Doritos, launched by Frito-Lay in 1966, are what type of chip made from corn?

Doritos are tortilla chips made from corn. Frito-Lay’s famous triangular snacks are produced from corn, processed into a masa-like mixture, shaped, cooked, and seasoned—making “tortilla chip” the standard category answer.

The idea began at Disneyland’s Casa de Fritos restaurant in the early 1960s, where surplus tortillas were cut into pieces, fried, and seasoned. Frito-Lay developed the concept commercially, first selling Doritos regionally before launching them nationwide in the United States in 1966.

A common mix-up is confusing tortilla chips with corn chips. Both are corn-based, but tortilla chips traditionally begin with corn tortillas or nixtamalized corn masa. Doritos also come in many flavors and shapes, yet the original product classification remains tortilla chip.

The first nationwide Doritos flavor was Toasted Corn. Taco arrived in 1967, while Nacho Cheese became nationally available in 1972 and helped define the brand worldwide.