The railway magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt ordered French fries in a New York restaurant in Saratoga County in 1853 and had them returned several times because he complained that they were too thick and soggy.

 

The fries were sliced thinner and thinner and served to him again, but Vanderbilt still didn't seem to like them.

 

Finally, chef George Crum decided to go all out and cut the potatoes wafer-thin and fried them in fat. At first, Vanderbilt again protested that the fries were now too thin to be eaten with a fork, but after trying a few, he was delighted.

Everyone in the restaurant now wanted to try these chips and soon they were on the menu as "Saratoga Chips" and were later sold all over the world.