All 24 Lay's Do Us A Flavor Finalists: The $1 Million Flavors Ranked (Including The 2025 Winner)

Lay's "Do Us A Flavor" contest has been one of the most successful and talked-about marketing campaigns in modern snack history, turning ordinary chip lovers into million-dollar flavor innovators. Since its debut in the U.S. in 2012, the competition has consistently captured the nation's curiosity, asking a simple question: What flavor should Lay's make next? The contest made a triumphant return in late 2024 after a seven-year hiatus, proving that the public's appetite for bizarre and brilliant potato chip ideas is stronger than ever. This comprehensive guide, updated for December 11, 2025, breaks down every single finalist and winner that has ever graced American shelves, culminating in the newest champion.

The campaign, which has offered a grand prize of $1 million or one percent of the flavor's net sales, has resulted in a fascinating and sometimes controversial lineup of chips. From savory breakfast staples to international street food and even dessert-inspired crunch, the "Do Us A Flavor" chips are a true snapshot of American culinary creativity. We've compiled the definitive list of all 24 finalist flavors, detailing the winners that earned their creators a life-changing payout.

The Complete List of Lay's Do Us A Flavor Winners and Finalists (2013–2025)

The Lay's "Do Us A Flavor" contest ran for four iterations (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017) before its recent blockbuster return in 2024/2025. Each year, millions of submissions were whittled down to a handful of finalists—typically three or four—which were then produced and sold nationwide for the public to vote on.

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2025 Winner: The Comfort Food Comeback

After a seven-year break, Lay’s brought the contest back in late 2024, generating massive buzz. The new batch of finalists was announced, and the public voted for the ultimate winner, which was revealed in early 2025.

• Winner: Lay's Bacon Grilled Cheese (Submitted by Paula George)
• Finalist: Lay's Valentina & Lime (A spicy, tangy Mexican-inspired flavor)
• Finalist: Lay's Wavy Korean Style Fried Chicken (A savory, sweet, and spicy international take)

The Bacon Grilled Cheese flavor, submitted by Paula George of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, took the top prize, proving that classic American comfort food remains king. The flavor beat out two other incredibly unique and modern contenders, securing the $1 million prize for its creator.

2017 Winner: The Taco Craze

The final contest before the long hiatus focused on bold, regional flavors that captured the spirit of American food trends.

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• Winner: Lay's Crispy Taco (Submitted by Ellen Sarem)
• Finalist: Lay's Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese
• Finalist: Lay's Fried Green Tomato

The Crispy Taco flavor emerged as the fan favorite, offering a complex blend of seasoned meat, cheese, and crunchy shell notes. The Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese was a particularly ambitious finalist, attempting to capture the savory, seeded, and creamy essence of the breakfast staple in a chip format.

2015 Winner: Southern Comfort and Exotic Eats

The 2015 contest expanded the finalist pool to four flavors and featured some of the most diverse and polarizing submissions in the contest's history.

• Winner: Lay's Southern Biscuits and Gravy (Submitted by Hailey Green)
• Finalist: Lay's Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries
• Finalist: Lay's Reuben
• Finalist: Lay's Gyro

The Southern-inspired Biscuits and Gravy flavor, submitted by Hailey Green, won the $1 million prize, demonstrating a clear preference for deep, savory, and regional American tastes. The Reuben and Gyro flavors brought a distinct deli and Mediterranean influence, respectively, while Truffle Fries introduced a gourmet, upscale element to the chip aisle.

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The Most Bizarre and Controversial Do Us A Flavor Finalists

While many winning flavors were crowd-pleasers, the contest is perhaps best remembered for the finalists that pushed the boundaries of what a potato chip could be. These flavors sparked intense debate, taste-test videos, and media coverage, generating massive social media engagement and driving the contest's popularity. The intention was to challenge consumer expectations and create an unforgettable snacking experience.

The Dessert and Breakfast Chip Era

The 2014 contest, in particular, was notorious for introducing flavors that crossed the line from savory to sweet, challenging the very definition of a potato chip.

• Lay's Cappuccino (2014): Perhaps the most controversial finalist ever, this flavor attempted to capture the essence of coffee, milk, and foam, resulting in a chip that tasted like a sweet, slightly burnt breakfast item.
• Lay's Mango Salsa (2014): A fruit-based flavor that was surprisingly divisive. It offered a unique blend of sweet, tangy, and spicy notes, but many found the combination too jarring for a standard chip.
• Lay's Chicken & Waffles (2013): This flavor successfully captured the sweet and savory notes of the Southern dish, including a hint of maple syrup. It was a strong contender but ultimately fell short of the top prize.

These flavors, while not winners, became cultural touchstones, demonstrating Lay's willingness to experiment with concepts like sweet and savory chips, dessert flavors, and international cuisine.

2014 Winner: The Unexpected Triumph

The 2014 contest saw over 14 million submissions, more than three times the number in the contest's debut year. The winning flavor was an unexpected, bold choice that highlighted the public's growing taste for heat and global spices.

• Winner: Lay's Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger (Submitted by Meneko Spigner McBeth)
• Finalist: Lay's Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese
• Finalist: Lay's Cappuccino
• Finalist: Lay's Mango Salsa

The Wasabi Ginger flavor, submitted by Meneko Spigner McBeth, won the grand prize, beating out the more traditional comfort food flavors like Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese. Its success was a clear signal that consumers were ready for highly complex, spicy, and Asian-inspired chip flavors.

The Original Lay's Do Us A Flavor Contest (2013)

The campaign's first full run in the U.S. set the stage for all future contests, establishing the $1 million prize and the intense public voting structure. The initial finalists were a mix of classic American favorites and emerging food trends.

• Winner: Lay's Cheesy Garlic Bread (Submitted by Karen Weber-Mendham)
• Finalist: Lay's Chicken & Waffles
• Finalist: Lay's Sriracha

Cheesy Garlic Bread, submitted by Karen Weber-Mendham, was the inaugural winner, setting a precedent for rich, savory, and widely appealing flavors. The Sriracha finalist was also highly influential, capitalizing on the chili sauce's rising popularity and paving the way for other spicy chip offerings in the snack industry.

The Legacy of the Lay's Flavor Quest

The "Do Us A Flavor" contest, sometimes referred to as the Lay's Flavor Quest, has had a lasting impact on the snack industry. It proved the power of crowdsourcing, customer engagement, and limited-time offerings (LTOs) to generate massive media attention and sales. The campaign successfully turned the mundane act of buying chips into a national conversation.

While many winners, like Cheesy Garlic Bread and Southern Biscuits and Gravy, were eventually retired, the flavors live on in the memories of snack enthusiasts. The 2024 revival and the success of the new Bacon Grilled Cheese winner confirm that the formula is still a winner. Lay's continues to explore new flavor territories, from regional cuisine to global food trends, ensuring the chip aisle remains a place of delicious discovery for years to come. The contest is a masterclass in food innovation, proving that the next million-dollar idea can come from anyone, anywhere.