KNOXVILLE, Tenn — In 1982, the sights and sounds of East Tennessee were forever changed by the mix of cultures, advancements and excitement that came during the World’s Fair.
But tucked away from the grand pavilions and glowing lights, a Knoxville staple was born. The blend of community, culture and commodity would become a known favorite during the fair. Petro’s is now a family name known for its mix of chili, Frito’s chips and mountains of toppings.
“Well, a Petro is a Frito’s corn chips with our special recipe chili, grated cheeses, tomatoes, sour cream, black olives, jalapenos. If you want, you can make them to order,” Dale Widmer, one of the founders of Petro’s, said.
“At that time, it was just cutting open a Frito bag, putting everything in the Frito bag and walking around with it and eating it at the fair,” he said. “In fact, for the last several weeks at the fair, there were literally lines an hour long to get a Petro because people thought, well, it’s going away and we’ll never see it again.”…