Protein is being pedaled at grocery stores at a rate we have never seen before. Doctors are telling us we need more of it. Influencers are showing us their favorite protein-packed products. Every other recipe popping up during our doom scroll is protein-forward. It’s no wonder that the snack aisle took notice. Protein bars are good, well, and fine, but they get boring. For folks who like a savory or crunchy snack, protein chips are the way to go. And while Quest is the dominant name in this snack lane, a new big-name brand is entering the chat: Doritos.
What To Know About Doritos Protein Chips
Doritos Protein chips are rolling out in March in two flavors: Nacho Cheese and Sweet & Tangy BBQ. A 1-ounce serving packs 10 grams of protein. For comparison, traditional Nacho Cheese Doritos have just 2 grams per serving. The protein comes from milk protein (casein), and the new chips are made without artificial colors or flavors. According to PepsiCo, they were designed to “look, taste, and crunch” like classic Doritos — just with a functional boost.
Nutritionally, they’re surprisingly close to the original in calories and fat:
Doritos Protein (10 chips):
- 150 calories
- 10g protein
- 8g fat
- 150mg sodium
- 8g carbs
Traditional Nacho Cheese Doritos (11 chips):
- 150 calories
- 2g protein
- 8g fat
- 170mg sodium
- 17g carbs
So you’re not trading crunch for cardboard. You’re essentially swapping carbs for protein while keeping the Doritos experience intact.
The new chips will launch in select markets in two sizes:
- 7-ounce bag for $4.89
- 12.75-ounce bag for $7.39
A single-serve bag with 17 grams of protein is also expected later this year.
How Does the Price Compare to Quest Chips?
Quest Protein Chips — arguably the current heavyweight in the protein chip space — cost $2.79 for a 1.1-ounce bag at Target.
That’s roughly $2.54 per ounce for Quest protein chips. Doritos Protein chips, at $4.89 for 7 ounces, break down to about $0.70 per ounce. Even the larger 12.75-ounce bag at $7.39 comes out to about $0.58 per ounce.
That’s a massive price gap.
Quest still delivers slightly more protein per ounce, but Doritos is coming in at a fraction of the cost — and with the advantage of brand familiarity. For shoppers who’ve been curious about protein chips but hesitant to pay nearly $3 for a small single bag, this lowers the barrier in a big way. Even considering other protein chip options like Wilde and Legendary, Doritos new chip still stands out as the cheapest option entering the market.
What do you think of the new Doritos protein chips? Let us know in the comments.
More From Cheapism
- The Price of Doritos, Cheetos, and More Snacks Will Drop 15%. It’s About Time — PepsiCo appears to have descended from its ivory tower to acknowledge what shoppers have been yelling into the snack aisle for months: Snack prices are ridiculously out of hand.
- Dye-Free Doritos and Cheetos Have Arrived — But Will You Pay More for ‘Less’? — PepsiCo recently announced a new “Simply NKD” line of Doritos and Cheetos — the same bold flavors, but without artificial dyes or flavors.
- I Tried 13 Popular Doritos Flavors. These Are the Best. — Ever wondered which Doritos flavor was the best? Take a look at our official ranking.
