Chick-fil-A recently changed up the recipe for their world-famous waffle fries, and unfortunately, it hasn’t gone over as well with their customer base as they had hoped. According to announcements made by the food chain on social media, the ‘slight adjustment’ made to their fry recipe will keep their fries “crispier, longer.” Reportedly, this minor change is the addition of pea starch to the crunchy, savory outer coating of the fries.
Customer Reactions: A Plea for the Original Recipe
After trying the ‘new and improved’ waffle fry recipe, many loyal patrons have expressed their displeasure with the change, describing the fries as dry, grainy, and lacking flavor. Fashion entrepreneur Daryl-Ann Denner, a frequent Chick-fil-A customer, noticed the change in November and shared her disappointment, stating, “They used to be my favorite snack… [But] they are dry, grainy, and have no flavor anymore. My kids won’t even eat them.”
Social media platforms, especially Tik Tok became flooded with similar complaints. One user commented, “Please change the fries back. They aren’t as good anymore. They don’t taste the same and I hate how hard they are.” Another user, featured in the video below speaks directly to the franchise saying that they are ‘wrong’ for changing the fries and that they are ‘hard’ and ‘nasty’. He goes on to threaten that he will not purchase them again if the restaurant does not bring back the original recipe.
Allergy Concerns: A New Ingredient Raises Questions
The addition of pea starch to the waffle fry batter is also raising concerns among parents of children with allergies. Several parents have stated that they have children who have very specific allergies to peas and pea protein, which now makes visiting the establishment impossible, even if they do not order the fries. Why? Because the threat of cross-contamination if the fries or fry breading touches other types of food during preparation. This is making some moms steer away from taking kids to the chain altogether.
Additionally, there could also be dangers for customers who are allergic to peanuts as well. In his recent Tik Tok video, Dr. Ruben Md. explains how people who have Legume allergies like to peanuts or lentils may also be at risk. Ruben warns that pea proteins are very close in structure to those of peanuts and lentils because they are also a type of legume, which could result in the person having an adverse reaction to the new batter on the Chick-fil-A fries.
@rubin_allergy Chick-fil-A recently changed its French fry recipe which added pea protein. This could cause allergic reactions in some individuals. #food #allergies #chickfila #tiktokdoc #learnontiktok @Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A’s Response: Balancing Crispiness and Taste
In response to the backlash, Chick-fil-A that the recipe adjustment was made to enhance the fries’ crispiness while maintaining the same great taste. The company stated, “We recently made a slight adjustment to our Waffle Potato Fries recipe, to make them stay crispier, longer” They believe that the change enhances the original flavor and they were greatly anticipating that the release of the new recipe would yield positive feedback from their customer base. Sadly, while some said that they either enjoyed the new crispy texture or that they didn’t notice the change at all, a greater number of people like those we featured above, took to social media to declare that what they really want is the old recipe back.
@marcweems
Looking Ahead: Will Chick-fil-A Reconsider?
As customer dissatisfaction continues to mount, it remains to be seen whether Chick-fil-A will heed the feedback and revert to the original waffle fries recipe. For now, many loyal customers are left longing for the familiar taste and texture of the fries they once loved. Currently, Chick-fil-A is the third largest fast-food chain in America, measured by nationwide sales. Hopefully, if they plan to keep that popularity they will give the people what they want, considering the classic waffle fry has been one of their most popular staple menu items for many years.
So, have you tried the new waffle fries recipe from Chick-fil-A? What did you think? Extra crispy and savory or hard with a burnt-in flavor? Tell us in the comments.
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