# Bringing Store Brand Chips to Office Potluck, am I a jerk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2021, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525 "2021-12-23T07:16:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/21 "2021-12-23T14:28:09Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > The OP stated they were _assigned_ to bring chips and dips, that seems to suggest that chips and dips were a welcome addition to the party, that being the case I can’t imagine people are going to be disappointed that they have supermarket salt and vinegar rather than swan and truffle flavour. Then you have a poor understanding of consumer perceptions. Brand-name products are often superior to store-brand products. But even when there’s no noticeable difference, consumers are usually swayed by the advertising from the brand-name products. Even when the products are objectively equal, people will prefer the brand they’ve been led by advertising to believe is superior. And that preference is reflected by their purchasing actions, and their views towards the purchasing actions of others. It’s likely that Walmart potato chips are inferior to Proctor & Gamble potato chips. But even if they’re not in a blind taste test, people will believe that the Walmart potato chips are inferior because Walmart is viewed as a cheap commodity supplier. The OP buying from the cheap commodity supplier indicates that he values cost over quality. And for a communal event, that cheapness is jerkiness. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/22 "2021-12-23T14:39:25Z")
Sigh. If there’s one good thing about COVID, it’s that I haven’t had to deal with this crap in almost 2 years. May Omicron finish off this wretched tradition of imposing on and then judging your colleagues while you eat their food, forever. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/23 "2021-12-23T14:42:42Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > It’s likely that Walmart potato chips are inferior to Proctor & Gamble potato chips. What are you talking about? P&G sold off Pringles back in 2012 and, even if they hadn’t, are you claiming that _Pringles_ are superior to actual potato chips? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/24 "2021-12-23T14:44:23Z")
I would say whoever planned the potluck is a jerk. I hate potlucks: lukewarm food and anything that tastes halfway decent is gone in a heartbeat. And 30 people are bringing dishes, so I’m expected to have one small bite of 30 different food items? What kind of meal is that? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/25 "2021-12-23T14:47:06Z")
It’s weird how office cultures vary. At mine, all the women folk are pressured by the women running it to bring a fancy dish. While the men are assigned paper plates and sodas. And if a man says he wants to bring it dish, the women running it, make a big deal of it. “Oh WOW! Jon is going to bring such n such!” ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/26 "2021-12-23T14:53:04Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > OTOH, make something from scratch and nobody really knows or cares. Absolutely. If people believe you’ve spent time and effort into trying to make something nice, they’ll accept what you’ve made in the spirit of the occasion even if it’s not objectively a great product. Suppose you were at a party and their were three desserts: home-made chocolate chip cookies, Chips-Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, or Walmart chocolate chip cookies. Most people will choose the home-made cookies, and even if they’re comparatively inferior, will presume that there was an intent to create something good. On the other hand, people will view the Walmart cookies as mediocre, and associate the person who provided the Walmart cookies in a similar way. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/27 "2021-12-23T14:53:16Z")
When I was young, I’d bring the napkins and plates and cups for the office party. I wasn’t able to make anything good, but you still need plates to eat the good stuff others brought. It’s an important part. And I didn’t buy those dollar store plates that can’t hold a potato chip without folding, either. But bringing store brand chips? Crass and lazy, and cheap. Store chips do taste different. Chips, and sodas, are a personal choice. You buy major brand and you have the biggest chance of making the most people happy. Someone bring store brand sea salt and vinegar chips? Safeway “cola”? I wouldn’t complain, because that’s not polite, but I won’t eat them . ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/28 "2021-12-23T14:57:33Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > You buy major brand and you have the biggest chance of making the most people happy Walmart chips vs. Lays? Stick them in a large bowl and both bowls will empty at the same rate. Most people do horribly at blind taste tests when it comes to snack food. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/29 "2021-12-23T15:01:53Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Bring enough food that, if I ate all of it, I’d be really full. If everyone follows this rule, there’ll be enough food for everyone, even if some folks eat more than others. Six party-sized bags blows WAY past this rule, even without the dips. I generally agree with this EXCEPT that at our potlucks, people make a beeline for the stuff that’s fresh made and it always gets cleaned up. It could be that they take some home, too. The store-bought usually doesn’t get finished, but you can leave it in the break room and it will go. Also, we tend to rotate turns, meaning 1/4 of us are cooking for 4/4 of us. That’s nice because I’m willing to roll up my sleeves 25% of the time. OP my only concern is vetting the snacks. We love the Kroger tortilla chips, for instance, and they’re super cheap. But I think they’re like generics…you might get a different supplier so consistency isn’t assured. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/30 "2021-12-23T15:04:47Z")
Not a jerk at all. I wouldn’t even question it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/31 "2021-12-23T15:06:44Z")
If one is assigned to bring the chips, should one then hand make said chips to avoid looking lazy? ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/32 "2021-12-23T15:07:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What are you talking about? P&G sold off Pringles back in 2012 and, even if they hadn’t, are you claiming that _Pringles_ are superior to actual potato chips? Thanks for fighting my ignorance. Ruffles is a Frito-Lay brand, which in the UK is associated with Walkers, which is also owned by PepsiCo. Walker’s chips/crisps are superior to any of the UK store brands I’ve tasted. And if I was at a work function, I’d rather be served Walkers chips than store-brand chips. The same goes for Pringles vs a store-brand reconstituted potato chip equivalent. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/33 "2021-12-23T15:11:23Z")
The question remains-Do you prefer Pringles potato product to Walmart potato chips? If each were put into a bowl at a company gathering, which bowl would empty out first? My bet would be on the Walmart chips. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/34 "2021-12-23T15:15:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Do you prefer Pringles potato product to Walmart potato chips? Pringles aren’t even chips! They’re processed potato-based chipfood. They’re synthetic! It’s not like they aren’t obvious on sight due to their craven uniformity. Be fair and compare Walmart to Ruffles in bowls. Pretty sure there will be Walchips left at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/35 "2021-12-23T15:19:59Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Be fair and compare Walmart to Ruffles in bowls. Pretty sure there will be Walchips left at the end. Have you ever tried Great Value Rippled Potato Chips? Not as greasy as Ruffles, and they taste better in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/36 "2021-12-23T15:23:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Have you ever tried Great Value Rippled Potato Chips? Maybe I should. We had a shortage of Ruffles Sour Cream and Onion chips (thanks, supply chain issues!) that is only now abating. “Great Value” isn’t always. Some GV products are as good as major label, and some make me gag. The variation in quality is large. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/37 "2021-12-23T15:28:05Z")
You could compare Pringles to Stax > **[Lay’s Stax Potato Chips Vs Pringles](https://www.oaklandcountymoms.com/lays-stax-potato-chips-pringles-33302/)** > > Lay’s Stax Potato Chips Vs Pringles – review and comparison of Lay’s Stax Potato Chips to Pringles potato crisps in terms of taste, texture, quality, ingredients and price. Or you could get some of the Aldi variety (Clancy’s, I think). Aldi’s would lose that comparison…not sure what kind of oil they’re using but I don’t care for them, so the lower price doesn’t entice me. On the other hand, they make some very respectable Girl Scout Cookie knockoffs… ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/38 "2021-12-23T15:28:13Z")
The one major advantage Frito-Lays has over the other brands? Its advertising budget. When you combine all the expensive commercials with the money given to the grocery chains to put their products at eye level and/or in highly visible front displays, it is no wonder people buy them more often, and the more you buy a particular brand, the more it becomes your “favorite”. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/39 "2021-12-23T15:43:45Z")
Pringles is food of the gods! ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525/40 "2021-12-23T15:45:13Z")
I like Pringles, but that’s not relevant to the OP. There are cheap alternatives to Pringles style potato chips, but the one’s I’ve tasted aren’t nearly as good. It’s been a long while since I’ve been in a Walmart, so I don’t know if any of those alternatives are on sale. If I was eating a Pringles substitute from a bowl of potato chips, I’d probably think it was a bad batch and not worry too much about it. On the other hand, if I knew that someone had intentionally supplied an inferior Pringles-style chip to save money, I’d have issues with their decision. If they’ve got a money issue, then it would me much cheaper to do a homemade potato dish than to buy store-brand potato chips. If they’ve got money and time issues, then have a quiet word with the host and no one is going to notice that they didn’t bring a dish. Or just decline to participate. But I’m guessing that the OP wasn’t looking at the best result for his colleagues. Instead he decided to save a few dollars by buying inferior products. So yeah, he’s a jerk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-store-brand-chips-to-office-potluck-am-i-a-jerk/956525.md?page=3)