Nothing in the world of foodmaking is as fascinating as the process of turning potatoes into crisp, savory chips — so says the readers of USA Today, who picked the behind-the-scenes look at Herr’s Snack Factory over the sneak peeks at the TABASCO Pepper Sauce Factory, Hershey’s Chocolate World, the PEZ Visitors Center, the Jelly Belly Visitor Center and even the World of Coca-Cola.

Nottingham-based Herr’s claimed USA Today’s Best Food Factory Tour after being nominated by a panel of six food and travel experts and then capturing the popular vote over four weeks.

Tour-takers start off keeping their eyes peeled for an engaging video trip down Herr’s memory lane, then walking that time-tested path from potato to potato chip across the snack maker’s three manufacturing buildings, which includes the creation of pretzels too.

“Visitors get so close to the action that your tour guide may actually grab potato chips right off the line and hand them to you — so fresh that they’re still warm,” USA Today stated in its slideshow of the winners. “This is the real deal.”

And the one-hour adventure is always worth it; there’s a free bag of chips waiting at the end of the line, along with a gift shop filled with Herr’s souvenirs.

Read more about the best factory tour in the nation and check out a video featuring Herr’s among other 10Best category winners on USA Today here.