There has been a lot of pressure on McDonald’s to shake things up in order to stay ahead of competition recently. Now, it appears the chain may be giving a makeover to the one menu item that has stayed pretty much untouched at all of its U.S. locations: the french fry.
According to Foodbeast, McDonald’s is testing DIY seasoned fries at its Stockton, CA locations, as well as at a few spots in St. Louis beginning May 9. Dubbed Shakin’ Flavor Fries, the classic fries come with a packet of powdered seasoning (Garlic Parmesan, Zesty Ranch, or Spicy Buffalo), and are meant to be tossed around in a bag with step-by-step instructions that read: 1) Pour ’em 2) Sprinkle ’em 3) Close ’em 4) Shake ’em 5) Love ’em.
Lisa McComb, a spokeswoman for the company, told USA Today, “As with all tests, we aren’t in a position to draw conclusions or make assumptions about the test, since it is just beginning.”
Photo: Oddee
While McDonald’s has stayed loyal to its iconic french fry in the U.S., the fast-food chain is no stranger to the concept of self-seasoned fries. In fact, McDonald’s menus throughout Asia have been serving up Shake Shake Fries for years. Nearly a decade ago, McDonald’s Hong Kong introduced its Shake Shake Fries, which included flavors such as BBQ, Sour Cream and Onion, Zesty Tomato, and Seaweed. McDonald’s India serves fries with a spicy Piri Piri mix.
If this move is indicative of fast-food brands taking cues from their Asian outposts, we’ll all be in luck. As we’ve discussed in the past, places like Japan, India, and Singapore consistently blow our franchises out of the water, and it would be nice to get some pineapple bun stuffed crusts and chocolate-sauce burgers stateside.