We Tried Lay's Newest Assortment Of International Flavors And Here's Where The Chips Fall

Lay's newest line of chips fall right into my wheelhouse, making me eager to see how these three flavors stack up — since, admittedly, I'm a big fan of all things potato chips! But let me back up a bit: In the summer of 2016, my husband and I did something of a short European tour. On our way to Copenhagen, we missed our connection and ended up spending the night in Toronto with nothing more than toothbrushes, deodorant, and a complementary overnight stay in an airport hotel. It's a memory.

While there, I watched some morning television and happened to catch a segment about ketchup chips. At the time, I had never heard of such a chip, though to many Canadians, it's nearly a pantry staple. And I've become somewhat obsessed with international chips ever since. Living near Walt Disney World and having so many different types of treats at my fingertips, my love for snacks from around the world certainly gets its fill. 

No need to pack your bags, however — just look for the newest Lay's to grace the chip aisle at your local grocery store. Here's how (sorry, not sorry) I let the chips fall! 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

There are some pretty ambitious and interesting options available to Lay's customers around the world. From Canada's ketchup flavor to something a little more interesting like the grilled squid in China, there's a whole lot going on internationally that far outstretches the United States' options. With such offerings as sour cream and onion or barbecue, things don't get a whole lot crazier than pickle chips. That's why many Lay's customers — myself among them — want something that's more interesting (perhaps even international) and beyond the everyday choices.

As part of Lay's new Global Flavors, three new options are coming to your chip aisle: tzatziki, masala, and honey butter. Although you can always purchase a variety pack of international flavors from online retailers like Amazon, stopping at the grocery store to pick them up instead means you won't need to wait by the door for the delivery man.

Of the three new chips from Lay's, the honey butter — inspired by a popular flavor from Korea — was the least heavily flavored of the trio. I noticed a subtle sweetness from butter, but the honey definitely wasn't as strong as some honey butters I've made or sampled at restaurants.

The honey butter chip reminded me quite a bit more of a standard Lay's potato chip than I expected. Even still, there was more of a moist crunch when it came to biting into the chip. As the name implies, it felt like there was a coating on the chip of, well, butter. Rather than a super crisp crunch, it lost some of that bite. I noticed that loss of crunch because I mentally compared it to a typical Lay's chip crunch — the kind you always need to have a napkin nearby to help move along any crumbs — because Lay's chips seem to crumble a bit with one bite. There's very little structural integrity with the typical Lay's, except for the ones with ridges, of course.

However, if the crunchiness factor isn't as important to you, this difference won't be significant enough to even notice. Although Lay's honey butter chips has a nice taste, the sweetness to it wasn't my favorite — but I found the other two flavors far more up my alley.

Psst! Let me admit something: I enjoy gyros not for the gyro meat but for the combination of the pita and tzatziki sauce. I've been known on more than one occasion to use tzatziki sauce as a dip rather than a condiment. I'm absolutely obsessed with this stuff. So, when I saw tzatziki was among the flavored offerings in this global collection, I was like: Yes! And I was certain this would become a mainstay snack in my home — and I was right. After crunching into only a few chips, I could hear my taste buds thanking me out loud. My eyes might have even rolled into the back of my head — just a little. 

Lay's purports that the tzatziki has a yogurt base to it with lemon, dill, and garlic present in the tzatziki as well. Although I definitely got the authentic tzatziki taste I hoped for, I didn't feel like it had a yogurt base. On the other hand, I found dill to be a very strong presence here, and in many ways, it felt like eating a dry pita chip that had a slathering of homemade tzatziki sauce on it. Yum! While I enjoy Lay's with dips more often than not, this one doesn't need any extra flavor as it handles that completely on its own.

Of the three new Lay's chips, India's masala was the most heavily flavored. As soon as I tasted the chip, it immediately reminded me of the Frito's chili cheese corn chips I loved as a kid — but the masala chip quickly shifted to something spicier. Chili cheese felt like an interesting place to begin a masala flavoring, and considering this is meant to be a spicy offering, it also makes a whole lot of sense. Unless you are a lover of all things very spicy, you'll definitely want to approach these chips with a glass of water. While I wouldn't pair a dip with a tzatziki chip, the masala chip lends itself to something of a creamy dip to help cut through that spiciness.

When comparing masala to honey butter, I noticed an interesting duality of flavors: Honey butter is incredibly light, but masala is on the opposite side of the spectrum. Between the three globally inspired flavors, there was a little something here for chip fans of any flavor persuasion — it's like some kind of Goldilocks range of offerings, with one just right for everyone.

Lay's new flavors have their passport stamped and are coming in for a landing at your local grocery store. If potato chips are the snack of choice in your home, and you're bored of the same offerings week after week, these new flavors will definitely add some intrigue to your snacking — and, of course, to your Lay's chips repertoire. While the masala and honey butter options are interesting, the real standout here is the tzatziki. To me, it's an ideal balance of crunch, flavor, and recognizable taste. It's also the only wavy chip of the bunch, and that's a real win for my preferences.

I recommend giving these Lay's flavors a try, knowing all three probably won't suit everyone's taste. Still, it might make for a fun culinary exploration to sample each bag. Here's a thought: Why not host your own Lay's tzatziki, masala, and honey butter taste test with friends? And you might want to put a notification in your phone — because flavor drops like these come with one certainty: They don't stay in stores for long. So go enjoy while you can!