up being Signature Select’s White Corn Tortilla Chips.
Signature Select is a Safeway and Albertsons brand, and to put it simply, these are the worst store-bought tortilla chips because they’re so forgettable and bland. Even though they’re supposedly seasoned with sea salt, you barely get a hint of the stuff. Even the corn flavor comes off as neutral. The only good points about these chips are the cost (around $2.29 a bag) and the fact that they’re fairly thick and big in size, making them good for dipping. But if you want an actually decent chip, you should swerve this one. You get what you pay for, and in this case, it’s a boring chip that will immediately end up lost in the flavor of anything you pair with it.
Where Signature Select’s White Corn tortilla chips fall short
We’ve talked about why Juantonio’s makes the best store-bought tortilla chips before, and they hit number two on this list, too. It, along with our other top picks for corn tortilla chips, had a few wow factors that Signature Select just missed. First, they nail that roasted corn flavor. They’re seasoned perfectly with salt, so it isn’t overwhelmingly salty but still has a punchy and delightful kick of the stuff. Some, like Juantonio’s, have extra blistering that makes for an airy and crunchy texture. Many also hit one of Signature Select’s only good points: They’re thick and sturdy enough to dip into chunky, robust dips. Though some are certainly costlier and cost upwards of $4.99 compared to signature Select’s $2.29 price tag, it’s a case where quality comes with price, really. Shell out a few extra bucks for a better tortilla chip and you won’t regret it.
We suggest sticking with one of our top three picks: Juantonio’s, Santitas, or Mi Niña. You get a good amount of chips that are thick, well-seasoned, robust, and give you everything you could want out of a corn tortilla chip. This isn’t to say you can never eat or enjoy Signature Select’s version, of course. When push comes to shove, you can make do with them. But there are simply so many other, better fish in this metaphoric sea. Why waste your time and money on something that’s only mediocre? Skip that and your future self will thank you.
