Slapchips literally means limp chips (or french fries to you Yanks). It speaks to a South African sense of humor, whereby recalling the good ol' days when one could buy fish and chips from the local café. The chips would have been served wrapped in newspaper to absorb any excess grease and keep the chips warm. Naturally, the warmth from the hot chips closed in newspaper cause condensation, thereby making the chips soggy and limp, or slap, in Afrikaans. In that sense, Slapchips are not just soggy french fries, but iconic reminders of a simpler time way back when, when things were cheaper and we had fewer worries. It was a time when people went out of their way to help one another, just to be nice.
One of the first Slapchips banners reflects this in real café-style, complete with a chalk outline and retro lettering. A later banner sought to introduce great South African icons, such as Table Mountain in Cape Town and exotic animals.