Companies and Brands

Avoid All Pretzel Brands Except These 8

Mike Edmisten

Published: March 27, 2024 12:30 pm

Almost three-quarters of Americans who indulge in snack foods do so while they’re watching TV according to a survey by YouGov. Other popular snacking situations include work or studying, playing online games, and driving. Also, nearly half of American snackers admit to noshing on snack foods when they’re just plain bored!

The reasons and settings for snacking may vary, but crispy, salty foods are the most popular choices among U.S. snackers. Whether you’re binging Netflix or just bored stiff, nothing satisfies that salty craving quite like a pretzel. However, not all pretzels are created equal.

We set out to find the very best pretzel brands on the market today. To compile this list, 24/7 Wall St. consulted six different food review websites, blogs, and vlogs. Because pretzel preference is inherently subjective, we used an aggregate scoring system that weighted each recommendation from every source equally. We also consulted customer reviews on retail websites to further confirm these reviews. And finally, we used a bit of editorial discretion to put the final rankings in order. It was quite a tasty assignment!

The brands on the list are ranked from eighth to first place. Any of these pretzels are sure to be a hit at your next party…or your next night in. Pretzels are a versatile food that can toggle between being quite social or rather introverted. We can relate!

8. Rold Gold

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

• Parent Company: Frito-Lay

Rold Gold Review

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

Rold Gold is a well-known name in the pretzel aisle at your neighborhood grocery store. The pretzels feature a familiar crispiness and a classic pretzel flavor.

If there is a knock against Rold Gold, it is that some folks find them a little too salty. Fans of Seinfeld will remember Kramer’s line when he was cast in a fictional Woody Allen movie: “These pretzels are making me thirsty.” We can’t prove it, but he may have been eating Rold Gold pretzels.

Yes, these pretzels are on the saltier side of the spectrum, but they’re still a super solid entry on this list. No pretzel lover will ever complain if they are offered Rold Gold pretzels!

7. Quinn

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

• Parent Company: Quinn Foods

Quinn Review

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

While Rold Gold is a familiar brand name, Quinn may be a virtual unknown, even among pretzel aficionados. That needs to change, though…especially if you or some of your family or friends cannot tolerate gluten.

Quinn pretzels are certified gluten-free. They are also vegan and are verified by the Non-GMO Project. After learning this, some pretzel lovers may pass them by, believing that they can’t possibly measure up to other pretzel brands.

Admittedly, some gluten-free foods feature a significant loss in taste and texture from their gluten-filled counterparts. Quinn’s high-quality ingredients and attention to detail might just make you forget these pretzels are gluten-free, though. Quinn pretzels should definitely be on your “I need to try them” list.

6. Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps

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• Parent Company: Campbell Soup Company

Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps Review

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

Okay, so pretzel purists may come after us with torches and pitchforks for this one. Some may scream that Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps are crackers, not actual pretzels. However, these crisps are perfectly baked and feature just the right amount of salt…two components that are critical to a quality pretzel.

Yes, they are flat. After sampling these crisps, though, we are ready to add “flat” to the list of approved pretzel shapes. Plus, if you are a snacker who enjoys a good dip, these crisps might be the most dippable pretzel ever created. However, they are also easily good enough to eat as a standalone snack.

If you still disagree with us, that’s okay. We’ll console ourselves by knowing that your veto of Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps just means there are more for us to enjoy.

5. Clancy’s

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• Parent Company: Private Label

Clancy’s Review

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

Do you know the fastest-growing grocery chain in the U.S. right now? If you guessed Walmart or Kroger, you’d be wrong. The correct answer is ALDI. You know, that funky little grocery store where customers have to “rent” carts for a quarter and bag their own groceries? Yes, that is the fastest-growing grocery chain in the nation. This offbeat grocery chain recently announced plans to open 800 new stores nationwide.

Over 90% of the products sold at ALDI are private label, but these products often meet (or exceed) the taste and quality of major national brands. Clancy’s pretzels are no exception. These pretzels, sold at ALDI, impressed several of our reviewers (and us, too!).

Clancy’s pretzels are available in twists, rods, mini sticks, and even crisps (similar to Snack Factory). Whichever style you choose, we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how these pretzels stand up against the big brands. And they are available at a lower price than other pretzels, which is typical for ALDI’s products.

4. Trader Joe’s

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• Parent Company: Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s Review

Source: Harrison Keely / Wikimedia Commons

Trader Joe’s is famous for providing foods that, like ALDI, are private label. However, these foods are nothing like the store brands you may have tried from the big grocery chains. Trader Joe’s takes great pride in developing products that are a cut above, and they nailed it with their pretzels.

The retailer offers traditional pretzels along with unique flavors such as triple ginger and dark chocolate nuggets filled with almond butter. (Yum!)

The pretzels at Trader Joe’s may be a tad more expensive than some other brands on this list, but regular customers of the retailer don’t seem to mind the higher prices. They are convinced that the higher cost also yields higher quality. That’s hard to argue when it comes to Trader Joe’s pretzels. (And, since we’re on the subject, here is a list of 13 Trader Joe’s snacks to load up on. And yes, there is a pretzel snack on the list!)

3. Utz

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• Parent Company: Utz Brands, Inc.

Utz Review

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

Utz produces every type of pretzel you can imagine, from twists, to rods, to mini sticks, and on and on. They also feature a wide variety of flavors, such as honey wheat, butter, sourdough, and many more.

This iconic brand started making potato chips in 1921. Over 100 years later, Utz is synonymous with snacking goodness.

Several of the reviewers we consulted were particularly impressed with Utz’s Sourdough Specials Extra Dark Pretzels. These pretzels are bigger than most and they feature a dark, well-done taste as the name suggests. However, if the Utz name is on the bag, you can be assured of a quality pretzel, regardless of which variety you choose.

One customer called Utz, “the best-tasting pretzels ever!!” There are a whole lot of snack-lovers who would agree.

You can’t miss the Utz logo when you’re strolling the snack aisle. Interestingly, the young girl on the logo was never named. She is simply known as the “Little Utz Girl.” However, with or without a name, this little girl can point you in the direction of a pretty great pretzel.

2. Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels

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• Parent Company: The Hershey Company

Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels Review

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

As noted at the beginning, ranking the best pretzel brands is a subjective exercise. We tried to make it as objective as possible with our scoring system, but it still comes down to a matter of opinion. Some pretzel purists may balk at this one because Dot’s pretzels are all about the seasonings. If you believe that a pretzel should feature salt but few other seasonings, then this may not be the pretzel for you.

However, if you’re more committed to taste than anything else, Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels is one of the tastiest brands in the snack aisle. The brand sells an assortment of pretzel flavors including Original Seasoned, Cinnamon Sugar, Honey Mustard, and Southwest Seasoned.

Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels pretzels were created in the small town of Velva, North Dakota. They developed such a cult-like devotion that the company was eventually purchased by The Hershey Company in 2021. However, the commitment to the unique flavor of these pretzels seems to be unchanged.

One customer raved about these pretzels, saying, “OMG! These pretzels are absolutely fantastic. We eat all kinds of pretzels at our house and Dot’s [is] our new favorite brand…”

1. Snyder’s of Hanover

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• Parent Company: Campbell’s Soup Company

Snyder’s of Hanover Review

Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.

Deciding on the placement of some of the pretzel brands in this survey proved a bit difficult. However, there was no difficulty whatsoever in declaring the top brand. Snyder’s of Hanover claimed that spot rather easily.

This brand produces a wide variety of pretzel products. On the traditional side, Snyder’s of Hanover offers twists, snaps, mini sticks, and so forth. However, the brand also offers some bold flavors such as Nashville Hot, Buttermilk Ranch, Jalapeño, Cheddar Cheese, and more.

Whichever variety you choose, Snyder’s of Hanover hits the mark every time. As one reviewer put it, “Snyder’s is the gold standard for pretzels, period. Each bite of a Snyder’s pretzel is the perfect little morsel of salty, crunchy goodness.”

Another said, “Snyder’s of Hanover has managed to achieve pretzel perfection…”

Customers agree with these assessments. One said, “[Snyder’s of Hanover are] my very favorite. [They are] absolutely delicious…you can eat these pretzels….with condiments [or] by themselves…”

Another summed it up by saying that Snyder’s of Hanover is, “the best tasting of all the brands. Really reminds me of my childhood. Taste wonderful and the kids love them too. If it is not Snyder’s, then it is not a pretzel!!!”