I Tried the Most Popular Lay’s Flavors, and the Winner Might Surprise You

There are multiple ways to eat potato chips. Some people prefer to chomp them chip by chip; others simply stuff their mouths by the fistful. Perfectionists pick through the bag in search of unbroken, circular chips before begrudgingly resorting to their partially cracked and shattered companions; steadfast snackers upturn the bag to get every last crumb.

 Regardless of how you prefer to approach your sliced-and-fried potatoes, it’s impossible to deny that they’ve become a quintessential American snack. Salty, crunchy, and most importantly, plentiful, chips are the perfect food to munch between meals when you want to binge a few dozen of something.

But Lay’s potato chips have elevated the medium from junk food or lazy potluck contribution to a food group all its own.

The Storied History of Lay's Potato Chips

The company was founded in 1932 by Herman W. Lay, an entrepreneur who bought an Atlanta-based snack food company and set out selling potato chips from the trunk of his car, traveling throughout the South. 

Though it’s not clear exactly when the company first introduced flavors like salt and vinegar and barbecue (which was available by the late 1950s), Lay’s certainly seems to be one of the first to do so, helping separate it from other chip mills—and perhaps unwittingly laying the foundation for what has become a worldwide flavor phenomenon with a cult-like following.

The Incredible World of Lay's Seemingly Infinite Flavors

Today, there are more than 200 different varieties of Lay’s—and that’s not even counting Wavy Lay’s, Baked Lay’s, Poppables, or Kettle Cooked. They are available in 200 countries, many featuring flavors that reflect indigenous cuisines, like Crispy Roast Suckling Pig (China), Fries and Gravy (Canada), and Fried Squid Eggs with Seafood Sauce (Thailand).

Domestically, they come in regional flavors (New England Lobster Roll and Cajun Spice), unusual (Cappuccino, Biscuits and Gravy, and Cuban Sandwich), and even crossover flavors from other snacks (Funnyuns-flavored Lay's? Seriously? If you’re already in the chip aisle, why not just buy Funnyuns?). Some limited-edition flavors become so popular that fans beg for them to be brought back.

 But while fad flavors like Cheesy Garlic Bread and BLT Sandwich come and go, we can always count on the core Lay’s lineup to add a little kick to our cookouts and late-night snacking sessions. Here’s where we rank the Top 8, including the one we always keep in the cupboard.

The 8 Most Popular Lay's Potato Chip Flavors, Ranked 

7th Place (Tie): Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue & Honey Barbecue

Nothing against these tangy, sweet, and faintly spicy treats, but the reason they bring up the rear for us is that they aren’t much different than original Lay's Barbecue. Guess you can’t improve on perfection. (Even if I do appreciate a little more kick.)

6th Place: Dill Pickle

Look, there are three kinds of pickle people: 1. Those who avoid them at all costs, 2. Those who eat them straight out of the jar (and sometimes drink the brine), and 3. People like me, who like them fine as a crunchy, herby addition to our burgers and sandwiches but don’t seek out to eat them solo. I thought these slightly sweet, dill-forward chips were fine. But if you are in Group 2, you’re probably cursing me right now.

5th Place: Sour Cream & Onion

This might be the chip that almost made dip obsolete. Somehow simultaneously creamy, savory, and tangy at the same time, these feature a mild onion flavor that won’t make you tear up—until you hit the bottom of the bag. The fact that it comes in at number 5 is less a statement about the quality of this classic than an indication of the crisp competition below.

4th Place: Cheddar & Sour Cream

Cheese makes everything better—even powdered sharp cheddar. And if you check the ingredients, there’s also onion powder, so it’s not like sour cream is dealing behind onion’s back. It’s more of a trio of deliciousness. Now they just need to recruit bacon to fill out the quartet.

3rd Place: Classic Lay’s

The original. Just farm-grown potatoes sliced paper-thin, fried to a delicate crisp, and touched with a dash of salt. So versatile, it’s the perfect complementary sidekick to any burger, sub, smoked meat, dip, or casserole. Sometimes, I just sprinkle them directly on my sandwich for a savory crunch that is so, so satisfying.

2nd Place: Salt & Vinegar

As a kid, I was always turned off by the notion of vinegar. To me, it was something “old people” ate. Then I tasted these chips and realized, once again, that age equals wisdom. The beauty of this flavor is in the subtlety: You still get the salty potato of Classic Lay’s, but there’s just that little sour-tart kick of vinegar tang at the end. If chips are my meal, these are my chips.

1st Place: Barbecue

I might have spoiled this with the 7th place tie, but I consider Lay’s Barbecue to be the ultimate flavored potato chip. To me, it even transcends the taste of actual sweet BBQ sauce to become its own wonderful thing—a distinct peppery, sugary, touch-of-onion-y flavor that all other chip companies imitate, but never manage to duplicate. Finger-licking is not only permitted, it’s encouraged.