Lay’s takes its first bite into the restaurant world

The PepsiCo-owned snack brand has taken a step that other brands have tried before, with varying degrees of success — Danone being one example from quite a few years ago.

The brand has decided to take its relationship with consumers beyond the supermarket shelf, making its move into the restaurant space.

Lay’s has opened two restaurants in Madrid under the name Pilla Tortilla, with a menu built around the multinational’s iconic potato chips.

It all started with a social media boom, as users claimed they had no idea how to make a Spanish omelette, while others — including well-known chefs such as Ferran Adrià himself — pointed out that using a bag of crisps made the whole thing incredibly easy.

And true to its word, the brand has opened two physical locations in Madrid: one built around the in-store tasting experience, and another aimed at takeaway and grab-and-go consumption.

Lays da el salto al mundo de la restauración

Lays da el salto al mundo de la restauración

Lays da el salto al mundo de la restauración

The menu brings together different versions of the Spanish omelette, as well as other dishes that put Lay’s crisps in the spotlight. Alvalle, another brand within the group, also has a starring role, complementing the offer with gazpachos, salmorejo and ajoblanco.

From a brand perspective, it is an interesting exercise in stretching the consumer relationship beyond the traditional channel, creating a more direct point of contact with consumers.

The only real drawback is that a project like this requires a much broader footprint. With just two restaurants in Madrid, the initiative lacks the scale to go much further and remains, above all, a brand-building exercise.

Time will tell whether "Lay’s move into the restaurant world" is simply a branding exercise, or whether we will actually see the concept roll out across other locations.