How Ranch Won the Dip War: From Steakhouse to Snack Aisle

You might have thanked ranch if you’ve ever dipped a crunchy carrot stick or a spicy chicken wing into a creamy sauce and thought, “Yes, please.” That’s right, the type of ranch that began in the kitchen of a steakhouse and ended up defining a whole group of dips and sauces. Ranch has quietly taken over plates, shelves, and snack aisles all throughout the country, from suburban barbecues to TikTok snack hacks. What happened? Let’s ride along with the story of how ranch went from disguising up as a guy ranch to winning the dip battle.

The Humble Origins: Dude Ranch to Dinner Table

Steve Henson, a plumbing plumber who became a guy ranch owner in California in the early 1950s, made a buttermilk and herb sauce at his guest ranch in Santa Barbara. People who ate at the ranch’s steakhouse loved the sauce so much that they took jars home with them.

Henson was sending dry packets of the mix through the mail by 1957, and by the 1960s, the dressing was available in grocery stores. At first, it was only a salad dressing, but it quickly grew beyond romaine leaves.

It’s interesting how a social-dining routine (steakhouse salad) became a kitchen pantry staple because visitors wanted it so badly. It shows how a flavor sticks with you when it’s both familiar and rich. The base of mayonnaise (or sour cream), buttermilk, garlic, and herbs made a creamy, tangy sauce that went well with veggies, meats, and anything else.

From Table to Aisle: Why Ranch Became the Best-Seller

In the 1990s, ranch dressing became the best-selling salad dressing in the U.S., beating out Italian dressing. Reports say that ranch will have around 21.3% of the U.S. salad-dressing market by 2024.
What helped it win that battle? A few things:

Versatility: You may use it as a dip or a dressing, so it has two uses in one jar.
Snackification: As snacking at home became more popular, so grew the need for exciting and reliable dipping options.
Moment ubiquity: Ranch became the go-to “dip for everything,” from chicken tenders to veggie platters to pizza crusts.

When a big company that makes ranch dressing started to think about snacks and fast food add-ins, it made sense for them to do so. For instance, Hidden Valley, a big participant, sold $1.3 billion worth of bottled ranch in one year, which is more than ketchup.

That type of size suggests one thing: ranch didn’t simply ride a wave; it made the wave.

Snack Aisle Attack: Ranch Takes Over Modern Eating

Now let’s take a closer look at how ranch went from salad bowl to snack store and why snack culture liked it.

A ← The rise of dip culture
As people started to dine out more and snack at home more, they desired sauces that were:

both familiar and daring
both creamy and crisp enough to dip
Good for snacking (yep, dips are snacks too)

Ranch checked all of these boxes, and brands took note. You started to see “cool ranch” chips, pizza ranch sauces, and even ranch-flavored ice cream ventures in the 2010s.

B ← Snacking and seasoning go together
Think of every snack as a small meal. Fries need something. Wings need something. Something is wrong with the veggies. That something was ranch. Because of its texture, it sticks to crispy surfaces. Its flavor is a mix of savory and herby, and its containers make it easy to double-dip (no shame).

C → New ideas and variations
Today, ranch isn’t just ranch. You may get chipotle ranch, garlic ranch, pickle ranch, and vegan ranch. The market for dressings is also moving toward clean-label, plant-based choices. For example, the plant-based ranch industry was worth about $540 million in 2024 and is increasing at double-digit rates.

So even though Gen Z says they’re “over” basic ranch (yes, some food trends do go out of style), they’re still dunking, but with bolder tweaks.

Why It Works: Four Flavor Science Hacks

Let’s go over the reasons why ranch is the best choice for flavor mechanics and modern eating habits.

Smooth texture that works at any temperature
Mixing buttermilk and mayonnaise provides a chilled, thick sauce that helps when you eat spicy, crunchy, or assertive foods.
Garlic and herbs taste good to everyone.
The combination of parsley, dill, garlic, and onion powder that most people know and like doesn’t need any special flavors.
The cling factor
The texture is great for dipping since it sticks to everything, which means less drop and more flavor in each bite.
Balance between comfort and newness
It has a familiar taste that makes you feel at ease, but it can also be changed up to make it taste different (smoked ranch, spicy ranch, etc.). That combination strikes the “snack moment” sweet spot: it’s something you know but haven’t had before.

The Road Ahead: What Ranch’s Next Moves Tell Us

Ranch as a mainstream style isn’t going away. Here’s what to look for:

Global spread: North America is still the most important place for ranch, but global dressing preferences are changing, and ranch is a part of that. By 2030, the market for salad dressing is expected to reach US$109.3 billion.
Clean labeling and plant-based foods: As we talked about before, vegan ranch is becoming more and more popular. People who care about their health want fewer ingredients and more information.
Adding to snacks and meals: As marketers try to get snack-dippers and people who want to satisfy their cravings, expect to see more “ranch-flavored everything.”
Changes in Gen Z’s taste: Some younger customers are moving on, but the new versions they’re buying show that ranch isn’t dead; it’s just changing. It’s not retiring; it’s remixing.

For you as a buyer? That usually means more options, more fun flavor combinations, and perhaps at least one better dip for your next pizza party, wings night, or veggie platter.