As Squid Game returns for its third season this Friday, we played our own version of the game at our local office convenience store. From sticky chips to stringy floss, read on for our review of the best squid snacks in Bangkok.
When Squid Game was released in 2021, it quickly became one of Netflix’s most-watches series of all time. Countless accolades followed, and a second season premiered in July 2023. The same can’t be said for squid snacks, as their popularity has been less concentrated in one period, but rather maintained over decades across Southeast Asia.
Dried squid is the most popular type of squid snack in Thailand and other parts of Asia, and can even be found at street vendors across the country. They are easy to spot (and smell) from a distance, as the squid hangs by a thread from street food stalls, or lies skewered by the grill at street food markets.
However, much like Squid Game’s plot twist and revamp for season 3, Thai squid snacks have evolved from being fishy-smelling beach treats to supermarket staples. While many may argue that squid itself does not have a distinct flavour, Thai supermarket squid snacks have been crafted with just the right amount of enhancers to earn them entire sections and aisles at your local 7/11.
Served with sweet sauce, dried and shredded, or sprinkled as seasoning onto a potato chip, we decided to give a red or a green light to some of the most common squid snacks in Thailand. Welcome to our very own version of Squid Game. Unconventionally, nobody dies here.
Squid Game: Rating the best Thai squid snacks in the supermarket
Bento Namprik Thai Original
One of the most famous squid snacks in Thailand, Bento boasts a lot of flavours and varieties, and is arguably one of the biggest makers of squid snacks in the country. We tested the classic version with Thai chili paste, which will greet your nostrils as soon as you rip open the packet. Inside, there are strips of squid (45% squid and 40% surimi, if you read the ingredients list), seasoned with Thai namprik. The texture is sticky and chewy, the flavour is lightly spicy, and while we started off questioning Bento at first, we quickly found ourselves constantly reaching back for more.
In Squid Game, everyone would cry when this one gets eliminated.
Player strengths: Addictive, distinctly Thai flavour
Player weaknesses: Sticky and difficult to pull apart, makes you work for it
Verdict: Puts up a really good fight
Tawan Sweet & Sour Squid
Tawan Sweet & Sour Squid is not a famous squid snack, though it is easy to enjoy. There is no strong squid flavour from this triangular potato chip, which can be both a plus or a minus point, depending on what you prefer. The chips have a lightweight texture, and make for a very simple and approachable entry to squid snacks. If this were a blind taste test and you had to guess the ingredient, you would fail. Nonetheless, one of our testers found this snack particularly suitable for childrens’ birthday parties. Take that however you will.
In Squid Game, this snack would moonlight as a popstar in real life (you know who).
Player strengths: Easy to eat, most value (amount, taste) for money
Player weaknesses: Hard to identify the squid flavour
Verdict: Gets the popular vote, but is too soft to survive the games
Taotong Shredded Seasoned Squid
Taotong’s shredded seasoned squid snack is eye-catching — in large part because the depicted squid has eyes on it. Inside the packet, there’s dried squid that has been shredded to reveal a flossy, hairy texture. It smells very much like the dried squid you may know from street vendors, though there is an air of preservatives. More chewy than flavourful, we found this snack relatively difficult to consume. One tester suggested it be submerged in rice porridge to soften it. This seems like a viable option.
If this were an episode of Squid Game, this snack would be an elderly player.
Player strengths: Feels close to authentic street food squid
Player weaknesses: Very chewy, acquired taste
Verdict: Keeps up appearances, secretly a traitor
Bitee Grilled Rolled Squid
Bitee surprised us. On the ingredient label, it listed that this was 100% squid, which is the highest percentage of all the squid snacks we tested. It comes with a complimentary sachet of sweet chili sauce, which is a fun way to add variety to your snacking experience. We wanted to love Bitee, and while it is less chewy than some of the other dried squid snacks, it is very subtle in taste. It needs the sauce to give it some pizzaz, and combat the dryness of the snack.
In Squid Game, this player would lean a lot on others.
Player strengths: 100% squid
Player weaknesses: Not saucy without sauce
Verdict: Eliminated in the first game, surprises the audience
Lay’s Hot Chili Squid
It’s hard not to love a Lay’s potato chip, so we went into this one with a little bias. Could you really tell this was hot chili squid flavour if you ate it with your eyes closed? Not really. The hot chili sauce shines through more than the squid flavour, and the amount of real squid in this snack is absolutely minimal. Nonetheless, ridged potato chips are always a fail-safe snack option, and we applaud Lay’s for always churning out creative flavours. In this case, it is more sweet, and less squid.
This player would float along and slide by almost all games, but ultimately lose to fate in Squid Game.
Player strengths: Ridged potato chip texture never fails
Player weaknesses: Squid-ness level is low
Verdict: Manages to float along, but doesn’t reach the finale
Carada
Technically speaking, Carada features an octopus on its packaging, and cuttlefish on the label, though they are marked as a squid snack in the supermarket. This confusion already gave Carada a lot of minus points in our books, though it was hard not to love these delicious rice balls once we tried them. Like a more pungent equivalent to cheese balls, Carada creates sticky fingers and an addictive snacking experience. The squid flavour is strong, and leans towards the sweet side, while wonderfully contrasted with a light and airy texture.
If Carada were to take part in Squid Game, it would appear as an imposter, yet still somehow win the prize money.
Player strengths: Unique squid flavour meets an exciting texture
Player weaknesses: Depicts an octopus on the packaging, may be having an identity crisis
Verdict: Wins the game, but sleeps with one eye open
Squid Game Season 3 is streaming on Netflix from 27 June 2025.
