Yippee kayak (other buckets), Fritos Classic Ranch is back…at least, for a limited time. Thanks to the show Yellowstone being centered around a “ranch” (the location), we now get to once again experience Fritos centered around “ranch” (the “it” girl of the salad dressing world). It has been a hot minute since we have seen any Ranch Fritos on shelves, but people have been telling Frito-Lay for years now that Classic Ranch Fritos should be back on shelves for our enjoyment. But in the words of Willa from Yellowstone, “Should is a useless word, almost as useless as hope.” Or at least it was, until last week when Fritos gave us hope in chip form.
So where can I get these Classic Ranch Fritos? How long will they be around? Is there any chance that my journey to the store to get them (much like the Fritos Ad from December 2023) will be magically narrated by Sam Elliott?
Well, the good news is that these classic Ranch Fritos are back on shelves nationwide as of May 20. The pack is a darker blue than the last time Classic Ranch was released back in 2016, it only says ranch on the front and not “classic ranch,” and it also has the Yellowstone show logo on the front of the bag. The product has been described by the company as “crunchy corn chips coated in tangy buttermilk ranch seasoning, offering customers a zesty flavor.” It would make sense, then, that the 2016 version, “Classic Ranch”, had a lot of fans, with people online calling them “tasty but not particularly strong” and saying they had a “delicious ranch flavor and tasted deep fried without being greasy.” There were even some who said the previous ranch iteration was “not overly salty,” and I cannot for the life of me decide if that is a positive comment or a nod to a lack of seasoning. Either way, my guess is that we can expect something very similar from this reintroduction of the flavor. Similar, or potentially more intense. That said, this is not the only ranch flavor Frito’s has ever produced. Back in the late ‘80s through the late ’90s there was a Fritos flavor called “Wild’n Mild Ranch,” which also had a brief comeback in 2012 and was described as having a less flavorful Cool Ranch Dorito vibe.
All this is to say – my hope is that we get what is essentially the classic ranch flavor but with an even more intense and salty layer of ranch powder, because gosh golly gee do I love ranch and salt. Jimmy from Yellowstone once asked, “You ever have a [Ranch Flavored Corn Chip] look at you, and your whole world just stops?”
Yes, Jimmy. Every goddamn day.
These Yellowstone Ranch Doritos will only be around while supplies last, so if you want to try them, you’d better lasso ’em up quick.
They were exclusive to Kroger stores and I think their affiliates.
Where the heck can I get the Yellowstone Ranch Fritos in Washington State? I have been faithfully eating Fritos since Pepsico began producing them in 1961! I have looked everywhere but haven’t located them in 98445. My neighbor is a retired Lays driver and even he can’t locate them.
I have been looking for these since your post and could not locate any. I used the Fritos tracker on the website and none were found on the west coast so I sent them a message. This was their response:
Thank you for contacting us about Fritos Yellowstone Ranch. This product was intentionally planned as a “limited edition” snack and is no longer available. We know our fans like new product innovations and flavor variety, and we’re always working to come up with new ideas that help keep our products fresh and exciting. Since retail shelf space is limited, some products can only be offered on a rotating basis. I will share your request with our Sales and Marketing Teams as they may consider bringing this product back.
Thanks again for reaching out to us. I hope that one of our other snacks will satisfy your taste buds!
Best Regards,
Lameka
Team PepsiCo
PepsiCo Consumer Experience