- [Narrator] The creation of the potato chip
is a rather snarky, surprising, and idiosyncratic story.
When French fries made their way to America,
they soon became a restaurant mainstay.
Many restaurants served Fries as their signature dish.
Believe it or not,
they were once considered very hoity-toity.
In 1853, George Crum was a chef at the Moon's Lake House
in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Their signature dish was none other
than Moon's Fried Potatoes, or as the aristocrats would say:
"Potatoes served in the French Manner."
One day, just like any other, a customer some believe
to have been Cornelius Vanderbilt himself ordered fries.
Upon being served, Cornelius scoffed, and sent them back.
He deemed the fries soggy and not crispy enough.
This insanity continued a few more times until Crum lost it.
I mean, he really lost it.
He fired back, cutting the potatoes paper-thin,
and frying them up.
You see, back in 1853,
eating with your hands was a major faux pas,
making Crum's revenge even more diabolical.
By cutting the potatoes paper-thin,
there would be no way that Cornelius could use his fork,
forcing him to use his hands.
Crum's plan backfired, kind of,
as the patrons dug in with both hands, and loved them.
Saratoga Chips were born.
They became a Saratoga dining staple.
Soon thereafter, they took the world by storm.
Crum himself even opened his own restaurant
with baskets of chips displayed on each and every table.
(cheery xylophone music)