Here's Why McDonald's Fries Don't Taste the Way They Used To (2024)

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Why don't McDonald's fries taste as good as they used to? ›

And so McDonald's bowed to the public pressure and changed their fry oil. But of course the story doesn't end there, because the oil they replaced the tallow with was hydrogenated vegetable oil, which not only didn't taste as good as the beef tallow but also contained a hearty helping of trans-fats.

Fewer burgers are placed on the grill, which somehow results in a hotter, juicier, tastier burger, and the diced white onions are added to the beef patties on the grill as they are cooking, rather than afterwards at the prep table. The cheese has been “tempered” longer to make it meltier as well, Schafer says.

As the fries heat up, the crystals hydrate and make the french fry fluffy. As they cool, the texture changes, because the water leaves the crystals and enters the crust of the french fry, which is why they become soggy and flavorless.

As it turns out, the beef tallow had added more than just cholesterol to the signature french fry. To compensate for the loss of meaty flavor, McDonald's added “natural beef flavor.” Even worse, the fries lost much of the contrasting soft and crunchy texture that Kroc loved, and the new fries weren't exactly healthier.

McDonald's changed their ingredients for fries in the early 1990s. Specifically, they changed the oil they used to cook the fries from a mixture of vegetable oil and beef tallow to 100% vegetable oil. The change was made in response to health concerns about the use of saturated fats, such as beef tallow, in fast food.

On its website, McDonald's explains that when its “suppliers partially fry our cut potatoes, they use an oil blend that contains beef flavoring.” “Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients,” the company notes on its site. In hydrolysis, water breaks chemical bonds.

McDonald's legendary Big Mac is getting bigger in 2024...and we have the official scoop. Say hello to the Double Big Mac, available at participating McDonald's restaurants nationwide for a limited time starting Jan. 25. The Double Big Mac is double the fun with four 100% all-beef patties.

For all burgers, a tighter sear is being implemented on the grill, which McDonald's says should result in "hotter and juicier beef patties for maximum flavour", and... In the case of the Big Mac and Cheeseburger varieties, grilled onions will now be added to the patties on the grill for an enhanced flavour.

Discover the mouth-watering additions to McDonald's menu launching on April 17th, 2024. From the Lotus Biscoff Frappe to the Chicken Big Mac, satisfy your cravings with these delectable delights. Don't miss out on the Galaxy Caramel Pie and other new desserts!

The main reason is the fat they use to fry them. While many fast food restaurants use a lighter vegetable oil, McDonald's has stuck with the tried and true beef based oil. They used to use beef tallow, which is a many-times cooked beef suet, that's clarified and has a high smoke point.

Why do McDonald's fries taste different? ›

“It's because McDonald's cooks [its] fries with beef flavouring mixed within their vegetable oil,” Jordan said. “So that's why the fries taste so good, but also so different from everybody else's.”

More often than not, its' the preparation steps that you take or the oil that you are using. Former Simplot training director, Greg Shannon, used to travel the USA and foreign countries diagnosing problems, and more often than not this is what he found: It's the oil. This is 90% of the typical off-flavor source.

McDonald's is changing their name. But only temporarily. For the time being, McDonald's will take the risky chance of changing their famous “M” to a “W,” and will now be known as WcDonald's all over the United States.

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.

Before the 1990s, McDonald's fries were actually cooked in straight beef fat to give them their world-famous taste. But they moved to a vegetable oil blend after consumers complained about the amount of saturated fat in McDonald's foods.

Big changes, including meltier cheese and more flavorful patties, are coming to McDonald's burgers nationwide. In 2023, the fast food chain announced it would be making changes to its classic hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, McDouble burger and Big Mac sandwiches.

"It's because McDonald's cooks their fries with beef flavoring mixed within their vegetable oil," divulged the content creator.

More often than not, its' the preparation steps that you take or the oil that you are using. Former Simplot training director, Greg Shannon, used to travel the USA and foreign countries diagnosing problems, and more often than not this is what he found: It's the oil. This is 90% of the typical off-flavor source.