McDonalds Shakes Up Fries with New Seasoned Fries - Review

Just when you think you've seen all that McDonalds can do with fast food, they prove that they still have a few ideas up their sleeves.  Unfortunetly 'Seasoned Fries' isn't a new idea, as Burger King attempted a similar promotion a few years ago and it never 'took off'.

You get a choice of Buffalo, Ranch or Garlic Parmesan, and as cool as it might sound to have a new seasoned fry on the table, there are a couple things to consider:

1) Convenience: Where are you going to be eating these fries? Oddly enough that's a valid question. You can't just pop these in your mouth when driving home from McDonalds.  Why not you ask? Because they're not ready made.... YOU MAKE THEM.

When I ordered mine, I was looking forward to trying them, when the cashier handed me my tray with a regular fries on it, I also noticed a small seasoning packet and a little paper bag. I of course inquired about the packet and was given a demonstration in how to SEASON MY OWN fries. The employee had obviously been showing a lot of customers how to do this cause he opened up the little paper bag, dumped in the fries and emptied the seasoning packet in... then SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE... and PRESTO! My normally tasty fries are now seasoned fries. Well it looked all fine when the cashier did it, but I'd like to see you do this at work or in the car. When I sat down to enjoy my fries, the woman at the next table was shaking her bag and cussing cause seasoning was coming out of the bag. She spent the next few minutes brushing herself off

2) Price: These new fries aren't cheap, and my guess is that extra money you have to dish out is to pay for the little shaker bags and seasoning packets.  Here's some free marketing advise for the executives at McDonalds - In a down economy like ours is currently, you don't 'jack up' prices on your signature menu item just cause you added a seasoning other than salt. If you want to show you're customers you don't care about them, then you've totally succeeded.

I feel like I've been bitch-slapped by McDonalds. Is it just me or does it feel like they're saying, "Hey here's your fries, we don't have time to sprinkle any seasoning on them.. DO IT YOURSELF!". I worked in a hamburger joint when I was in high school. I know how they fry the fries then toss them under a warmer, shake on some salt, all to be scooped up as needed. In many fast food restaurants there's even a section under the warmer for salt less fries. Well if you're going to have a promotion for seasoned fries, at least show your customers enough respect, to season the fries for them. How hard would it be to place a small baking sheet by the warmer, someone orders seasoned fries, you toss some fries on that baking sheet, you shake on some seasoning and scoop them up. Hmm maybe that's too easy a concept for the executives at McDonalds.

The simple truth about these fries is they are just fries with some seasoning sprinkled on. If you want seasoned fries, don't pay the extra for these. Just go home and pour your fries into a plate and sprinkle on some seasoning of your own. It'll cost less AND be less messy

Oh and to be perfectly fair to McDonalds, according to the signage on the menu board, if you order a value meal, you get the season packet and shaker bag free. So you're only paying the inflated price if you buy the fries separately. BUT you STILL have to SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE em up yourself....