McDonald’s warned us that they would be trying out new versions of their flagship products as part of a push to freshen up their menu with regional favourites. McChocolate Potatoes were test marketed this past January in Japan. Now, there’s something new for selected North Americans…
Here they are: Gilroy Garlic Potatoes. Not bad, McDonald’s!
Here we go again… McDonald’s is testing a new ‘flavour’ of Fries in San Francisco’s South Bay area – Gilroy Garlic. It’s geographically convenient because Gilroy, CA, – the self nominated Garlic Capital of the World – is in the San Joaquin Valley, just an hour and a half south of San Francisco.
The official media release from McHQ describes them thus:
The new fries are made-to-order in McDonald’s kitchens where restaurant employees toss French fries in stainless steel bowls with a purée mix that includes ingredients, such as chopped Gilroy garlic and olive oil, parmesan cheese, parsley and a pinch of salt. The garlic fries are part of a trend at McDonald’s to experiment with regional flavors and food on its menu.
Sounds good to me. Looks good in the photos. But I saw a photo of the new fries before I was able to read the description. “What’s that green stuff?” I wondered. It’s Parsley. But I wonder if they couldn’t have really hit the new recipe out of the park by using Cilantro?
Anyway, We never heard another word about McChocolate Potatoes after they débuted. I assume they tanked with Japanese diners. I predict a much happier fate for the Gilroy Garlic Fries, though. I mean, who doesn’t love Garlic, Parsley and Parmesan? Just add Pine Nuts and Olive Oil and you’ve got make-do Pesto!
A challenge to McDonald’s Canada
I hereby challenge McDonald’s Canada to put up a Garlic Fries test market here in my home town, Ottawa. After all, we’re just an hour north of Perth, ON, the self-nominated Garlic Capital of Canada, and we can boast some of the nation’s most discerning palates. For Fast Food, anyway. We could then compare test market results and see where Garlic Fries sold better – and determine, once and for all, which ‘Garlic Capital is the real one!
~ Maggie J.