Comments on: Chicago’s Jays Potato Chips Are No More

By: Vito

Vito — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:33:02 +0000

I know a guy named Tony who lives by the tracks in Melrose Park. He’s got a buddy name Joey who is has a Jays potato chip shipment coming in two weeks. These are the absolute best potato chips. He’ll be at the warehouse after 11:00PM on Saturday night. Cash only. 10 bucks per bag. This stuff is pure. The people who are reading this know what I am talking about. Don’t try any funny stuff, or we’ll smash the chips.

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 16 May 2009 02:09:02 +0000

I am a born and raised Chicagoan, who relocated to Pennsylvania about 5 years ago-and one thing I will tell you, if you’re a pretzel fan you’re in good company, but one thing they do not have here is great potato chips. Utz is unworthy, Herr’s is for the birds; give me my Jay’s potato chips. Much to my surpise, I found “Krunchers” potato chips at an end cap in a grocery store here in West Chester, PA. I checked, and it was the same well loved “Krunchers” logo I had become familiar with growing up in the Midwest, AND my favorite flavor, Jalapeno, was featured. “Did Jay’s finally go national?” I asked myself in deep perplexity, thinking that Jay’s had finally made it past the city of Big shoulders. No, much to my surprise Snyders has officially acquired Jays and guess what, the Krunchers taste pretty darn authentic to me; the crisp thick edges, slight hint of spice-actually the original Jay’s Jalapeno version gave me a stomach ache; they were that strong; these are far more palatable. I feel pretty dumb thought I think I took some back over Christmas this year and of course by this time Jay was already acquired by Pennsylvania based Snyder’s

By: Dave Mackey

Dave Mackey — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:53:24 +0000

I grew up in Chicago. lived there up until about fifteen years ago. And i too miss Jays Potato Chips and their Oke Doke Popcorn. I used to watch them unload the potatoes by tipping the whole truck back and letting them slide into the bldg, at 103 street on the south side.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:05:05 +0000

Jay’s is still here in Chicago but Yabbi is correct, they changed the oil and now they taste more like kettle chips or thick Lay’s. So dissapointing as they were the only potato chip I liked ,as you used to be able to taste the potato and not the grease. I bought some showstrings the other in the hope they would be the same, no go. Is this what happens when you get older? Everything good is going away.

By: David

David — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:03:43 +0000

I thought that was a Cock Robin Logo on your Blip.fm. I haven’t seen that in years. I use to go there all the time with my family on the NW side of Chicago. I truely miss it. To bad it’s long gone.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 02:23:29 +0000

The only place I’ve found the Jay’s Cheese Wheels in the Oakland county area is at the Value Center Markets. There is one in Madison Heights, but I understand it is not the only one.

By: Bill McDunnough

Bill McDunnough — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:25:34 +0000

I had not been aware of the JAYS financial problems till today,10/9/08 and am disapointed. Live in Michigan and travel back home to Wisconsin stopping for gas in Illinois and getting some JAYS cheese wheel cracker snacks, 6-8 bags and they are all gone by the time we get back to Michigan. Just now went to JAYS website hoping to order some of this product as we cannot find them in Michigan although we do have their potatoe chips (which are not as good as when we lived in Chicago. Do you have any idea where alse we can find these cheese wheels?

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:11:52 +0000

Jay’s Potato Chips have not gone anywhere. Snyder’s is working towards improving the things that will make Jay’s a more profitable company. Thus insuring that it stays around. I recently saw a company news letter that offered congadulations to the employees of Jay’s in Chicago regaurding the progress of the afore mentioned improvements. I was recently in several gocery stores in Michigan and saw Jay’s chips and Kruncher’s on the shelf. (Kruncher’s are Kettle and Tortilla chips that are also made by Jay’s.)
I just checked out the Jay’s website and they are stil working on putting up the new one. If you were to call the Jay’s factory they would be able to inform you of a place or a website to buy some from. Until then you can always require any visitors from back east to bring some when visiting you.
Jay’s was aquired by Snyder’s during thier bankruptcy proceedings. That is why it is taking so long for certian things like websites to get completed. After all it has to clear the American Judicial system, and we all know how long that can take.
I bought a large bag and found the flavor to quite good. I only wish I had bought more because they are not sold in the south.

By: Yabbi

Yabbi — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:51:42 +0000

You can still buy Jay’s chips at the Jewel or Dominick’s in the Chicago area (as of July 2008). However, whoever bought them out has changed the oil they use (0% trans fat formula corn oil) and they taste so different (the corn taste is very strong), my husband told me not to buy the plain chips any more. I don’t care for them any more, either. The barbeque flavor is OK, since the spices mask the corn oil taste. But, sadly, the regular and rippled chips are not the same.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:30:18 +0000

Its funny im eating a bag of Jay’s in Arizona right now!(I think they started some factorys again)