Few fast-food combinations are as iconic as fries and pretty much anything else on the menu. That’s why customers go to certain chains simply to get their favorite fries, whether it’s the thick, light fries at Burger King or the wavy cut, lightly salted fries at Arby’s. But McDonald’s famous shoestring fries are an all-time winner as a cult favorite.
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So when McDonald’s made a change to one of its most beloved menu items in 1990, it didn’t get a warm response. The Golden Arches fries went from a decades-old tradition of being fried primarily in beef tallow to 100% vegetable oil. It was a health-conscious decision in the wake of a furor created by businessman Phil Sokoloff, who targeted McDonald’s as part of his anti-cholesterol crusade after suffering a heart attack in 1966. The change was made to appease Sokoloff and his National Heart Savers, but McDonald’s took a hit when people realized the fries had less meaty flavor and more trans fats. According to Atlas Obscura, McDonald’s stock fell more than 8%.
To make matters worse, McDonald’s added beef flavoring to their fries to make up for the unappetizing taste. But they weren’t transparent about the addition, angering vegetarian, vegan, and Hindu Americans who didn’t know what was being added to the fries they were eating. This series of changes led to the creation of today’s French fries, which are clearly labeled as having zero trans fat and natural beef flavor. But if you want to know exactly what’s in your food, try making your own McDonald’s fries.
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