`Da ElfI learned the history of "Tater Tots" today (after midnight, counts) with @juliewebgirl.
TL;DR - Invented in the Pacific Northwest by a company called Ore-Ida, a concatenation of "Oregon" and "Idaho", in Ontario, Or. The owners were figuring out what to do with potato slivers from other parts of their process. Adding flour and seasonings and frying them, the Tot was born. Tah-Dah!
Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tater_tots
Ore-Ida Themselves: https://www.oreida.com/product/00013120085666
Space Hobo