Before the problem of the cats chewing open bags of chips, we kept them on the counter, but in a big ceramic bowl. Other times we keep fruit in that bowl. Currently it has a bag of bagels in it. So they weren’t just laying out on the counter, but they were out. Also, this counter is more of a breakfast bar (higher up and narrow).
Mothers. Sheesh. She has to assign a value of “normal” or “not normal” to where you keep your chips? And hassle you about it besides? I’d tolerate that for about two seconds, mother or not. She can store her chips the way she wants, and I’ll store mine the way I want.
That said, I try not to keep chips in the house. But when they’re here I do prefer to keep them in the cupboard out of sight. But that’s just me. I give you my full and enthusiastic blessing to keep your chips out on the counter if that’s your, uh, bag.
If we can widen this to the slightly broader subject of “wierd things mothers do”, my mother when she visits, (or when we visit her, which is more often) goes on and on and ON about how I’m a rotten housekeeper - the word “slut” has been mentioned on many an occasion - because I don’t iron. Even though I try to do our own laundry when we visit, she grabs the stuff off the line when I’m not looking in a mostly-wet state and bunches them into the ironing basket which is then presented to me the next time I look up. I usually either re-hang the now hopelessly scrunched stuff or flatly refuse to iron it, so she does it, bemoaning my laziness. The real kicker is that she then takes the beautifully ironed items upstairs, opens her drawers and SHOVES them all into the drawer in a crumpled mess. WHY???
And to answer your question, potato chips can be stored on the counter or up your bum if that’s what floats your boat. It’s your house!!! (I wouldn’t recommend the bum storage option though, they are scratchy and the salt stings… The counter sounds great.)