There are two kinds of spicy snack people. The ones who want it to hurt a little, and the ones who want the chili and lime flavor without the pain. Both groups order from us by the case, and both groups have strong opinions. So we did the work: every spicy chip and puff on the site, ranked by heat and by how fast the bag empties at a party. Prices are per case at the time of writing and include CRV where it applies.
Building a snack order? Everything below lives in the chips aisle. Cases of chips count toward free LA delivery just like drinks do.
Takis Dinamita? Takis and Dinamita are two different chips
If you searched for “Takis Dinamita,” you are most likely after one of two separate snacks that get mixed up all the time. Takis is its own brand of rolled tortilla chips, best known for Fuego, the hot chili pepper and lime flavor, and Blue Heat. Dinamita is made by Doritos, and it is the Doritos answer to Takis: a little cheesier, a little less lime and a little easier on the mouth. We carry both by the case.
- Takis Fuego, 20 pack of 3.25 ounce bags. Heat 4 on our scale. Chili, lime, salt and crunch.
- Takis Blue Heat, 20 pack. Heat 4. The same chili lime idea, dyed blue, a little sharper.
- Doritos Dinamita, 24 pack of 2.5 ounce bags. Heat 3. Cheesier and milder than Takis.
- Takis Fuego Crisps, 15 pack. The Takis heat and seasoning on a stackable potato crisp, in 5.5 ounce cans.
Cannot decide? Get a case of each. Both count toward free LA delivery at 10 cases, and outside Los Angeles we ship anywhere in the US.
How we scored these
Heat is on a scale of one to five, where one is a warm tingle and five is reaching for milk. Flavor is what it tastes like once the burn fades. The party score is simply which bags come back empty first when we cater our own office. No lab, just a lot of chips.
Tier S: the ones that empty first
- Takis Fuego, 20 pack, 3.25 ounce. Heat 4. The rolled tortilla chip that started the whole category. Chili, lime, salt, crunch, repeat. $46 a case, and the single most reordered chip on our site.
- Doritos Dinamita, 24 pack, 2.5 ounce. Heat 3. The Doritos answer to Takis, a little cheesier, a little less lime, a little easier on the mouth. $49 a case.
- Sabritas Turbos Flamas, 17 pack, 3.5 ounce. Heat 4. The Mexican corn twist with the chili lime dust that gets everywhere. The bag everyone at the party asks about. $55 a case, or the 34 pack at $68 if you know your crowd.
Tier A: hotter than you think
- Takis Blue Heat, 20 pack. Heat 4. Same chili lime as Fuego, dyed blue, and somehow a little sharper. The teenager case. $46.
- Imported Mexican Cheetos Xtra Flamin Hot, 12 pack. Heat 5. The Mexican version is hotter than the American one and the puffs are crunchier. This is the bag for the people who say nothing is spicy enough. $45.
- Fritos Flamin Hot, 36 pack, 3.5 ounce. Heat 3. Thick corn chip, slow building heat, holds up to dip. Thirty six bags for $68 makes it the best per bag value in the whole tier list.
- Pringles Habanero, 14 pack, 5.5 ounce. Heat 4. Fruity habanero heat on a potato crisp. Not a lime chip at all, and a nice change of pace. $50.
Tier B: flavor first, heat second
- Lay’s Chile Limon, 24 pack. Heat 2. The chili lime flavor on a thin potato chip, gentle enough for kids who want to sit at the spicy table. $49.
- Doritos Salsa Verde, 24 pack. Heat 2. Tangy tomatillo flavor with a mild kick. The chip for people who want a taco truck in bag form. $49.
- Cheetos Puffs Spicy, 24 pack. Heat 2. Cheese first, heat second, melts in the mouth. $49.
- Munchies Flamin Hot Snack Mix, 32 pack. Heat 3. Pretzels, Doritos, Cheetos and Sun Chips in one bag with a red coat on all of it. The road trip bag. $60.
- Chester’s Fries Flamin Hot, 28 pack. Heat 3. Corn fries shaped like French fries, thick crunch, nostalgic for anyone who grew up near a corner store. $52.
Tier C: the sleepers
- Imported Mexican Sabritas Adobadas, 12 pack. Heat 2. Smoky adobo seasoning on a potato chip, hard to find north of the border, and the bag that makes people who grew up in Mexico stop mid sentence. $45.
- Imported Mexican Cheetos Colmillos and Torciditos, 12 packs. Heat 2. The fang shaped and twisted Mexican Cheetos, both chili flavored, both $45.
- Spitz Fire Flamin Hot Limon sunflower seeds, 9 pack. Heat 3. Not a chip. Spicy lime sunflower seeds for the dugout, the car and the couch. $25.
What to drink with the heat
Capsaicin, the thing that burns, does not dissolve in water. That is why chugging water after a Takis does nothing. Sugar, fat and acid all help. Our best pairings, in order:
- Boing Mango. Thick, sweet, fruity, and the single best fire extinguisher on the site.
- Mexican Coca-Cola in the half liter glass bottle. Cane sugar cola, cold, with a spicy snack is a Los Angeles tradition for a reason. More cane sugar picks are in our Mexican sodas ranking.
- Jarritos Mineragua. Salty mineral water that resets the palate between bags.
- Squirt Ruby Red. Grapefruit and berry, sweet and acidic, poured over ice.
- Sidral Mundet Apple. Gentle and sweet, the one for the person who went a tier too high.
The sweet chaser
After a spicy run the mouth wants sugar. Hi-Chew Mango, Haribo Gold Bears and Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers all live in our candy aisle and all of them belong on the same table as the chips.
Building the spicy snack order
A five case order that covers every heat tolerance in the house:
- One case of Takis Fuego for the people who came for the burn.
- One case of Doritos Dinamita or Lay’s Chile Limon for the people who want flavor with less pain.
- One case of Mexican Cheetos Xtra Flamin Hot for the one person who says nothing is hot enough.
- One case of Boing Mango or Mexican Coke to put the fire out.
- One case of gummies for after.
That hits the Zone 1 minimum of five cases. Ten cases and delivery is free. Enter your ZIP in the checker in the footer to see your zone.
Frequently asked questions
Is Doritos Dinamita the same as Takis?
No. Takis and Doritos Dinamita come from different brands. Both bring chili and lime heat, but Dinamita is a little cheesier and milder, while Takis Fuego hits harder on lime and heat.
Which is hotter, Takis or Dinamita?
On our scale, Takis Fuego and Blue Heat are a 4 and Doritos Dinamita is a 3. If you want hotter than both, go for the Imported Mexican Cheetos Xtra Flamin Hot.
Can I order Takis and Dinamita in the same delivery?
Yes. Cases are per product, and your order can mix any chips, drinks and candy you like. Free LA delivery starts at 10 cases.
What is the hottest snack you sell?
Imported Mexican Cheetos Xtra Flamin Hot. The Mexican recipe runs hotter than the American one. Takis Fuego and Blue Heat are a close second.
What is a good spicy snack for kids?
Lay’s Chile Limon or Doritos Salsa Verde. Both have the chili lime flavor kids want with a mild, short lived heat.
Why does milk work and water not?
Capsaicin is oil soluble, so fat and sugar carry it away. Water just moves it around. A sweet fruit drink like Boing Mango works because of the sugar and the thick pulp.
Are the imported Mexican snacks different from the American versions?
Yes. Different recipes, different heat levels and usually a different texture. The Mexican Cheetos are crunchier and hotter, and the Sabritas Adobadas flavor does not exist in the American lineup.
Are prices current?
Prices were correct on the day of writing and can change. The product page always shows the current case price.
See the whole chips aisle, then the candy aisle, and put the fire out with something from the soda aisle. New customers get 10 percent off a first order with code GET10OFF.
