Why McDonald's won fries

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Why McDonald's won fries

Рет қаралды 260,886

Күн бұрын

Fry domination. But how?
More info and sources at bottom.
Find me elsewhere:
Instagram: / philedwardsinc
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Where I get my music (Free trial affiliate link):
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My camera, as of February 2022 (affiliate link):
amzn.to/3HDcWVz
My main lens: amzn.to/3IteXEK
My main light: amzn.to/3pjO0M8
My main light accessory: amzn.to/3M6eL0j
This was a super booky one. So here’s some books with little capsule reviews. They’re all affiliate links, which means I will make a fortune from your purchases of fry-based books.
Also, have you ever heard of Burger Chef? I had not - but it was so popular! Crazy.
Behind the Arches: amzn.to/47keWyY
The top book - super well reported, at least by appearances. Nails the fry issue (to a degree of complexity I barely covered). It also gets into all the other ways McDonalds optimized stuff, from the McD bros using modified multimixers to mix shakes faster, to beef bargaining. I really should have figured out a way to fit Fred Turner into this video - he’s very much the…I dunno, Jesse to Kroc’s Walter White.
Grinding It Out: amzn.to/49fRg0F
Ray Kroc’s opus to Ray Kroc. I guess I could have interrogated more whether Kroc was telling the truth about his fry obsession, but it seemed pretty confirmed by Behind the Arches. It was a fun book. I think The Founder had to sell him short a bit for storytelling purposes, but all this research made me respect Kroc a lot more.
The Burger King: amzn.to/3MqbVoQ
Not gonna lie, this memoir is not as good as Kroc’s. McLamore, well, he seems like a more well-rounded human being but a less interesting burger-preneur. It’s kind of a bummer how Pillsbury buys them and they end up in corporate purgatory. Nevertheless, it’s interesting just because you don’t know anything about BK’s origins before it.
JR Simplot: A Billion the Hard way: amzn.to/3QOZPIF
Good well done book - bit of a hagiography to be sure, which might be fine. It is very niche in that you have to be a Simplot obsessive to be into this imho.
Dave’s Way: amzn.to/45XfPN2
I just searched this one for the fry trivia, and he mentions how his successor was a fry obsessive.
Franchising: The Business Strategy that Changed The World: amzn.to/46YTfEV
I just read the McDonald’s chapter, but I read it first and it was a good starting point. I’m probably gonna read the rest of the book to mine for ideas for this series. Some reviewers point out that it’s a bit puffy of a book, but that can be fine if it’s a starting point.

Пікірлер: 708

@jinn194 9 ай бұрын

The irony is in parts of Asia, McDonalds still does their own version of shake-em up fries called "Shaker fries". Currently the most sought after flavour is seaweed shaker fries, but it's definitely a major selling point whenever that period rolls around.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

wow i had no idea

@skullies3580 9 ай бұрын

meh here in my country in asia it's kinda of a seasonal thing happeing 1-2 times a year

@UDIBro 9 ай бұрын

In Australia they've done a lot of shaker bag chips, the best of which being the cheeseburger shaker bag chips. I fucking dream of them. It's my Mulan sauce yknow

@jncssl 9 ай бұрын

Same in Europe, here in Spain they currently have the "McShaker Fries Sour Cream"; they also have potato wedges that are very popular called "Patatas Deluxe (deluxe fries)". And, in other European countries they have a second fries type as well (in addition to the standard global McDonalds fries), in Germany they have curly fries, in France wavy fries

@triadwarfare 9 ай бұрын

In the Philippines, it's marketed as "Shake Shake Fries". I just stopped going there since they raised prices. Also, standard offerings are Cheese flavor and BBQ. LTM is Honey Butter

@alecgolas8396 9 ай бұрын

I feel like the scent of McDonald's fries has also been optimized. Sometimes I'll be driving past a McDonald's, take a whiff of their fries smell they're pumping out, and next thing I know I'm in the drive through ordering 2 McChickens and a large fry.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

just walked across the street from one and experienced this!

@DrGooseDuckman 9 ай бұрын

So true lol. BK also does this, or used to. Except instead of spudy goodness, it was more like faux flame, msg, and shame.

@ruiz1871 9 ай бұрын

Living abroad, in a rural area for over a couple years. 6 months in, I visited the capital city of the country, smelled McDonald’s fries and ordered some and ate them and immediately started weeping from homesickness. The comfort and familiarity of the stupid McDonald’s franchise unleashed it all at once.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

@@ruiz1871aww

@herzogsbuick 9 ай бұрын

my band was in a battle of the bands years ago. the event wanted someone to sell food, so i decided to bring my hot plate and make...something, i forget what, but whatever it was i chose it so i could saute onions, confident the irresistible waft would seal our win handily. we lost, of course. there was also a break in a song where we played minigolf and pushed a vacuum around on stage, taking those acts very seriously. to this day i stand by those decisions.

@chaseism 9 ай бұрын

Constantly impressed with your ability to find topics I didn't think I was interested in and you single handedly making me extremely interested in it. Great job...now I'm hungry!

@skullies3580 9 ай бұрын

he is almost as good as Vsauce but tbh no one can beat Vsauce

@SayAhh 9 ай бұрын

Supposedly from McDonald's FAQ in 2021: “When our suppliers partially fry our cut potatoes, they use an oil blend that contains beef flavouring.” “This ensures the great-tasting and recognisable flavour we all love from our World Famous Fries. The fries are cooked in our kitchens, seasoned with salt, and served hot to you.”

@GauravSharma2106 9 ай бұрын

exception being India. I hope someone does a blind taste test between American and Indian McDonald's fries and see if they can spot a difference

@matt45540 9 ай бұрын

Supposedly? You lead with that and Phil got to it at the end. Don't post some Twitter comment here

@catatonicbug7522 9 ай бұрын

@@matt45540he never mentioned beef flavored oil in the video. Only that beef tallow used to be the oil they used, but switched to vegetable oil later.

@toobigtofit3584 9 ай бұрын

@@matt45540 He did not touch upon the use of a beef flavoring - he touched upon the use of beef tallow and how they switched away from beef tallow. The "beef flavoring" was only used after the switch away from beef tallow to (I believe) vegetable oil. As far as I understand it, the flavoring itself doesn't contain beef, but it does contain milk products making it vegetarian, but not vegan.

@SayAhh 9 ай бұрын

@@matt45540 Phil liked the comment. Also, beef tallow and beef flavoring are 2 different things. Twitter comment? It's literally still on the official McDonald's website, hence the quotation marks: "March 04, 2021" "Yes. When our suppliers partially fry our cut potatoes, they use an oil blend that contains beef flavoring. This ensures the great-tasting and recognizable flavor we all love from our World Famous Fries®. The fries are cooked in our kitchens, seasoned with salt, and served hot to you. Still curious? Find out everything you want to know about McDonald's World Famous Fries®"

@PsRohrbaugh 9 ай бұрын

I worked at Frito-Lay for 5 years, and it's interesting to see the difference between chips and fries. Even though they're both fried potatoes, there's a lot of differences with all parts of the process. As an example - potatoes were not left to "season", instead the goal was to to from a potato being in the ground, to a chip on store shelves, in under 24 hours. This is likely because chips don't have an "inside" due to how thin they are, while fries have to be properly cooked both inside and out. Frito-Lay also developed their own varieties of potatoes to try and get a competitive advantage - IE they use a potato the competition is unable to buy. Anyway, it was cool to see how fries compared.

@ThunderSims 9 ай бұрын

Nice

@ryanortega1511 9 ай бұрын

Of course, in the UK, fries are called "chips".

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

interesting!

@JensPilemandOttesen 9 ай бұрын

Video that!

@unsoundmethodology 9 ай бұрын

My uncle Bill was a potato farmer in southern Idaho, and back in the 1980s had a big contract with J R Simplot; he was very proud that McDonald's (and Burger King) locations the world over used his (in some sense) potatoes for making fries. (He passed away some time ago, and I'm not sure if his son still supplies Simplot.)

@NazriB 9 ай бұрын

Lies again? Grab Food USD SGD

@TheAverageBearz 9 ай бұрын

Fries for a dime is such a crazy thing to think about. Sure, 10 cents was worth a lot more but its wild to think you could pay for a meal with just a couple coins.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

and a whopper for 39 cents!!

@Cyber_Chriis 9 ай бұрын

@@PhilEdwardsInc that's so insane...

@MinneapolisRaven 9 ай бұрын

A silver dime from back then is worth $2.17 today, everything is the same, but the dollar is worth less. That's why ending the gold or silver standard is so bad for individuals, but awesome for banks and governments.

@eltigre0320 9 ай бұрын

Visit Japan! Plenty of meals to be had under 500yen so you can use a 500yen coin to pay or a few 100s!

@Stars-Mine 9 ай бұрын

@@MinneapolisRaven It was very good for individuals. Low amounts of inflation is not a bad thing, wild swings are.

@developingtank 9 ай бұрын

10/10 LOL on the shot where you continue to talk into the freezer, but the angle has moved to point out how ridiculous talking into the freezer truly is. 🤣

@kylecameron3459 9 ай бұрын

As a Google Reviewer this is a great example of why I think McDonalds is "King of the 3 Star". They weren't going for just greatness, they were going for consistency above everything else. It's why you don't get those highs and lows you get from other franchises. Sure you may have a particular individual McDonalds that is good because of a good manager or customer service, but the company as a whole strives for the quality and condition of everything to be the same. Not just average, but greatness through consistency.

@andrepoiy1199 8 ай бұрын

Yeah, some franchises like KFC can really be hit or miss. I've been to some absolutely disgusting KFCs but also some that were very very clean and nice. Meanwhile, McDonald's, outside of very limited cases, are always clean, nice, and always have washrooms open to the public.

@kgpz100 8 ай бұрын

"As a Google reviewer..." You mean, an average Joe? Quite literally anyone with a Google account can leave a review lol.

@kaitlyn__L 9 ай бұрын

Man, Satisfries were my favourite non-Five Guys fry tbh. I was sad when it got replaced with “chicken fries”, basically just long nuggets. And now they’re only in overwhelming Dorito flavour form!! You’re 100% right, BK is a marketing and brand deal company first and foremost.

@aerokas4817 9 ай бұрын

Hello again! Speaking as someone whose worked in a fish and chip caravan, the oil definitely changes the taste! The use of beef fat/tallow adds a more complex flavour and just tastes better. This was interesting for us as living in rural nz, most places got their chips from the same supplier, however we always had repeat customers because they "just taste better". It does make it a lot more dangerous when it comes to cleaning and changing the oil out however. This is because at room temperature the beef fat is a solid. Meaning to change the oil it needs to be hot. Whereas with vegetable oil, its always a liquid. Then there's the obvious fact that beef fat isn't vegan/vegetarian friendly. (Some vegetarians it seems to be a hot topic of debate! So we always needed to check *just incase*)

@bryanbooneart 9 ай бұрын

I'm really enjoying watching your channel grow and your production expand naturally. I like the way you put your personality into things and the little silly touches or funny asides. Keep it up!

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

thank ya!

@haji2nd444 9 ай бұрын

This is very well researched and really well done. Your sort of mini-documentaries are always so much fun to watch, like that one about Standard gas stations.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

thanks!

@Aragon1500 9 ай бұрын

As someone who shares a birthday with Mcdonalds I'm glad someone appreciates the logistics of fast food

@ilRosewood 9 ай бұрын

There is a whole industry full of people are are obsessed with these things.

@foxtrotdeltausn4757 9 ай бұрын

My first (3) stop(s) upon graduating boot camp after nothing but galley food for 8 weeks was Burgerking for a double whopper with bacon and cheese, Wendy's for a large Frosty, and McDonalds for a large fry. I ate with my family and shortly after regretted it. Going from a low fat high protein diet, to that, wrecked my insides, but it was everything I dreamed of food wise.

@DelayInBlockProductions 8 ай бұрын

Ken, you are, by far, my favorite KZfaqr. The way to tell stories… Your sense of humor… and editing. Simply… the best.

@periodictableoftheelements 9 ай бұрын

Fun fact: In studying the science of picky eaters, researchers have found almost no one who doesn't like french fries.

@skeven0 9 ай бұрын

As a Belgian im offended by calling them french fries, the only reason why they are called "french fries" is due to a vendor who spoke french, but that vendor was from the french speaking part of Belgium, in any town/city and parish you will find atleast one small independant Fries shop , thats how serious we are about our fries and 8 out of 10 of those are atleased qualified by a "degree" of mastering the skill of making fries (that plaque they display either at the entrance of the shop or the window)

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

i respect your people

@skeven0 9 ай бұрын

at the 9:50 part of the video you spoke of vegetable or beef tallow way of frying, i can confirm there is a different taste in that

@Game_Hero 9 ай бұрын

@@PhilEdwardsInc Glory to Wallonia

@ecmarsenal 9 ай бұрын

The editing was so good, i don't know the last time I was so concentrated on a video

@lohphat 9 ай бұрын

They contain sugar so they caramelize. My first job? McDonalds. 1981. We used to use beef tallow then it was changed to hydrogenated vegetable oil. Big mistake. I know too much.

@jim76356 9 ай бұрын

You never fail at giving us a story that we didn’t know we wanted. Love your channel. It’s just so interesting!

@MakeSomething 9 ай бұрын

The research and production on this was phenomenal. So good.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

hey thanks a lot!

@ryanortega1511 9 ай бұрын

Who was swinging the camera?

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

@@ryanortega1511a robot! unnamed thus far

@0o0ification 9 ай бұрын

I loved this piece! A comprehensive and deconstructive case study, with logistics and culinary chemistry too 😄

@pattykcake 6 ай бұрын

This video just got recommended to me out of the blue. you are an excellent video essayist! Subscribed!

@jonathandevries2828 9 ай бұрын

J.J. McCullough just released a video talking about mcdonalds fries like an hour ago! so weird when that happens!

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

fry zeitgeist!

@richardrude2819 8 ай бұрын

Damn, that shot of the fries in the fridge with the McD logo shining through the packaging is so good! Also the video is as well but that shot I just had to rewind and watch as a still frame :D

@justinblin 9 ай бұрын

The lesson I learned from this video is that McDonalds French fries are like cooking meth

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

you learned well

@Game_Hero 9 ай бұрын

Love how this still feels like a simple personal channel on the best most quirky subjects and that you take the time to have fun with everyone in the comments.

@jwillisbarrie 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for adding actual captions for the Deaf.

@I_Love_Learning 9 ай бұрын

Weird Sidenote: If you walked all the way up the Simplot hill on Halloween, you would get a signed dollar coin from Simplot himself.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

this hill is very mythological to me. i need to go to boise and visit it and the standard station

@ryanortega1511 9 ай бұрын

Oh! I see what you did there.

@I_Love_Learning 9 ай бұрын

@@ryanortega1511 I really don't know what you are referring to.

@ryanortega1511 9 ай бұрын

It's a reference to the previous video. He's probably planning a second trip at this very moment.

@I_Love_Learning 9 ай бұрын

@@ryanortega1511 Well yes, I understand that there is a Standard pretty close to the Simplot hill, but Simplot is also close to the Simplot hill

@ljphoenix4341 9 ай бұрын

Always enjoy Phil's videos, this is a great one! It's something you never think about, yet is vital to McD's.

@luke-kz2mv 9 ай бұрын

just watched the new jj McCullough video and this vid pops up in my recommended, good timing!

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

fry fate!

@Game_Hero 9 ай бұрын

you like that Mcdude?

@phamwoaw 9 ай бұрын

I'm half way through the video and the productions value in terms of how this is so try boarded is awesome. I noticed it a few videos ago, but it's noticibly better now.

@feller6766 9 ай бұрын

I would have never expected to see Gary Oldman star in a Phil Edwards McDonald's essay

@chrisblake4198 9 ай бұрын

"...happened for all different food types, not just fries." Yeah? Then explain why the shake machines always break down Phil! (j/k I already know the answer, Johnny Harris made a decent video on it. Though it's always great fun to see someone explain how he got it wrong, if that is the case) On a more relevant note, you got me thinking that the drive for consistency is actually a story that plays out on the small scale for a lot of us. That ever elusive quest to make a dish "like mom used to make" is something most of us have been through. I know I could be in her kitchen, using her stuff, with her there to spot me, and I still wouldn't be able to get it quite the same, so it says a lot for how fast food places manage such a track record.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

i agree with your consistency observation! a fun shake related tidbit i wanted to fit in - you know how they mix the mcflurry with the spoon itself? the mcdonald brothers actually modified a kroc multimixer to mix straight in the cup - it was one of the things that impressed him!

@chrisrosenkreuz23 9 ай бұрын

Should we tell him? You're not supposed to thaw frozen fries yo... Just fry em directly out the freezer. Otherwise they just soak up loads of oil and get mushy.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

ha i meant the ones in my office freezer

@labattomy 9 ай бұрын

I love McDonalds fries, but only when they are fresh. They just taste better. I have returned them if they were too soggy. I have resorted to ordering them with no salt so they usually come out fresh, but without salt they are not as good tasting. I do the same with a burger, order extra onions or something, seems to work for always getting fresh. I also remember growing up in Syracuse, NY, on Erie blvd there was an original McDonalds, stainless steel box with no seats inside. Large lighted M’s on the side. No one stepped up to preserve the building so they demolished it. I had a piece of the yellow plastic from one M for years.

@grafkirk 9 ай бұрын

As an Idahoan I feel so seen 🥔 Also fun fact: the Simplot Hill is massive and kids come from all over Boise to sled down it in the winter

@Thomas_TdK 9 ай бұрын

in the Netherlands you don't go to mac donalds for the fries, if you want some real fries you go to your local snackbar.

@dennis1954 9 ай бұрын

In the late 50’s or very very early 60’s the potatoes were in bags with guys sitting and peeling them then running the peeled potatoes through a fry cutter that was attached to the wall. There were windows on three sides of the building so it was possible to watch the guys cook burgers and fry potatoes. Everybody (guys) was dress in white uniforms. The menu was simple and I think the burgers were 19¢. Today fries taste wise are not the same as back in the tallow days.

@Garbimba1900 9 ай бұрын

This just got me thinking how some organisms adapt perfectly and require no change. I think people could relate more to fries, instead. Like, now I can explain people how something achieved perfection and there's little room for improvement after that. Sure, you can innovate in other areas, but it's that, in other areas. Thanks, Phil!

@niewazneniewazne1890 9 ай бұрын

I haven't been to mcDonalds in years. But last time I were their fries are usually cold, have 0 salt on them and a texture that doesn't belong on fries. mcDonalds is like someone has been described what food tastes like to a person without taste buds + scent sense and we're eating the recreations

@gonnfishy2987 8 ай бұрын

Great insight. Sadly, very accurate

@lukerinderknecht2982 9 ай бұрын

Working at McDonald's in highschool in Canada, ca. 2001, we still used lard to cook the fries. Many vegetarians thought the fries were safe to eat...

@PeidosFTW 9 ай бұрын

7:08 laughed way too much at this bit

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

gotta keep perspective

@jannetteberends8730 9 ай бұрын

Strange that the portions are so small. I’m from the Netherlands, and based on videos about the usa USA I learned that the portions in the USA are way larger than in Europe. But the fries of McDonald is an exception. A Dutch or Belgian portion of fries is everywhere on average 3 or 4 times more than a McDonald portion. And it’s also easy to find places where they are tastier.

@MrHornback 9 ай бұрын

This video deserves a McDonald's sponsorship because most of us are about to go buy those fries. Well done, Phil. ( the video, not the fries )

@pdubsweir3 9 ай бұрын

I love how you covered this. Too often chefs push their own culinary biases in favor of freshness. This is one of the cases where food science makes total sense.

@Bc232klm 9 ай бұрын

Fresh is still better, this is just what it took to capitalize at a massive scale. Frozen isn't better, just more efficient.

@Game_Hero 9 ай бұрын

who can blame them?

@aolson1111 9 ай бұрын

@@Bc232klm No, fresh isn't better for fries. Fresh gives you In n Out's shitty fries. Any good fry needs to be double fried. Freezing the fries between the two frys ensures that they don't get overcooked. Also, the moisture in the fry turns into jagged ice crystals that destroys the potato's cell structure, turning the interior from gummy to fluffy. Freezing is a legitimate cooking tool with many uses. Another example is freezing fish so that you don't get infested with parasites when you eat it raw. Only people who don't know anything about cooking say that freezing is inherently bad.

@johnjames8707 9 ай бұрын

Ingredients: McDonald fries Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [wheat And Milk Derivatives]*), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (maintain Color), Salt. *natural Beef Flavor Contains Hydrolyzed Wheat And Hydrolyzed Milk As Starting Ingredients.

@Dr.Quarex 9 ай бұрын

Fancy Longs was basically memespeak in the 1970s, nice

@laurabowles 9 ай бұрын

Sat down at my computer with my McDonald's drive-through and opened KZfaq. When I saw this video I knew it had to be the first one I watched. Great work as always!

@the.original.throwback 6 ай бұрын

While going to college in the mid 1960s I worked at a food processing plant in Prosser, Washington that processed and packaged millions of tons of frozen russet potato French fries for multiple brands, including McDonalds. The in house USDA inspector made sure our products met federal food standards, the highest of which was USDA Grade A quality. However, a McDonalds quality inspector was always on hand, examining every phase of manufacturing and packaging when we were processing their French fries, to make sure they met McDonalds standards which were far higher than even USDA Grade A. The McDonalds inspectors were very thorough and any batch of fries that did not meet McDonald's extremely high standards were rejected and packaged under other labels. Your video about McDonalds French fry history explains why only McDonalds provided their own quality control inspector rather than simply relying on the USDA inspection to ensure quality.

@meeseeeeks 6 ай бұрын

Disappointed that this video didn’t include any commentary or discussion on McD’s use of beef tallow. I was looking forward to that part! 🍟😌

@englanddg6227 6 ай бұрын

Your stuff keeps getting better and better.

@dodaexploda 9 ай бұрын

This is just amazing. As a fry nerd this hits home.

@Slurkz 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Phil! Such a joy to watch. 💜

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

thank ya!

@michaelhannell4083 9 ай бұрын

They won the fry war but they lost the ice cream war bc that damn ice cream machine is always broken

@aerotheepic 9 ай бұрын

7:08 the shot from behind of you talking into the freezer was unnecessary but I appreciate you putting it in lmao 🤣

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

i just felt honesty was required. never forget there's a middle aged man talking into a freezer.

@aerotheepic 9 ай бұрын

@@PhilEdwardsInc true, KZfaq needs more honest camera angles lol

@Acerdmen 9 ай бұрын

And yet another excellent video. You're slowly becoming one of my top 5 KZfaqrs to consume content from!

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

hey thanks!

@Future_Doggo 9 ай бұрын

Imo, out of the big chains, Wendy's has the most GOAT'D fries. No one can convince me otherwise.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

including dipping in frosty imho

@englanddg6227 6 ай бұрын

I was snarky on the first or second video (I forget), but man.... You really are great at this! Keep it coming!

@pamartin 6 ай бұрын

The consistency of process being key reminds me of when I was in a bar in the early 80's. An Anheiser Busch sales rep came in with a couple of other AB reps and proclaimed that he was buying as long as you were drinking an AB product, you know, Bud, Busch, etc. I, being young/dumb and stubborn, stayed with my current brand (shout out to Genesee Brewing, if you know, you know), but I spoke with him about AB and he said they put exceptional effort into Budweiser brewing so that the Bud you buy on the east coast tastes like the one on the west coast and everywhere in between. The "sub" brands of AB will vary depending where you are, but Budweiser is gonna be consistent across the board. Make no mistake, they knew what bought the butter for their bread and they were going to insure that quality nationwide. The clown did the same thing with fries. Just good business. That was 40 years ago. I'm sure (😉) quality across the board has risen to support all AB brands. Maybe... I do miss the beef fat flavor imparted to the fries, alas.

@Team974 8 ай бұрын

What about injecting them with beef extract?

@_MaxHeadroom_ 9 ай бұрын

8:06 the chart shows McDonald's and Burger King not McDonald's and Pillsbury

@wilsonli5642 5 ай бұрын

McDonald's fries definitely has the most cultural cachet of any fast food restaurant, but it seems to me that if they were really winners, others would imitate them. But from what I've seen, nobody else cuts their fries just like McDonald's, in that sort of in-between thickness between shoelace fries and the fries you'd see at a typical, non-corporate local restaurant. I think Wendy's is probably the best example of that style of fries in both thickness and crispiness, even though it seems like very few people actually talk about their fries.

@vanguard812-vf7hr 9 ай бұрын

lol it should be location dependant because every time I go to McDo its pretty bad because its soft, salt is always inconsistant and oily. In & Out dominates CA because of that. In fact BK taste much like you said discribe. I don't know about other locations because I went zero carbs since then. If I wanted to try fries again I would just get In & Out or BK.

@Mauissbu 7 ай бұрын

Wow I'm like 10 minutes from that hill at the end, cool stuff if you want to look into the hill itself. Locals here have fun on it all the time, but as far as I know its a private hill and not a park, and the house on top was demolished in 2016. Its maintained by the Simplot family, the grass alone takes $100,000 a year to keep cut.

@likebot. 9 ай бұрын

McDonalds is why I stopped eating fries almost 50 years ago.

@gjunky1513 8 ай бұрын

Mcky Ds fries, BK Wropper, and Wendy's Frosty is my perfect combo meal.

@possiblyadog 9 ай бұрын

J.J. McCullough just uploaded a video called "Why is "fast food" burgers, fries, and chicken?" With how close the uploads were, I swear it was gonna be a crossover! Even if not, I hope they migrate over here once they're done. You work always deserves more attention 😁

@gabriellegeorge2648 9 ай бұрын

Came here after JJ's video. Agreed!

@Game_Hero 9 ай бұрын

You like that guy?

@HLR4th 9 ай бұрын

All those McDonalds and BK pictures brought back so many childhood memories…interesting and concerning what a big part fast food was! A video idea came to mind: Lines. McDonalds always had a few lines, each going to a cashier. Burger King had a single line snaking around to a single cashier. I loved the whopper (love onion rings!) but hate the single line- always seemed longer. I’d imagine there’s design philosophy behind the choice, efficiency, personnel issues, as well as “hosting” concepts. I noticed many stores have moved to the single line, sometimes then feeding multiple cashiers (Michael’s, Bed Bath and Beyond when they had stores, World Imports (god, I don’t shop much, but clearly think too much about it!). I’d love to see your take on Lines!

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

i have added to my list! every once in a while i try to look that up (they call it queuing theory- but i never considered a more historical look)

@HLR4th 9 ай бұрын

@@PhilEdwardsInc Ten year old me standing frustrated in the BK line all those decades ago thanks you!

@Keith.Zielinski 9 ай бұрын

The Ronald McAngel was my favorite! 😂

@RefnRes 9 ай бұрын

I have no idea why KZfaq is recommending me a Gary Oldman lookalike but I'm glad they did.

@SamAronow 9 ай бұрын

Why is everyone suddenly making videos about McDonald's and fast food in general? You, JJ McCullough, and Joshua Weissman all in one week.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

haha similar health decline videos forthcoming...

@Bacopa68 9 ай бұрын

I watched JJ's video right before this one.

@davidhildreth 9 ай бұрын

Growing up in Boise kids would go sledding on Simplot Hill or in the summer slide down on blocks of ice. They tried to give the house to the state at one point to be a governor's mansion, they didn't want it.

@PsRohrbaugh 9 ай бұрын

My hometown had a Burger King right next to the McDonald's. It was a routine for me to get a Whopper, then McDonald's fries. The Burger King closed last year after 30 years in business due to damage from Hurricane Ian. Ah well.

@Game_Hero 9 ай бұрын

how didn't the McDonald's not suffer from Hurrican Ian as well?

@PsRohrbaugh 9 ай бұрын

@@Game_Hero It was. Pretty sure they're both franchises, right? So one owner thought it made more sense to rebuild while the other thought it made more sense to talk away.

@xliquidflames 9 ай бұрын

Oh my gosh I hate McDonald's fries and always have. They're gross, soggy, limp, and oily. I have never understood why people like them. Yeah, that's not the point of this one but I couldn't help it.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

wow strong take - but i respect your opinion

@highnoon9333 9 ай бұрын

I am surprised that there is a shared association for both potatoes and onions

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

there are many!

@mattbosley3531 9 ай бұрын

Ugh! I've tried fries at many different restaurants and I never liked any skinny fries. The only ones I like are the thick ones, they generally call them steak fries. Red Robin has all you can eat steak fries with their burgers.

@J.C_Hong 9 ай бұрын

@Phil Edwards I'm a potato researcher who works under a professor who developed a special potato variety for McDonalds even better that the Russet Burbank and are currently developing an even better French fry potato. If you want to know more, I'm free to give you an inside look at the world of potato science.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

i ran into a few of these articles! saw a fun video about the clearwater!

@J.C_Hong 9 ай бұрын

The clearwater russet developed by the Idaho program is a pretty good Russet, being 8th in seed production. But not far in 10th place is the Dakota Russet developed by Susie Thompson at NDSU. That one is quickly gaining steam as a Mc Fry potato in the industry. Not to mention she's been working on an even better one behind the scenes.@@PhilEdwardsInc

@jaker3151 9 ай бұрын

McDonald's fries are at their most tasty when they have just come out of the fryer and are still piping hot. That's when you can enjoy them without dipping sauce. But that's a rarity as McDonald's food, because of the way they operate, is often just lukewarm. Hot food has more smell/taste and better texture.

@qntnquarantino.5762 9 ай бұрын

Why does it contain 19 ingredients then? If it's so focused on the type of potato?

@Ashley-xu1lk 9 ай бұрын

I love this shot at 7:08 because first we get a "what the viewers sees" shot and then a "What his family sees" shot lmao

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

haha i didn't realize how much i had to contort my body until i was editing that shot in

8 ай бұрын

I don't think I've ever had McDs fries. With so much food to choose from, it never crossed my mind to eat McDs.

@Biblical_Hippie 9 ай бұрын

its true that potatoes that are fried in vegetable oil instead of beef tallow are inferior. i dont know about the usa but here in belgium frying in animal fat (even horse fat) is completely normal. it adds great flavor and the increased saturated fat makes them fry better

@AcAlvin 9 ай бұрын

Well we do have curly fries here at Malaysia mcd during Jan, Feb every year because of chinese new year. Those curly fries are good.

@arthurmorgan7729 5 ай бұрын

Imagine being an expert at the Potato & Onion Association

@PhilEdwardsInc 5 ай бұрын

i imagine this every night shortly before i drift to sleep

@ItsCelestia. 5 ай бұрын

@@PhilEdwardsInc so committed to engaging with viewers that he be replying to comments 4 months after the video's release 👏

@PhilEdwardsInc 5 ай бұрын

the power of procrastination@@ItsCelestia.

@xyzrandom3981 9 ай бұрын

This was great! Thanks for the bibliography. I’m going to hit up your Patreon

@xxdesertstorm 9 ай бұрын

ngl I rather BK over McDonalds especially since this inflation McDonalds made so much smaller its not even worth going compared to the whopper which didn't

@ryanortega1511 9 ай бұрын

Yeah, when I visited the United States a few months ago, McDonald's meals were basically, like, $12.

@DrGooseDuckman 9 ай бұрын

BK had new fries in like 2010 also. Oh, and dont forget chicken fries. They actually went pretty hard lol.

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

ha yeah i had an internal debate over chicken fries but thought it was too unfair to describe as fry indecision

@DrGooseDuckman 9 ай бұрын

@@PhilEdwardsInc fair play. Considering their next step may be beef fries, fry ice cream (not fried ice cream), or potato burgers. The desperation is palpable.

@brandonguffey5959 4 ай бұрын

My dad used beef tallow in his fish and chip restaurant as that is the traditonal way to make british fish and chips and lemme tell you it makes the food taste one million times better. It's also not as bad for you as myth would have you believe.

@Tambo_Jay 9 ай бұрын

i personally prefer burger king fries. i only tried the ones in Hong Kong and Philippines. its thicker mushier inside, it has more structural integrity and it tastes more like how a potato should

@give_me_my_nick_back 9 ай бұрын

Only after mcd got popular in here we got straight fries in stores ar earlier all the fries were exclusively wavy. Straight ones were a completely exotic new idea.

@Boson_Protocol 9 ай бұрын

McDonald's is limiting ketchup

@robabiera733 9 ай бұрын

Watching you geek out over french fries and fast food history is truly a wonder to behold! Wow!

@tessat338 9 ай бұрын

I'm really glad that I watched this after a large meal or I'd be heading out to get some fries!

@RealLaone 9 ай бұрын

Never knew I'd get interested in a video about fries, or chips as we call them.

@kforknowledge4062 9 ай бұрын

Regarding choosing Simplot, deciding frozen fries was a corporate profit minded decision like choosing milkshakes instead of real milk

@MatthewHarrold 9 ай бұрын

For at least 30 years, I thought Simplot was a corporate name, not a surname. On my home island (Tasmania) Simplot have taken over the north west coast and decimated the farming community, reducing otherwise prosperous farms to commodity producers with margins thinner than a Stephen King curse in the best weather. $0.02

@PhilEdwardsInc 9 ай бұрын

oh wow