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Kendal Marie Urban

You’ve probably heard of, or at least seen, the four finalists in the Lay’s Do Us A Flavor Contest for 2015.

The way it works is simple. Fans submit flavor ideas, then the chip company selects a few of those flavors and opens the door for taste-testing parties around the country. After Lay’s consumers have made their choice for best flavor, they can vote online.

The overall winner secures permanent shelf life as a Lay’s product.

This year, the finalists are, um, interesting to say the least.

They include New York Reuben, Southern Biscuits and Gravy, Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries and Kettle Cooked Greektown Gyro. Four delicious meals turned chip flavor, although some didn’t successfully complete the jump from table to bag.

Four Times Leader members sacrificed time (and taste buds) to weigh in on each of the flavors.

Our testers included Jeric Foulds, Gene Axton, Matt Mattei and Joe Dolinsky. Our voting criteria was pretty basic. Tasters either loved the chip, which garnered a thumbs up, or hated the chip, earning a thumbs down.

There wasn’t one flavor liked unanimously, but the West Coast Truffle Fries and the New York Reuben tied with three votes each. Greektown Gyro and Biscuits and Gravy didn’t fare so well, only earning one thumbs up each.

We took the leftover chips to the newsroom and co-workers sampled one flavor then stopped, assuming the rest would be as bad.

Paul Sokoloski, a sports reporter and eating machine, couldn’t stomach all the flavors. He did, however, confiscate the plate of Truffle Fry chips, finishing them over the course of his night shift.

Did you try any of the flavors? Let us know what flavors you loved or hated.

Voting ends Oct. 18, so if you’re interested in trying, better get some quick.

Happy sampling.

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<div class="neCaption">The #DoUsAFlavor finalists include New York Reuben, Southern Biscuits and Gravy, Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries and Kettle Cooked Greektown Gyro.</div>
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<div class="metaInfo">https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_dousaflavor11.jpgThe #DoUsAFlavor finalists include New York Reuben, Southern Biscuits and Gravy, Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries and Kettle Cooked Greektown Gyro. @LAYS | Twitter</div>
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By Sarah Haase

<a href="mailto:shaase@www.timesleader.com">shaase@www.timesleader.com</a>

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Times Leader staffers take Lay’s taste test challenge; here’s what we decided