Why This Discontinued Cut Of Lay's Chips May Never Make A Comeback

Sometimes it feels like the universe is playing a sick prank on you by giving you a beautiful gift one day, only to cruelly rip it away the next. Like an unseasonably warm day in March, sandwiched between storms, or your favorite TV show, cancelled after merely one excellent season.

One such cruel injustice in the chip world is the Lay's kettle-cooked lattice-cut potato chip — a beauty that left us far too soon. Lay's introduced this line in 2014 with two high-brow flavor combinations, Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt and Aged Cheddar & Black Pepper. As seasoned chip enthusiasts know, the lattice-cut design (which was probably invented by top scientists at NASA) maximizes surface area through its intricate, wafer-thin composition, resulting in a light, incredibly crispy texture. 

Despite positive reviews, these chips were discontinued just two years after their launch — and their sophisticated design may very well be the reason why. According to a comment on r/chips from a self-identified Lay's route salesman, "Lattice cut will likely never return because it's a specialty chip with the way it's designed. We would have to make a new line for it." Another commenter who said they work at Frito-Lay also said they haven't seen the chips being made recently at their plant, either. It's a painful reminder that nothing gold can stay — not even a perfectly golden, crispy potato chip.

At the very least, there are a whole lot of people who desperately hope the lattice-cut will one day make a comeback. A thread on r/chips titled "I miss these. Anyone know where they can be found?" racked up dozens of comments from fans who'd forgotten they ever existed, reopening old wounds. "I completely forgot these existed and now I miss them terribly," expressed one commenter. Multiple people went so far as to call it the best chip they'd ever had. And as one grieving fan put it: "Whoever said 'it is better to have loved and have lost, than to never have loved at all' never had these chips."

In the meantime, we thankfully have many other Lay's flavors to choose from to fill the lattice-shaped hole in our stomachs. Not to mention the international Lay's flavors, which offer plenty of unique options. Until the fateful day the lattice-cut Lay's are restocked again, we'll be eating the same-old Sour Cream & Onion and praying for their glorious return.