August 21, 2013: Upscale French Fries
It’s no wonder French fries have been a staple of fast-food and family restaurants for decades. They’re a profitable menu item since potatoes are cheap and fries are relatively easy to make. But the New York Daily News reports fries are going upscale, both in taste and in price.
The Daily News says fancy fries are showing up at upscale restaurants throughout New York City. Partly justifying the higher prices (servings of upscale fries typically sell for between $7 and $12), these potatoes are pricier to prepare. Some are fried in chicken or duck fat (rather than the more affordable vegetable or canola oils) or topped with truffle oil.
The new French (fry) revolution began several years ago as sweet potato fries started cropping up on restaurant menus, somehow elevating the menu status of the once-lowly fried potato. These fries are not just being offered as a side for burgers or hot dogs, either. The paper’s reporter notes how fries are being “pushed” as a table order as an accompaniment to salads.
If you own a restaurant, you should at least consider adding fancy fries to your menu. According to the article, it’s not just the fries by themselves that consumers find appealing, but rather the “broader movement of gussied-up comfort food.”