REVIEW: Limited Time Only Ketchup Doritos (Canada)

Michael Reviews

Limited Time Only Ketchup Doritos (Canada)

I still remember my shock, as a kid, finding out that ketchup chips are mostly just a Canadian thing, and that they’re not readily available in the States. This information stunned me. It made me question the way I perceived the world. Ketchup chips are such a fundamental potato chip flavour; this was like being told that Americans cannot perceive the colour blue.

As far as I’m concerned, there are certain bedrock chip flavours. Salt & vinegar. Barbecue. Sour cream & onion. Ketchup. All Dressed.

Wait — you don’t have All Dressed, either?? What kind of lives have you been living? I’ll answer that one: empty lives. Empty, horrible, All-Dressed-and-ketchup-chip-less lives.

Ketchup and fries are obviously natural bedfellows. Potato chips and fries are clearly brothers in the junk food family tree (or at the very least, cousins). It follows, then, that ketchup chips are a complete no-brainer.

But ketchup Doritos? That’s different. That’s as wacky to me as it is to you. I’ve never seen anybody dip a tortilla chip into ketchup, and I hope that day never comes. It’s too horrible to fathom.

So if the ketchup/tortilla combo is gross, Ketchup Doritos must be gross too, right? Well… read on, my friend. Read on.

Before I get into this particular flavour, I will say that I think Doritos are the best store-bought tortilla chip on the market. I don’t want to get too hyperbolic, but I think they’re pretty much textural perfection; they’re the perfect combination of crispy, airy, and crunchy.

(And I really wish they’d make plain Doritos easier to find, but they’re completely unavailable in Canada, and even in the States I’m almost never able to track them down. But I digress.)

I definitely wasn’t sold on this flavour after my first bite. Doritos and ketchup is such a weird combination that it just seems wrong. At first you’re hit with that vinegary ketchup sweetness and and it seems to confirm your worst fears. It feels off-putting.

But then you have another, and another, and before you know it, you’re hooked. There’s something weirdly addictive and oddly satisfying about it. A hint can be found in the ingredients. The third ingredient of the seasoning is monosodium glutimate, a.k.a. the dreaded MSG.

I should note that the notion that MSG is more unhealthy than any other seasoning has been thoroughly debunked at this point, in case you were wondering. What MSG does do is heighten a food’s umami factor. Combined with the dehydrated tomato (another umami-packed ingredient), it gives these Doritos (and quite a few other Doritos flavours) a savoury richness that you can’t quite put your finger on, but that keeps you coming back chip after chip.

Limited Time Only Ketchup Doritos (Canada) Closeup

The seasoning isn’t quite as liberally applied as with some other flavours. This is definitely a good thing; a little bit of the puckery sweet vinegar flavouring of the ketchup goes a long way. This means that more of the chip’s corn flavour shines through, which compliments the ketchup flavour fairly well, oddly enough.

It’s not my favourite variety of Doritos ever (it still has that distinctive ketchupy taste, which is never going to be perfect on a tortilla chip), but it is way, way better than you’d think it would be. I really only needed to sample one bag for the purpose of this review, and I’m already onto my second, which tells you how much I enjoyed it (it also tells you that I’m a pig whose boundless appetite can never quite be sated… but we’ll set that aside for the moment).

(Nutrition facts – 50 grams/21 chips – 260 calories, 13 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 290 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fibre, 2 grams of sugar, 3 grams of protein.)

Item: Limited Time Only Ketchup Doritos (Canada)
Purchased Price: $3.50 CAN
Size: 245 gram bag
Purchased at: Hasty Market
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Way better than you’d think it would be. Surprisingly addictive.
Cons: The very idea of it is a bit off-putting. Ketchup and tortilla chips is never not going to be a weird combination.

42 thoughts to “REVIEW: Limited Time Only Ketchup Doritos (Canada)”

  1. There are plain Doritos??? And what is All Dressed? Nice review, though I think I’d pass on Ketchup Flavor Doritos.

    1. All Dressed is basically several different flavours combined on one glorious chip. It was my favourite chip flavour as a kid, though I haven’t had a bag in quite a while.

      As for plain Doritos — I can confirm that they do exist. I was able to find them one time, and then never again, sadly.

    3. You don’t know what your missing. Ketchup Doritos! mmmmmmmmm good.
      Easily my favorite now. I remember them as a kid, and couldn’t wait to get hooked again.
      Depression will be setting in once they are gone, prozak here I come!.
      I did manage to score a carton, so I will be good for awhile.

  2. about a year or two ago my local walmarts in nor-cal had the Herrs ketchup chips. BEST CHIP EVER. they never had them again, bunch of k-teases. Made the mistake of looking at the canadian LAYS site, is it normal for a 43 year old man to be jealous and angry at another country just for the amazing chip flavors they have?

  3. its getting so hard to find ketchup (and old-school dill pickle) anything in canada now. i miss ketchup krispers!!! but all-dressed is still where its at!!!

  4. You can find ketchup potato chips in my city (Columbus, OH) at most grocery stores including walmart and I think I’ve even seen them at some Targets. Herrs is the main supplier but I’ve seen some other local or off-brand versions.

  5. I was living in Ecuador a few years back where I came across plain Doritos for the first and only time, I thought I was seeing things but then noticed the absence of Tostitos anywhere in the country (at least where I was shopping) so assumed that Doritos out of necessity had to have a plain version for consumers. Had no idea you could get them anywhere else, which I find very strange…what would be the official reason for this?

    BTW I too am Canadian and had to try these Ketchup Doritos and was also instantly hooked. Hope they make it past the Limited Time and become a regular flavour.

    1. So do I. Perhaps the “limited time” refers to the retro packaging, and a new package is coming. Dam I hope so.

  6. I love Doritos but my son is highly allergic to dairy. He loved these things. Only flavour he has been able to eat but they have disappeared from stores near me. How long is the run expected to be?

  7. Was so glad to have the doritos Ketchup again but didn’t last long. we can no longer find them Moncton/Dieppe.
    Right there you should take that into consideration and it means you should have them all the time.
    I am craving them now for a good 3 weeks and there’s none available.

  8. Ketchup doritos!!!!! Love them best chips ever! Great flavor packed crunch, please send me a case! I can’t find them on the shelves in canada anymore!!

  9. Ketchup Doritos use to be a staple in the Dorito line about 10 years ago. I ate them often as they are the best Dorito you can buy. This limited time run they had in Canada was very limited. Apparently it was an 8 week run, however, once the store sold out, they were gone.
    They sold out very quickly and obviously that was a sign that they are popular.
    I suggest everyone who feels the same as I do about Ketchup Doritos, write or call about them. I called and the lady explained that it was a limited time and would take my suggestions to marketing. I also emailed them and the responder said the same thing. They appreciate the feedback and will let the Marketing committee know. I suggest everyone write, and as a strong request maybe we can have them bring them back! I’m not willing to wait another 10 years….

  13. Please bring them back. I really can’t go cross border shopping for ketchup Doritos. I have tried the others that are still available here in Montreal. I already have an order for 10 bags of ketchup Doritos so how can we make this happen 🙂

  14. PLEASE bring back the KETCHUP Doritos!!!!!! They are amazing and you can’t get them across border in the U.S.A! I stocked up when they were on the shelves and now i’m saving my last bag bc i love them so much! Please Please Please!!!

  16. I just came across Ketchup Doritos in northeastern New-Brunswick. I’d completely missed them the first time around, in fact I didn’t know they existed until I saw them earlier. I like ketchup on all sorts of things so I didn’t find the concept gross at all.

    1. Yup. They’re back in the GTA (maybe Canada wide) for another limited time run. Grabbing 2-3 bags this afternoon. Happy Doritoing.

  18. Just tried Ketchup Doritos for the first time, and they are AWESOME! I have to say they are now my favorite dorito flavor. The only disappointing part about them is that they have a label on the top saying. ” Limited Time Only”. And I say, “noooooooooo!” I guess I’ll have to buy a case to last me a while. The best part is that they are not like those Old Dutch salty ketchup flavor that you get now. They are similar to the Old Dutch old fashioned ketchup flavor I remember from when I was a kid, on a dorito? Like I said, “amazing!” Please keep them on the shelves? Please?

  20. Ketchup flavored doritos are absolutly de best. As a matter of a fact, I just cant resist anylonger and I am going out to the IGA to get me a large bag.

  21. Never cared for doritos until I tried ketchup flavor,,,loved them but now they are not available any more,,wish I had bought a case. Please bring them back…miss them.

  22. Please I speak on behalf of the population of at johns nl BRInG BACK ketchup Doritos! Why take away such a good thing!!!!! Make them a regular flavor on the shelves, people here were crazy for them! Any new flavours released since those do not compare!

  23. These were the best Doritos ever, bring them back! I would never normally post anything, but these by far the best chips ever!

  25. I tried the ketchup and I don’t like it but I do love the nacho cheese and the ranch the Russian roulette is really good lol

  26. Bring back the ketchup Doritos please… I only bought one bag thinking oh I can get more later.. but nope, they are gone, ?????.. didn’t keep them out long enough!

  30. Herr’s ketchup potato chips are still available. They distribute in an 11 state area from their own warehouses, and also cross-dock with Walmart to deliver prebuilt pallet displays to other parts of the country.

    If you want to order from Herr’s you go to http://www.herrsstore.com. They ship chips by the case. They have small 1oz bags and larger 3.5oz bags. (I am in no way associated with Herr’s).

  33. Ketchup doritos i would halfto to say one of the best . Why not make it perment i would gradly trade for the dill pickle .

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