7 Fast-Food Chains That Changed Their Fries and Sparked Backlash

One of the main reasons people love fast food restaurants is consistency. You can usually go to any chain location in the country (and sometimes the world) and get the food you crave. However, occasionally restaurants attempt to revamp recipes in hopes of making an item taste better, stay fresh longer, make it healthier, or simply save money. Unfortunately, many fast food brands have learned the hard way that this strategy can majorly fail, even with an item as simple as French fries. Here are seven fast food chains that changed their fries and sparked backlash.

McDonald's

Once upon a time, from 1940 to 1990, McDonald's cooked their famous fries in beef tallow. Ever since, they have cooked them in vegetable oil with beef flavoring. While vegetarians have always complained about the meaty fries, lots of people claim the fries have never been as good as before. "I know everyone's feelings (mine included, I worked there)," writes one former employee. "I had to melt down the solid 30lb brick of white goodness into the fryer."

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A recently made a "slight adjustment" to its fry recipe, noting that the updated recipe, which will help the fry stay crispy longer while also offering the "same great taste," also "doesn't contain any of the nine major allergens." Fans were not happy. "CFA I love you more than anyone. You can do no wrong. Except the fries. Please put them back," one person commented on a post of the fries on the Chick-fil-A account. "New fries are awful — we haven't been back since we noticed the change 😢," another wrote. A third added, "Your new fries are terrible. I can't even eat them anymore and they were my favorite thing. Please go back! ❤️."

Burger King

Burger King has also tweaked their French fries recipe over the years. The first major change was in 1998, when BK started using a potato-based coating sprayed on freshly-sliced potatoes before freezing to improve crispness and heat retention. They also thickened the fries and made them less salty. Then, in 2011, they tried making them thicker, crispier, and lower in sodium. However, fans weren't thrilled. "Bk's fries took a huge nose dive," one Redditor wrote. Another said that the new fries "sucked," adding, "Anyone know why they made the change, and am I the only one who [thinks] the new fries blow?"

Steak 'n Shake

Steak 'n Shake recently announced a major change to its shoestring fries. It was inspired by the new Trump administration's Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: They are swapping out vegetable oil with beef tallow. "By March 1 ALL locations. Fries will be RFK'd!" the company declared on X. Steak 'n Shake's Chief Operations Officer, Daniel Edwards, told "Fox & Friends" that the fries were "so much better," adding, "These fries cooked in beef tallow – it's crispier, it's golden brown, it's absolutely delicious," he said. "You're going to love them when you try them. You're not going to want to ever go back to the old way of doing fries. And it's the authentic way, the original way." While many agreed the fries would taste better, customers' biggest concern was the inevitable price increase. "The funny part is, the people praising this as a 'healthy alternative' are going to be the first ones to start complaining and 'boycotting' steak and shake for increasing their prices lol. I'm all for making the things we eat healthy, but I'm also aware it'll raise the prices as companies try to offset the costs for tallow and other products," one Redditor commented.

Wendy's

In 2021, Wendy's changed its French fry recipe in hopes of attracting attention. However, they ended up getting the wrong kind of it. Wendy's "Hot & Crispy" fries were intended to stay hotter and crispier for longer than other fries. However, according to customers, the fries did so at the expense of taste. They "have a slight fried batter taste [that] made the fries taste less potato-y," wrote a reviewer from  Brand Eating.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

KFC

KFC's potato wedges, its version of fries, have been a beloved menu item for years. However, in 2020 KFC tried swapping them for a more traditional french fry. While fans liked the new fries, they weren't happy about the swap. "I think the fries are alright – perfectly fine, if nothing special – but I don't think they should've been an out-'n'-out replacement for the Potato Wedges, because they're both remarkably distinct from texture to flavor profile (regardless of both being potatoes cooked and smothered in spices, herbs and/or other edible powders)," one Redditor sounded off. "Wedges were way better! The fries are always hard and cold at the kfc near me," another wrote.

Shake Shack

Shake Shack is devoted to serving fresh food – and serving up apologies when needed. In 2014, Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti apologized for replacing the restaurant's beloved frozen crinkle-cut fries with thinner, hand-cut fries. Fans were unhappy, as the fresh fries weren't as tasty or crunchy. After only a year, the frozen fries were back on the menu.