Lay's Has A Wildly Divisive International Flavor That Some Customers Love (And Plenty Seem To Hate)

International flavors of potato chips like Lay's are one of the most interesting insights into the palates of other cultures and nations. Some are more straightforward, like masala-flavored Lay's in India. Then there are the hyper-specific ones you probably never imagined, like Thailand's mieng kham krob ros, which combines the shrimp, coconut, chile, and ginger flavors of a popular local snack. Some of these unique Lay's potato chip flavors from around the world really divide those who try them, especially the cucumber flavor from China.

Between international travel and Chinese markets that import them, the occasional shopper can get their hands on cucumber Lay's from time to time outside of China, and you might never see a wider range of hate versus love for a chip online. In a Reddit thread discussing the flavor, one user said, "I love cucumber, and these actually made me gag. I've never had a chip that I couldn't eat before," and another Redditor simply wrote, "Vile." 

Others opined differently, with a Reddit user saying, "I love them. Well worth the $2.99 for a small bag every time [I go] to the local Asian store." And for what it's worth, Tasting Table's professional taste tester absolutely loved them, putting cucumber number one in our ranking of international Lay's potato chip flavors.

Part of what divides people over this particular flavor seems to be that it's an uncommon flavor profile for chips, though there is discourse over whether it even tastes like cucumber. A Reddit user shared, " ... I freakin loved them, but here's the thing, they don't taste like cucumber to me [...] They've got a hint of sweetness and a 'cooling' that's reminiscent of cucumber ... "

And they're not the only person to say so — another Redditor described it as a "combo of slightly sweet, slightly salty, and also somehow refreshing" with an "extremely mild mint" aftertaste similar to eating a cucumber. While some noted that the only hint of the vegetable is the cooling sensation similar to that of a refreshing cucumber, others begged to differ, with one person saying, "They definitely tasted like cucumber, but I soon realized it's not a flavor I want to associate with potato chips."

The controversial nature of these chips almost demands you taste them for yourselves, but don't limit yourself to the cucumber if you track them down at a Chinese market. Lay's flavors in China range from pickled fish to Italian red meat, based on Bolognese sauce, which is quite popular there. If you end up hating the cucumber chips, you'll still have plenty of adventurous options.