Up to this point, it is impossible to not know anything about Mcdonald’s as they are one of the largest fast-food chains in the whole world. Their reputation is well deserved as the menu is filled with many interesting approaches depending on the country. Even when certain countries offer unique items on the menu, it is impossible to deny the fact that Mcdonald’s flagship item is their french fries, which are statistically their most ordered product around the world.
These fries have a unique and unbeatable taste and they are so popular to the point that changing the recipe would mean multimillionaire losses for the company, so you can rest knowing that this addictive flavor and item will not be changing anytime soon. However, people always ask: How do these fries taste this way? Well, it is said that the company uses beef to enhance the flavor of the potatoes, but how true is this? The next article will focus on discussing: Do Mcdonalds Fries Have Beef?
Do Mcdonalds Fries have Beef?
Yes, Mcdonald’s fries are flavored with natural beef flavoring in the US, and sadly, it is impossible to determine whether this natural flavor contains actual meat or not as nobody has forcibly asked them to reveal this information. Everyone would tend to believe that these fries are made of potatoes, salt, and oil, right? Well, in McDonald that does not seem to be the case, as they are not safe for vegans.
In the US, Mcdonald’s french fries are made with potatoes, vegetable oils, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate which is what gives the fries that unique color that stays even after rough cooking), salt, and natural beef flavor which is just a wheat and milk derivative that is only used in the US McDonalds for reasons that will be explained later.
Does Every Mcdonald’s in the World Relies on Natural Beef Flavor?
It is incredible to see that not every country relies on the usage of beef, in fact, McDonald’s in the UK is certified by vegan organizations and groups, but how is that even possible? Well, to put it simply, they do not use any kind of animal derivated product for their fries, but as said before, this does not happen in the US.
But wait, there is more to add to the discussion. Not only do countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK avoid using the animal derivated products for their fries, but they also cook them separately from the meat and chicken! Making them a good approach for vegans, something that does not happen in the country where this fast-food chain was created.
Why do Mcdonald’s Fries Use Beef Flavor in the US?
It is said that this is done in order to keep the original flavor and enhance the taste, but there is definitely something more that not everyone seems to know. The fries were traditionally cooked in lard (which is basically a direct derivate of animal fat, and due to its nature this was not seen as a good thing), but thanks to the massive feedback of certain groups, the company decided to switch to a healthier approach, which consisted of cooking the fries in vegetable oil.
However, this backfired practically immediately, as customers were definitely not happy with the decisions (at least those who did not care about consuming animal derivated products) as this sudden change completely destroyed the taste of the fries. Remember that at the beginning of the article, it was said that a change in the recipe could cause millionaire losses, well, this almost happened in this case.
As a quick fix, Mcdonald’s decided to add natural beef flavor (made from milk) in order to satisfy customers who were not happy with the changes in the cooking method. This seemed to work flawlessly as practically no one was complaining anymore, but this was only the beginning as something worse was coming.
Lawsuit in 2001 Regarding the Beef Flavor:
This was going to happen eventually, and the worse thing about it? Mcdonalds knew that it was going to end in this way. Back in 2001, a lot of vegetarians and Hindus sued the company for not disclosing that the fries relied on beef flavoring, something that backfired immediately for Mcdonald’s as they just had not any single way to counterattack.
As a result of that, the fast-food chain apologized and ended up paying out $10 million, a millionaire loss, but returning to the vegetable oil without beef flavor would have caused worse losses, these fries are just that important for the company and consumers as nothing in the fast-food industry comes close in terms of taste.
Will Mcdonald’s in the US Stop Using Beef Flavors in their Fries?
Directly after the lawsuit, a Mcdonald’s representative clearly said that the beef flavor was staying no matter what, as they did not want to risk it up anymore with sudden changes in the recipe or cooking method. However, it is important to note that over the years more countries are adapting Mcdonald’s menu to something better that can be enjoyed by more cultures and individuals.
It is well known by many individuals that the US McDonald’s is one of the worst ones when compared to the offerings of other countries, and it is truly a shame as this is the birthplace of the company so one would expect it to be the place with the better offerings. But this is slowly changing for the best as more products are being added and changed in the menu, now it will be possible for vegans in the US to enjoy good offerings in Mcdonald’s thanks to the creation of the McPlant and more vegan items that are on the way.
If these vegan approaches become a huge success, the chances of enjoying healthier fries that do not rely on animal derivated ingredients might increase gradually over time. But this could take longer than expected due to the past situations and experiences that put the company in a bad spotlight.