The Brand Of Potato Chips That People In The US Eat The Most

When you imagine the perfect snack, odds are that potato chips are a top contender. There are few foods as universally appreciated and adored as the humble chip. A stroll down the snack aisle will reveal that truth as the brands, cuts, and flavors available are seemingly endless. There is one brand, though, that gets to boast the title of most popular chip in the U.S., and that's Lay's. According to a 2024 report from Statista, Lay's was the highest-selling potato chip brand in the country with $4.27 billion in sales. The runner up, Ruffles, was nowhere near that number at just $1.9 billion in sales — saying "just" $1.9 billion feels wrong, but hey, we're talking big numbers here.

From ballparks to sandwich shops to backyard barbecues, the signature sheen of the Lay's yellow plastic is American iconography at this point. The brand isn't just popular in the U.S., though. It boasts impressive numbers in other countries, too. Not to mention, the brand ranked highly on our best potato chip brands taste test, sitting alongside other fan-favorites like Utz and Deep River. But, when it comes to a simple and delicious chip, there's no arguing against Lay's. Paper-thin and famously salty, Lay's is known for setting the standard that all other potato chips have been striving for since the brand's inception over 80 years ago. Yet, while nothing beats a classic, we'd argue that the best Lay's potato chip flavor might be sour cream and onion. 

Many have fought for the title of "inventor of the potato chip." So far, none have been able to concretely verify its claim. Saratoga Springs could be the city that may have invented potato chips, but precise origins remain a bit muddled. Tales of creation range from frying paper-thin potatoes to passive-aggressively appease a disgruntled customer to a happy accident where thin potato slices were unintentionally dropped into a fryer. Whatever the potato chip's origin, we're just thankful it happened.

The history of Lay's, however, is a little more precise. Founded by entrepreneur Herman W. Lay, Lay's (then called H.W. Lay & Company) became the first national snack brand in the United States after the mogul decided to merge with the Frito Company to create the famed Frito-Lay brand. Before the merger, however, the chip brand got its start when Lay purchased a floundering Atlanta snack company and quickly revived it in the early 1900s. The company has made history several times throughout its lifetime, including being the first snack company to purchase television ads and even making headlines for using potatoes that are genetically developed by Frito-Lay scientists. Today, Lay's remains a household staple because of its brand recognition and excellent flavor — there's no question as to why it is America's favorite potato chip.