Mashed Exclusive Poll Uncovers Fans' Favorite Brand Of Potato Chips
When it comes to popular chip brands, there's a never-ending debate on which contender comes out on top of the salty mountain. Do snack lovers prefer the simple, paper-thin model like classic Lay's, a heartier chips with ridges like Utz's Ripples, or a kettle-cooked variety like Kettle Brand? A recent Mashed poll posted on YouTube attempts to uncover the answer, with 36,000 participants weighing in on their favorite potato chip brand since the poll went live on September 8.
The survey gave voters a choice of five popular chip brands. Coming in last was Zapp's with 4% of the vote. The smaller brand is known for its Louisiana seasonings, especially its Voodoo flavor, though it's lesser known than others in the poll. These kettle-cooked chips are now produced by Utz, a brand that came in second-to-last for its classic potato chips with 9% of the vote. 15% of voters chose Pringles as their favorite (which technically aren't actually potato chips due to relatively low potato content). In second place, with 22% of the vote, were the crunchy Kettle Brand Chips, especially beloved in their sea salt and vinegar flavor. This left one brand with 50% of the vote and first place in the poll: Lay's.
Lay's was especially popular with participants
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.