this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2025
355 points (100.0% liked)

Australia

82 readers
13 users here now

Your one-stop shop for any and everything Australia.

Guidelines:

Other Communities:

founded 4 days ago
MODERATORS
 
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 days ago (3 children)

UK person here, and I'll say this:
No.

Small, slim, squished from what was once a potato but is now full of basically fuck all=fries/french fries. (I've called them this for around 40 years)
Very thin, usually round-ish, and crispy=crisps
Chunky cuts of proper potato=chips.

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Correct. Chips are fatter and cut from actual potatoes. Cross section is about a centimetre.

[–] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

And what are fries made out of?

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

Turnip and horseradish sauce of course!

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The US does have "potato wedges" which might be closer to what you're calling "chips" here.

Though we also have "steak fries" which are thicker fries

[–] javiwhite@feddit.uk 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Potato wedges are also a thing in the UK. They're distinct from chips in their shape; chips tend to be thick and rectangular, without skin. I tried googling steak fries, but it just kept coming back with pictures of wedges, and briefly considered we might actually be referring to different things when we each say wedges, so I promptly shut that can of worms, as we don't need more transatlantic dissension over potato based snacks.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 days ago

Lol.... The main archetype I think of when I say "potato wedges" would be the ones you get at KFC.

So that might help if you're curious to see what I'm actually referring to.

[–] Hansae@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago

Also from the UK always called them skinny chips, used to be mostly called that when I was small as well.

[–] th3dogcow@lemmy.world 19 points 4 days ago (6 children)

(Hot) chips are fat, fries are thin.

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

Yes but you would never order fries, you would say chips still. We have some very confusing rules on this apparently.

[–] youngalfred@lemmy.zip 6 points 4 days ago

I don't think it's very confusing when you remember that we don't get (non-hot) chips (crisps) as a side dish to any meal.

Like in the U.S. you can get either as a side. In Australia if it says (or you ask for) chips, you get hot chips (fries).

Chips (crisps) are just a standalone snack here.

[–] th3dogcow@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Would you order chips at maccas? I wouldn’t.

[–] RaivoKulli@sopuli.xyz 2 points 3 days ago

Hot chips and lie

Hot chips are hot.

Chips are not.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] Aussiemandeus@aussie.zone 4 points 3 days ago

In my house because of the way kiwis say fush and chups we have chips (the crisps) and chups (the thick arse delicious potato)

All stemmed from a joke of getting fush and chups so my younger brother thought it was chips and chups and it stuck

[–] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

In the UK we call the thin ones fries, probably because of the McDonalds ones. The thicker ones we call chips and yes we call the potato snacks that come in a bag crisps.

[–] oftheair@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Except for Tortilla Chips.

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

I just call them tortillas.

[–] BurningRiver@beehaw.org 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I’m with OP here. I don’t care what they’re called as long as I can get them with salt and vinegar.

I don’t know if ketchup is different outside of the US, but keep that nasty shit the fuck away from my potatoes.

[–] absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz 8 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

"Chups"

As in:

"Wanna chup bro?"

"I can't eat your ghost chups!"

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

"I'm beached az"

"D'wanna chup bro?"

"As in a chup?"

"Yeah a chup"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdVHZwI8pcA

[–] deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Nah, I only eat plunktun.

[–] KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Same in South Africa, it's all just chips.

[–] darkstar@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Chips and chips, but also slap chips

Oh man, I haven't had good slap chips in over 10 years. I couldn't find anything decent after leaving Johannesburg and I haven't any clue how they get them like that.

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago

Canada does the same.

[–] youngalfred@lemmy.zip 6 points 4 days ago (4 children)
load more comments (4 replies)

AUSTRALIANS EAT MICE?!?!?!

[–] Akasazh@feddit.nl 3 points 3 days ago

Meanwhile the Dutch fighting themselves over 'friet' or 'patat'.

[–] RecallMadness@lemmy.nz 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] Nalivai@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Bavaria: apples (in French for some reason)

[–] 843563115848@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Watching Letterkenny the other day, and it seems to have taught me about the existence of "All dressed chips". Being from the middle of the US (I apologize), never heard of that before, but now I needs to goes and finds me a bag or two.

[–] bigfondue@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I've seen them in the US recently. Lays in a purple bag. It has a maple leaf on the back and says 'A Canadian favorite'

[–] LoreSoong@startrek.website 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Everyone is correct imo, wood from wood chipper would have some bits would resemble both, If you have a wooden furniture and it chips due to some damage, the part that chipped off can resemble either one. Theyre both crispened, so crisps works for both too. And theyre both "fried" or baked with oil.

The real question is why the heck do us americans calll them "french" fries, or for that matter, what is up with french toast, french braid, french kiss, and french maid. None of this shit is of french origin.

[–] deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz 2 points 3 days ago

Perhaps they're just American things that Lafayette liked.

[–] xep@discuss.online 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I propose we call a spade a spade:

"Deep fried potatoes, extruded, thin"

"Deep fried potatoes, chopped, thick"

"Deep fried potatoes, thinly sliced"

[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone 2 points 4 days ago

It's fries and cold fries

[–] burntbacon@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 4 days ago

They're all the same thing, might as well call them the same things. I prefer my fries in a whole form, piped hot from the oven after an hour at 450F and covered with some salt and butter. If you want to get decadent, you can split the fry in half and put the butter inside. Some people even put sour cream, onion, chives, or bacon bits on the split fry.

[–] svcg@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Why would you shorten crispened potato snacks to anything other than crisps?

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Why would you’se elongate chip to crispened potato snack?

[–] svcg@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 days ago

It's not a chip off of a potato, though, is it? It's a sliver of potato. That's been crispened.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 3 days ago

Why would shorten potato chip snacks to anything other than chips?

load more comments
view more: next ›