Extensive interview with me on behalf of client YouGov BrandIndex on page 3 of NY Post

Ritz cracker the top snack in the US

  • Last Updated: 6:41 AM, September 24, 2012
  • Posted: 12:35 AM, September 24, 2012
When it comes to snacks, Americans are puttin’ on the Ritz.

Although it’s nearly 80 years old, the basic buttery Ritz cracker is still the favorite salty treat in the United States, a new poll found.

The round staple of Mad Men-era dinner parties beat a list of chips and crackers that included Lay’s potato chips in second and Doritos in third.

“[Ritz] have durability and predictability,” said Drew Kerr, spokesman for YouGov BrandIndex, which ran the survey. “People take comfort knowing their snack will be in one consistent shape, and Ritz certainly personifies that.
GOLDEN OLDIE: Aga-ta Ratajczyk of the East Village with the top US snack food.
Helayne Seidman
GOLDEN OLDIE: Aga-ta Ratajczyk of the East Village with the top US snack food.
 
“Lay’s, while delicious, are unpredictable — you still don’t know what they’ll look like until you pull them out of the bag.”

Fourth and fifth were Fritos corn chips and Orville Redenbacher popcorn.

The poll found a split between the sexes — men prefer Doritos while women go for Redenbacher.

“Guys probably want a snack they can grab right away without any work involved, and they don’t care about the Doritos dust it leaves on their hands,” Kerr said. “Women, on the other hand, may have more patience cooking popcorn.”

The top five snacks remained unchanged from last year, though there were some notable brands that made moves on the list.

 Kettle Chips reached No. 14 this year.

“Anything ‘kettle’ has grown very popular in the past few years, implying a style of cooking that is ‘natural’ and ‘fresher,’ especially using the trendiest of ingredients, sea salt,” Kerr said.

“Nowadays, it’s not just regular ‘popcorn,’ but ‘kettle corn.’ So when you take the ‘kettle’ concept and combine it with the very popular potato chip, you can’t go wrong.”