Slang dictionary
frito pie
[ free-toh pay ]
What is Frito pie?
Frito pie consists of corn chips (often Fritos) mixed with chili, cheese, and other ingredients. Frito pie is often mixed and served directly in the bag of chips, but the same combination is also sometimes served in a dish.
The specific ingredients used in Frito pie vary, but chili and cheese are often the main fillings.
Frito pie is most popular in the Southwestern, Southern, and Midwestern regions of the US, especially Texas. In places where the term is used, Frito pie is popular at sporting events and fairs.
In some places, particularly the Midwest, the term walking taco is used to refer to what in other places is called Frito pie. However, walking tacos (which are almost always eaten directly out of a bag of chips) often consist of taco fillings, as opposed to chili (though they may have many ingredients in common, namely seasoned ground beef and shredded cheese).
Example: For me, Frito pie is the ultimate comfort food—it makes me feel like I’m back at a high school football game on a Friday night.
Where does frito pie come from?
The origin of the term Frito pie is uncertain, and the original creation of the dish has been attributed to multiple people, including several relatives of Charles Doolin, the founder of the company that became Frito-Lay. Records of the name Frito pie date back to at least 1946.
The name Frito pie is likely a reference to its most traditional version, which specifically uses Fritos corn chips. Despite the use of the word pie in its name, Frito pie when made in a dish more closely resembles a casserole.
Examples of frito pie
Who uses frito pie?
Frito pie—the term and the food—is most common in the Southwestern, Southern, and Midwestern regions of the US, especially Texas. It’s popular at sporting events and fairs.
Frito pie with eggs even though it was 106 today. Cuz that’s how I do. pic.twitter.com/k8qNo4mIIX
— Penny (@pk_1845) July 20, 2022
It’s a cloudy day today felt like comfort food Frito pie must be my Texan kicking in pic.twitter.com/MuDvI2avXi
— Storm (@Stormvillle) July 24, 2022
The best way is the frito pie, served right out of the bag. pic.twitter.com/Yen846FXFt
— The Everglades of the Mind (@fritolaysia) November 17, 2021
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of frito pie like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of frito pie that will help our users expand their word mastery.