Masala is a set mix of spices: cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cloves and cumin.
I think this is the flavor they were trying to create. Masala doesn't have garlic, onion, or peppers in it, but these chips had some serious onion stonk.
Do rural Amerimutts even know what vindaloo is?
Eating raw spices won't make it up in flavor.
That's garam masala. "Masala" is just the word for a mix of either wet or dry spices and it is supposed to be proceeded by another word to indicate what mix of spices it is, i.e. chaat masala, tikki masal, tandoori masala etc.
usually things flavored cinnamon are good so I'm going to blame OP's experience on the other spices, many of which I don't know.
The word "masala" has the same PIE root as "materials" or "mixture" in English. I'm not sure what the modern European language equivalent for "garam" would be but it just makes sense for what it means.
Take the Utz pill. I recommend the Grandma Utz chips if you can find them. Cooked in lard not oil.
Utz are good, I'm personally fond of their extra dark pretzels.
A localish big box chain, Meijer, has their own store brand called Frederik's that's been surprisingly good, for a store brand, as well.
I feel like store brands (for snacks at least) are often just as comparable or better than name brands. I think it's more Lays in particular that I find notably lower quality; which is pretty abhorrent since they reign as the leading name brand potato chip in the USA
I do, but that's cause I had an anglophile phase when I was a teenager
CRAB CHIPS
In my case I'm just very open to new experiences and learning and appreciating different cultures. And also by now a "confirmed bachelor" who can afford these adventures but let's not talk about that part.
