With over 300 flavors and varieties worldwide — from salty to sweet — and a presence in vending machines, supermarkets, and convenience stores everywhere, it’s no shocker that Lay’s has won this one. The brand leads snack giant Frito-Lay’s sales, earning $4.13 billion in the last year alone and controlling 41% of the potato chip market share in 2021/2022 (via Statista). As one commenter on the Mashed poll put it, “I just love Lay’s! Nobody can eat just 1!!”
In the poll, Lay’s garnered over twice the percentage of the next-most popular potato chip, Kettle Brand. With such consumer success and options that cater to different tastes, it’s easy to understand why. As beloved as Classic Lay’s are, they are just the beginning — beyond its many other flavors, the brand also offers Baked, Kettle-cooked, Wavy, and even Pringles-style Stax. In a way, a vote for Lay’s isn’t just for the classic yellow bag but for a jaw-dropping variety of potato chip offerings.
It may still be a bit premature to resolve the great potato chip debate once and for all. Voters were quick to defend Utz, Zapp’s, and others in the comments of our poll, with write-in contenders such as Cape Cod and Miss Vickie’s surfacing, as well. That said, Lay’s earning a first-place spot in the hearts of Mashed voters seemed like an inevitability.