Tater Tots are chopped potato shaped into small cylinders and fried: crisp outside, fluffy inside. For a lot of Americans, they taste like the school cafeteria and the family freezer. Hotdogray has 5 menu items with tots, from a $50 basket to the Cheese Tater Tot Dog ($80). You'll find them inside AI DARTS in Taipei's Da'an District.
Where Tater Tots Came From
Tater Tots were born in Ontario, Oregon, a small town right on the Idaho border. They were created by the Grigg brothers, founders of the frozen potato company Ore-Ida, whose name is simply Oregon plus Idaho. Most sources date it to 1953. The problem they were solving: cutting fries left piles of potato scraps that would otherwise be thrown away. So they chopped the scraps finer, mixed in flour and seasoning, pressed the mix into shape and fried it into bite-size pieces.
In 1954, at a national potato convention in Miami Beach, they paid the hotel chef to serve tots at breakfast, and the story goes that they disappeared fast. Tots hit grocery stores in 1956. "Tater Tots" is still a registered Ore-Ida trademark, even though everyone uses the name for this kind of fried potato.
Why Americans Love Them
- The school cafeteria: in the US and Canada, tots are a common side at school lunch counters and cafeterias, so many people grow up on them.
- The movie: in the 2004 indie comedy Napoleon Dynamite, Napoleon stuffs a classmate's uneaten tots into his pants pocket in the school cafeteria. The scene became so iconic that in 2016 Burger King brought back the original actors to recreate it in an ad for cheesy tots.
- Home cooking: across the Midwest, tater tot hotdish is a potluck classic, a casserole of ground beef, vegetables and a soup base, covered in tots and baked.
Tots vs. Fries
Fries are potatoes cut into strips and fried. Tots are chopped potato that's been shaped, so you're not biting into a solid strip but into a fluffy little nugget. They're bite-size, which makes them great for piling on cheese sauce or chili. If you're into loaded fries, see poutine vs. chili fries.
5 Ways to Eat Tots at Hotdogray
- Tater Tots $50 (fried sides): a plain basket, tots at their simplest.
- Breakfast Tots $70 (fried sides): country gravy and bacon. Read about country gravy.
- Cheese Tater Tot Dog $80 (hot dogs): a hot dog with cheese sauce and tots.
- Cheese Tater Tots panini $50
- Tater Tot Chili Cheese panini $60: tots, house chili and cheese, pressed in bread.
Curious about the paninis? Here's what a panini is and how to pick one. Full prices are on the menu.
How to Order
- First time: get a plain basket of Tater Tots ($50) and taste the tots themselves.
- Hungry: the Cheese Tater Tot Dog ($80) has the hot dog, cheese and tots all in one.
- Late-night snack: tots are a light order when you don't want a whole hot dog.
- Combo: order a hot dog and add +$59 for a $50 fried item and a $40 drink. The Tater Tots are exactly $50.
FAQ
Q: What are Tater Tots made of?
A: Potatoes. Tater Tots are chopped potato mixed with a little flour and seasoning, shaped into small cylinders and fried, crisp outside and fluffy inside.
Q: What's the difference between tots and fries?
A: Fries are potatoes cut into strips and fried. Tots are chopped and shaped potato, bite-size and fluffier inside.
Q: Which Hotdogray items have tots?
A: Fried sides: Tater Tots $50 and Breakfast Tots $70. Hot dogs: Cheese Tater Tot Dog $80. Paninis: Cheese Tater Tots $50 and Tater Tot Chili Cheese $60.
Q: When can I get it?
A: Wed, Thu, Fri + every other Sat, 8PM to around midnight. The kitchen is closed on Tuesdays. Weather or special circumstances can change that, so message us on LINE to be sure.
