Remembering When Burger King Changed Its Fries, And It Was A Total Disaster

The old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." And, for the most part, that's a pretty true statement. In the world of food and drink, how many times have you seen a company mess up something that was already working? Some examples include the "New Coke" disaster from Coca-Cola in the 1980s or Lay's and its fat-free Wow potato chip with the food additive olestra that can cause... well, some gastrointestinal issues.

In the fast food world, Burger King has had its share of infamous scandals and changes — and one of which is the launch of Satisfries and the accompanying marketing campaign. The year was 2013, and the idea had merit, at least in the sense that healthier fast food options were becoming more widespread. The Satisfries were promoted as a healthier, less fatty version of the typical fast food french fry with 40% less fat and 30% fewer calories.

The problem with Burger King's Satisfries was that they just weren't satisfying at all. The batter BK used for the fries was dense and not very porous, which didn't allow for much oil to seep in the potatoes themselves. The result was a french fry with less flavor than its fast food counterparts. Combine that with a higher price point – $1.89 at the time versus $1.59 for the original recipe – and Satisfries really had no chance from day one.

Aside from the lack of flavor and higher cost, Burger King's decision makers made one basic miscalculation with the change to Satisfries. Consumers might want healthier choices, but french fries aren't one of them. It's just a fact; we don't go to fast food restaurants looking for healthy fries. Sure, we'll order a salad, a grilled chicken sandwich, or a veggie burger on occasion — all of which can cut calories — but fries are fries. You know exactly what you're getting, and that's what you want.

In 2014, one year after the launch of the Satisfries debacle, Burger King allowed its franchisees to take the fries off the menu. Nearly two-thirds of the locations in the U.S. and Canada took it up on the offer. These days, the Satisfries are nowhere to be found on BK's menu, replaced by the original fry recipe, as well as the famous chicken fries, mozzarella sticks, and cheesy tots.

We'll never shame a restaurant chain for trying something different. After all, sometimes ingenuity and creativity are what keeps the doors open. But some things just shouldn't be messed with. And if Burger King's Satisfries nightmare teaches us anything, it's that you just don't screw around with what's already working — especially when it comes to french fries.