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10 Fry Flavors Consumers Want to See on Menus

February 22, 2024 – Our team of flavor makers always has a pulse on the latest and greatest menu trends and, right now, our eyes are on the fries.🍟 Specialty fry LTOs are becoming more prominent in the limited-service restaurant segment, all featuring a variety of fry cuts and flavors. So, we wanted to get deep into the minds of consumers to figure out what fry flavors they are the most interested in. Our proprietary study surveyed more than 1,000 consumers and concluded with these 10 flavors topping the list. 

Garlic Parmesan isn’t necessarily a rare find on menus but there’s something to be said about a mainstream flavor that’s broadly appealing across demographics. And the people have spoken! 68% of surveyors told us that they would purchase an order of Garlic Parmesan Fries if it were available on menus and 26% said they could see themselves ordering it all the time. An opportunity to drive volume AND repeat business? Pass the GP. 🧄🧀

Lamb Weston® Crispy on Delivery Fries 5/16" Thin Regular Cut Skin-on

There’s nothing more American than a drive thru, fried food, and BBQ. That’s why 91% of surveyors considered BBQ Curly Fries as being a strong fit for QSR menus. Not only is this combination a flavorful fit for the QSR segment, but it can easily serve as an all-day menu item. 64% of surveyors said they would have BBQ Curly Fries for lunch, 54% for dinner, 37% for a snack and even 7% for breakfast! It’s fry o’clock somewhere! ⏰

Lamb Weston® Stealth Fries® Twister® Fries

Picture this – a fry toss so good that 53% of consumers would visit your restaurant just to try it. Spicy Nacho is a real crowd pleaser and our Spicy Nacho CrispKeeper maintains the crunchy, craveable coating of fries, even when they’re piled high with other ingredients. 68% of heavy QSR users were drawn to this menu item so if you’re interested in stealing share from your competitors, these fries are your guys. 🤝

Lamb Weston® Colossal Crisp Thick 'N Crispy

If you haven’t already considered adding Asian Chili Crisp to your menu, you could be missing an opportunity to be an early adopter of the next big flavor trend. Chili Crisp has grown 39% on U.S. restaurant menus in the past 12 months and it’s projected to grow 328% through 2027*. But what does this mean for fries? The purchase intent for these Asian Chili Crisp Waffle Fries was 9 percentage points higher than all other QSR items and 50% of surveyors thought this menu item was unique. What do you expect? Fire flavors keep your menu hot. 🔥

Lamb Weston® Stealth Fries (R) CrissCut® Skin-on

Turning popular menu items into flavors is a growing theme we’re tracking and fries (or potato wedges) are no exception to the trend. We asked surveyors what they thought about these wedges tossed in our saucy blend inspired by the classic flavors of a jalapeño popper and 1 out of 5 said they could see themselves having this item all the time. Those numbers are even higher among Gen Z and Millennial consumers AKA your frequent friers. 💸

Lamb Weston® Private Reserve Crinkle Cut Wedge

Would you like Lemon Pepper Crinkle Cut Fries with that? The answer from the drive thru is a resounding “YES!” 71% of surveyors said they would be interested in ordering this item to-go or from a drive-thru setting making lemon pepper an ideal flavor for QSRs. Additionally, 80% of consumers who have tried lemon pepper love or like it*. Although this flavor is more commonly found on chicken applications, why not give fries a try, too? 🍋

Lamb Weston® Stealth Fries® CrissCut® Skin-on

If Gen Z is your target audience, this one is for you! Gen Z surveyors gave this potato + flavor combo a 99/100 with 67% saying they would visit a restaurant specifically for this item. And believe it or not, fries and pico de gallo pairings are more common than you’d think. Pico de gallo is in the Proliferation phase of the Fries menu adoption cycle*. So when it comes down to selecting a new flavor to add to your fry menu, pick the pico. 🍅

Lamb Weston® Tater Roundabouts®

This is the sweet and salty treat missing from your menu! Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potato Fries scored 10 percentage points higher in terms of uniqueness compared to all other QSR items. You can market it as a side or snack; either way, it’ll keep customers coming back for all occasions. 43% of surveyors would have Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potato Fries for lunch, 40% for a snack, 37% for dinner, and 10% for breakfast. That potential is just too sweet to pass up! 😋

Lamb Weston® Sweet Potatoes 3/8" Regular Cut

Foodies love Adobo. In fact, 27% of surveyors who consider themselves to be foodies said they would order these Adobo Chili Crinkle Fries all the time and 56% find this menu item unique. A unique offering that drives frequency gives your menu a leg up from the competition. To answer your next question, yes, this flavor is absolutely a fit for QSR menus according to 86% of surveyors. And you know what they say… the customer is always right. 👍

Lamb Weston® Crispy on Delivery Fries 1/2" Concertinas®

There aren’t many flavors that have multi-generational appeal and are able to sustain YOY growth on menus, but Nashville Hot is one of them! Nashville Hot’s CAGR over 4 years is 40.9% putting this flavor in the top 10 fastest growing concepts on food menus*. Gen Z, Millennial, and Gen X consumers all have strong purchase intent for these Nashville Hot Potato Wedges. Trendy + broadly appealing = low hanging fruit. 🌴

Lamb Weston® Crispy on Delivery Fries Steak Cut

Our Fry Toss is a unique flavor delivery platform that utilizes our CrispKeeper technology to season your favorite fried sides while keeping them crispy, crunchy and craveable. So, want to try one of these flavors or a flavor customized just for you? No problem. Let’s talk about it!

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