# Wish Chips **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 15, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203 "2004-04-15T18:17:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Miss\_Magic8ball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Miss\_Magic8ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Magic8ball)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/1 "2004-04-15T18:17:07Z")
You know wish chips… the ones that are folded over, right? Well, I was recently eating a bag of chips and there were almost 15 of them… and I was wondering, what is the correct way to eat one? One person I know chews them 10 times and then makes her wish… another one puts it in her mouth then takes it out, makes her wish, and then chews it. I just… chew it. Which, if any, is the proper way? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/2 "2004-04-15T18:28:26Z")
I’ve never heard of Wish Chips. Is it perhaps some regional brand? I’m assuming you’re in the US, but if not, perhaps that’s why I don’t recognize the name. Regardless, I would assume they would be eaten just like any other chip. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/3 "2004-04-15T18:33:02Z")
> [@Miss Magic8ball](#): > > You know wish chips… the ones that are folded over, right? Actually, I’ve never heard the term “wish chips” before, nor have I ever made a wish on a potato chip. That said, the “correct” method is likely a regional thing. And really, since it’s just one of your garden-variety superstitions, I suggest that you eat them any way that you want. Your wishes will have the same probability of coming true no matter how you consume malformed potato chips. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/4 "2004-04-15T18:40:30Z")
Someone told me that if you get a potato chip folded in half, so that two ends touch, it’s a wish chip. You can make one wish with it. To make the wish come true, you have to make your wish, put the whole chip in your mouth, then chew and swallow it completely with your lips closed tight. You can’t just stuff a wish chip in your mouth, partially chew it, then stuff another one in and expect your wish to come true. It doesn’t work that way. Or so I was told. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/5 "2004-04-15T22:37:17Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > It doesn’t work that way. But it works _the other_ way? In truth, unless you eat the thing whilst riding a unicorn, the wish effect is statistically insignificant. ---
**Author:** ![Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gut)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/6 "2004-04-16T01:07:07Z")
You are all doing it wrong ! You must slowly crush the chip against the roof of your mouth with your tongue while making the wish. No wonder your wishes never come true. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/7 "2004-04-16T01:48:01Z")
Did anyone else count “bubble” chips (chips with air pockets in them) as wish chips too? If not my brother is such a liar!! 😉 Oh and I didn’t have a strategy chew-wise, but you had to close your eyes as you wished or it was voided. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Magic8ball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Miss\_Magic8ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Magic8ball)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/8 "2004-04-16T01:54:07Z")
Well, I’l try both those ways. Maybe they’l work. In fact, I’l try them all together. And I’ve never heard of the bubbles being wish chips… ---
**Author:** ![jujuju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@jujuju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jujuju)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/9 "2004-04-16T02:09:43Z")
> [@Mr Jim](#): > > Oh and I didn’t have a strategy chew-wise, but you had to close your eyes as you wished or it was voided. which is voided, the wish, or the chip 😉 (don’t want to loose control of my bowels…) ---
**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/10 "2004-04-16T02:18:32Z")
Are you sure you don’t have to also dance on one leg while rubbing your stomach with your other hand? You should try it just to be _sure_. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-chips/240203/11 "2004-04-16T04:20:04Z")
Ok, I will throw my vote in here for “Never heard of it”… am I correct to assume that you mean a “defect” in any brand of potato chip that causes a type of chip loop? I want to take this into two directions… 1.Can someone enlighten us on the Origin of calling it a wish chip, and what causes the defect? 1. Lets all place bets on how many times in the next week (ending on 23rd of April) I will hear this exact phrase.