Birth of the potato chip

In 1853, at a fancy resort in Saratoga Springs, New York, a guest kept sending his French fries back. Too thick, he said. Not crisp enough. George Crum, the head chef—part African American, part Native American—finally decided to give the customer exactly what he didn’t ask for: paper-thin potatoes fried to a crunch. Too thin for a fork. Too crisp to complain about.
But to everyone’s surprise… the customer loved them.
That moment sparked the birth of the potato chip. Originally called Saratoga Chips, they became a hit across New England. Crum opened his own restaurant and served the chips with pride. Then came innovation: William Tappendon started manufacturing them in Cleveland. Laura Scudder invented the wax paper bag in 1926 to keep them fresh. And Herman Lay sold them out of his car trunk in the South before turning them into a household name.
What began as a kitchen prank became one of the most beloved snacks in the world. Today, potato chips come in every flavor you can imagine—from sea salt to sriracha. But it all started with a chef, a complaint, and a crispy comeback.
#SnackHistory #GeorgeCrum
~Weird Pictures and News