Cool Ranch

A cool, tangy blast of buttermilk ranch with hints of garlic, onion, and dill. The flavor is lighter than Nacho Cheese but no less complex — a creamy, herby profile with a subtle tang that makes it impossible to eat just one.

Cool Ranch launched in 1986 and immediately became Nacho Cheese's greatest rival. The flavor was inspired by the ranch dressing craze sweeping America in the 1980s. Frito-Lay's development team created a proprietary blend of over a dozen spices to nail the buttermilk ranch taste in powder form. It was an instant hit and sparked the "Cool Ranch vs. Nacho Cheese" debate that has divided families and friend groups for nearly four decades. Outside the US it is sold as "Cool American" in Europe.