Chicago Tribune Business: French fries no longer such a hot potato
"Fries have been getting downsized.
The introduction of dollar menus, effects of the recession and end of supersizing have taken a toll on french fry consumption at restaurants. Sales of frozen processed potatoes to restaurants have declined by 500 million pounds since 2007, according to the United States Potato Board. And fries make up 13.2 percent of restaurant meals today, down from 14.5 percent in 2004, according to NPD Group.
But fast-food giants haven't been taking this lying down. Many have been finding ways to offset the decline in fry sales.
Oak Brook-based McDonald's Corp., the longtime king of fries, has cited breakfast business and the introduction of frappes and smoothies for helping the chain score 31 consecutive quarters of same-store sales gains. Wendy's recently launched a premium version of fries: hand-cut and sprinkled with sea salt.
While experts say french fry sales are likely to grow as the economy improves, they say consumption is unlikely to return to previous levels.
Even some of the most avid french fry consumers say they've been cutting back.
Jocelyn Geboy, of Andersonville, is a french fry aficionado. But a few years ago, she said, "I noticed I was content after a burger and a small fry, or a burger and a couple chicken nuggets and a small fry.........""
NB The Potato Museum, our mother entity, has periodically irritated the commercial potato industry, apparently, by mildly suggesting that fries, while great fun to eat, do not constitute the only way to eat the delightful, powerful spud.
Comments