Where "Hot Chips" Comes From
Australians call freshly fried potato chips "hot chips," which sets them apart from packaged "chips" (crisps) — both are called "chips" in Australia. Australian usage alongside plain "chips" for fries is noted in Wikipedia's Australian English vocabulary article; we haven't found a documented date for the phrase.
“Can we get hot chips instead of a proper dinner tonight?”
“We shared a big paper bag of hot chips on the pier.”
"Grab us a scoop of hot chips from the servo on the way home."
How Aussies Actually Use It
Often just shortened back to "chips" when the context (a chip shop, a plate at the pub) makes it obvious.
Hot chips is the phrase you use when you want to be clear you mean the fried potato sticks, not the packet snack. In a takeaway shop, though, nobody bothers, and you'll order 'a scoop of chips' or 'small chips'. The 'hot' comes out mostly when the context could be confusing, or when you're talking about them as a treat: 'Let's get some hot chips on the way home.'
They're a fixture of fish-and-chip shops, servos and beach kiosks, often sold in a paper wrap and salted heavily. Plenty of people like them with chicken salt, though that's a taste more than a rule. Learner tip: if a shop sells both, ask for 'hot chips' to avoid getting a bag of crisps. A stranger will understand either way from the setting.
See also: Servo (a common place to buy them), Chippy (short for a fish-and-chip shop, or a carpenter depending on context), Pie (another classic takeaway food).
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