Most people dig a good French fry, but have you ever wondered how it all started? Since it’s National French Fry Day, here’s a little history, fun facts, and who’s offering drive-thru deals today!
What is National French Fry Day?
National French Fry Day is celebrated nationally on the second Friday each July (this year, on July 11). The tradition began in the early 2000s as a fun food holiday in the U.S (there are many of these throughout the year). Why this particular date? While we don’t know for sure, it may have been to coincide with France’s Bastille Day, a subtle nod to the holiday’s name.
Naturally, the day of fries has grown in popularity, in part thanks to social media and marketing endeavors. But truth be told, who doesn’t appreciate a good French fry?
How did it all start?
While you would be hard-pressed to find someone that’s never had one of these handheld potato goodies, it’s actually a matter of debate, as both France and Belgium claim the rights to their creation. Fries, however, were generally known to be a street food.
It’s said that the first time the idea of fried potatoes resembling what we have today came from a Parisian cookbook from the late 1700s. The recipe was brought to Belgium, where the first “fry shop” was established, leaving the argument of who gets the credit open to interpretation.
Regardless of how the idea was developed, French fries have been around for quite some time, and continue to be a cultural favorite.
How did it all start
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When it comes to quality, 72 % agree that the ideal fry is crispy on the outside and soft inside, yet opinions split over cut and style. 28 states, including North Dakota, Mississippi, and Alabama, rank straight-cut, seasoned fries as their top choice. Shoestring fries dominate in Hawaii, New Hampshire, Michigan, Maine, and Texas. Curly fries lead in Alaska, Kansas, Connecticut, and Oklahoma, and crinkle-cut wins in Nebraska, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania (and is also Illinois’s favourite). Finally, waffle fries only ranked in the top position in Colorado.
French Fry formats
There are too many to make a complete list. Most people agree that the perfect French fry is hot and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Straight-cut, restaurant-style, curly fries, waffle fries crinkle-cut are just some of the options.
How should they be seasoned? Straight up salt is the most popular, but what about garlic powder, paprika, or Old Bay?
What should we dip them in? Anything from ketchup, to ranch, to cheese sauce are at the top of the list, but there are so many options. Canadian Poutine goes even farther, topping its serving of fries with gravy and cheese. Loaded fries can have a dozen toppings, and are a popular restaurant favorite.
Let’s celebrate National French Fry Day; where to get a deal
Unless your planning to cut up potatoes and fire up the air fryer or Fry Daddy, one can celebrate in true American style and just head to your nearest drive-thru or restaurant to place your order. A few national fast food restaurants are offering fantastic fry deals for this fun food holiday.
- Burger King: members of their Royal Perks reward program get a free order of fries (any size) with any purchase every week through December 31, 2025. For the holiday itself, Burger King is offering an additional promotion that appears in the app’s “Offers” tab: Royal Perks members can activate a buy-one-get-one-free deal on medium fries (or, at select locations, a free any-size fry with a $1 purchase). The one-day offer is redeemable only on July 11 and must be loaded into the BK app or on bk.com before placing your order.
- McDonald’s: Score free medium fries with any purchase of $1 or more every Friday, including National French Fry Day, through December 26, 2025. This offer is exclusive to the McDonald’s app.
- Checkers: Celebrate National French Fry Day on July 11, 2025, by bringing a recent receipt from a purchase of a competitor’s fries to a participating Checkers and enjoy a free large Famous Seasoned Fries, no other purchase needed.
So get your fries on today!
