Updated: Mar. 19, 2024
You're not the only one who can't stop eating them. Ever wondered why?
Everyone knows what it’s like to eat McDonald’s french fries. As soon as you pick up the box, you get a whiff of that unmistakable frying oil scent reminiscent of drive-thru windows and fast-food counters. Also, don’t forget to get your receipt at McDonald’s, here’s why.
You grip that iconic red box with the famous arches on the front, holding a generous handful of stiff golden sticks. Then you take the first bite and hear that satisfying crunch through the crispy outer layer, with the salt so discernible you can feel it leaping onto your tongue. And then the fluffy, soft inside: some magical combination of potato that manages to taste a million times better than any fries you’ve had before.
They’re warm and satisfying, and you polish them off one by one. Before you know it, the whole box is gone. If you want to get more fries, then make sure you know about this McDonald’s French fry hack.
It makes you wonder: What do they put in McDonald’s fries to make you eat your way to the bottom of the carton? As it turns out, it’s not just one thing—it’s a spellbinding combination of things, creating a taste experience unlike any other fast-food chain’s. To make it easier to digest, we’ve broken down the secret McDonald’s recipe into three components.
How the Smell of Oil Affects the Flavor
Scientists believe our sense of smell might be responsible for up to 90% of perceived flavor. If you ever doubt this statistic, just think about how unappetizing food seems when you have a cold and your nose is blocked.
Without that delicious aroma, McDonald’s french fries wouldn’t taste as good. This smell—and the taste that comes with it—is almost exclusively from the oil in which the fries are cooked.
Like most fried foods, McDonald’s fries are cooked in canola oil. But this didn’t used to be the case. Beef tallow was initially used because the supplier for the chain couldn’t afford vegetable oil.
As health concerns over saturated fat grew in the 1990s, McDonald’s finally made the switch to vegetable oil. Unfortunately, customers noticed that the fries didn’t taste how they used to. To mimic the chain’s original oil blend, the oil is laced with natural flavoring to replicate that mouthwatering smell.
In other words, the delicious scent we know and love is actually the smell of potatoes cooked in beef fat, an aroma so powerful it makes the fries seem even tastier! Have leftover? Here’s how to reheat McDonald’s fries at home.
Salt, Sugar and Fat
The smell might get you to take that first bite, but it’s the taste that brings you back for more. While homemade french fries don’t require much more than salt, potatoes and oil, McDonald’s has mastered the art of combining ingredients to bring that treasured sensation to the finished product. The main players? Salt, sugar and fat.
Including one or two of those in a recipe makes it good, but having all three sends it over the top. The perfect equilibrium of these ingredients is known as the “bliss point.”
American market researcher and psychophysicist, Howard Moskowitz, stated that a “bliss point” is the point where the levels of saltiness, sweetness and richness are perceived as being just right. Within the food industry, this combination created a wave of craveable and addicting foods.
Eating those tasty McDonald’s fries even releases dopamine in your brain, the neurotransmitter that triggers feelings of pleasure. So how does McDonald’s do it? In addition to frying and seasoning the fries, McDonald’s coats them in dextrose, a form a sugar.
The Right Potatoes
The crunch, or more specifically the mouthfeel, is the way something feels as you eat it. How hard is it to break with your teeth? What does the texture feel like on your tongue? Everyone judges mouthfeel differently, but McDonald’s has clearly found one that appeals to most of us.
The most common potatoes used for McDonald’s fries include the Russet Burbank, Russet Ranger, Umatilla Russet and the Shepody. These potatoes are known for being fluffy on the inside while still maintaining a crunch on the outside.
Their website states that “The suppliers we work with first peel, cut and blanche the potatoes. They then dry, partially fry and quickly freeze the fries for our restaurants. Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them.”
Maybe that’s what separates McDonald’s fries from others in the fast-food industry; knowing what customers love about their fries and delivering seamlessly every time.When you put all those details together, it’s no mystery why these fries are addictive.
Want to learn more secrets about this classic chain? Check out McDonald’s secret menu.
FAQs
Eating those tasty McDonald's fries even releases dopamine in your brain, the neurotransmitter that triggers feelings of pleasure. So how does McDonald's do it? In addition to frying and seasoning the fries, McDonald's coats them in dextrose, a form a sugar.
Is McDonald's chemically addictive? ›
Other than the natural “chemical” content of McDonald's food, there is no chemical additive in them. What makes McD's food so addictive is the fat content in all of its foods. Fat content increases flavor in foods.
What is the secret ingredient behind the addictive flavor of McDonald's fries? ›
On its website, McDonald's explains that when its “suppliers partially fry our cut potatoes, they use an oil blend that contains beef flavoring.”
Why are McDonald's fries so much better? ›
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?
Does McDonald's put sugar on their fries? ›
Originally Answered: Why does McDonald's add sugar to their fries? The real reason, is that the sugar caramelizes during cooking, giving better color and a little more crunchiness to the fries. They don't add the sugar directly, but bathe the fries in sugar water before frying, so it only gives a very light film.
What makes McDonald's fries so addicting? ›
Eating those tasty McDonald's fries even releases dopamine in your brain, the neurotransmitter that triggers feelings of pleasure. So how does McDonald's do it? In addition to frying and seasoning the fries, McDonald's coats them in dextrose, a form a sugar.
What does McDonald's do to your body? ›
Such risks include obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and various cardiovascular conditions. This is because most fast food is high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, trans fats, processed ingredients, and calories. It is also generally low in antioxidants, fiber, and many other nutrients.
What are the 14 ingredients in McDonald's fries? ›
French Fries
Ingredients: 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.
What do they put in McDonald's to make it addictive? ›
Fast Food Addiction and Obesity
The same ingredients in fast food that could trigger a food addiction – fat, high fructose corn syrup and other sugars, refined carbs and sodium – appear to disrupt the body's cycle of insulin regulation.
Who has better fries than McDonald's? ›
Burger King
In the fast-food battle between McDonald's and Burger King, there is no doubt who reigns supreme when it comes to french fries. The Burger King fries were superior on all levels. They were a thicker cut, lightly browned and perfectly crisp.
Interestingly, there is no MSG (Monosodium Glutamate.) Next on the list are more additives to make the fries appear perfect and golden, and good ol' salt for flavour.
Why do McDonald's fries get soggy so fast? ›
McDonald's, of course, has the best soggy fries. Its thick paper carton, liberally greased with canola-blend oil, creates the ideal environment for sogginess to fester. Each order is a sog lottery—you never know how many you're going to get, how salty they'll be, whether they're long and thin or short and squat.
Why is McDonald's co*ke so good? ›
McDonald's ensures the quality of its Coca-Cola by meticulously cleaning the fountains with filtered water. Additionally, they take extra steps by chilling the co*ke syrup, which helps maintain higher carbon dioxide levels, ensuring the drink stays carbonated for a longer duration, according to People.com.
Does McDonald's use real fries? ›
Yep. The most common potatoes we use for McDonald's fries include the Russet Burbank, Russet Ranger, Umatilla Russet and the Shepody—varieties known for producing a flavorful fry that's crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Are McDonald's fries fried twice? ›
The first frying gives the potatoes their crispy outer shell (then the rest of the frying is done at the restaurant). This is also why you may see some people claim that McDonald's fries have more than 10 ingredients — because the potatoes are double-fried so the vegetable oil ingredients may be listed twice.
Is fast food chemically addictive? ›
Fast food triggers the reward system in your brain. This includes the release of dopamine, a potent chemical transmitter of the nervous system. Dopamine is associated with pleasurable feelings. Foods high in sugar, salt, and flavor trigger a greater dopamine release.
Does McDonald's have chemicals in it? ›
Phthalates on the fast-food menu: Chemicals linked to health problems found at McDonalds, Taco Bell. A new study shows that chemicals known as phthalates, which have been linked to health problems, have been detected in food from popular chains like McDonald's, Chipotle and more.
What toxic chemicals are in the McDonald's lawsuit? ›
The lawsuit claims that McDonald's failed to warn consumers that its food packaging was contaminated with Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). These chemicals are found in soil, water, and air, and exposure to PFAS has been linked to a number of negative health consequences.
Is processed food made to be addictive? ›
Using the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) they have found that not all foods have addictive potential. It has also been found that intake of processed foods with high levels of refined carbohydrates or added fats, such as sweets and salty snacks, are addictive.
