Increase perceived value and menu interest with these easy ideas to dress up french fries.
French fries—everyone's got 'em, but not all of them are memorable. We've compiled an easy chart for building out signature dips, a few simple finishing garnishes and a look at diners' top dipping sauces. With a few quick enhancements, you may be able to increase the perceived value of your french fries.
Look beyond ketchup for signature french-fry dips.
| LATIN |
| Smoky Chipotle Ranch Dip |
1 cup Kraft Ranch with 1.5 tsp. puréed chipotle |
| Chili Peppercorn Ranch Dip |
1 cup Kraft Peppercorn Ranch with 2 tsp. chili powder |
| INDIAN |
| Curry Peppercorn Ranch Dip |
1 cup Kraft Peppercorn Ranch with 1 tsp. curry powder |
| MEDITERRANEAN |
| Garlic Ranch Dip |
1 cup Kraft Ranch Dressing with 1 Tbsp. roasted garlic |
| Pesto Ranch Dip |
1 cup Kraft Ranch Dressing with ¼ cup prepared pesto and 1 tsp. lemon zest |
| ASIAN |
| Red Curry Dip |
1 cup Kraft Mayo Real Mayonnaise with 2 tsp. lime juice and 4 tsp. red curry paste |
| Wasabi Mayo Dip |
1 cup Kraft Mayo Real Mayonnaise with 1 Tbsp. wasabi powder and 2 Tbsp. water |
| UNIVERSAL |
| Dijon Blue Cheese Dip |
1 cup Grey Poupon with 4 cups Kraft Blue Cheese Dressing |
French Fry Finishes
Four simple finishing flourishes that bring personality and distinction to your french fries.
Toss in Kraft 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese and parsley- Drizzle with TAPATÍO Hot Sauce
- Mix in fresh rosemary and sea salt
- Sprinkle white-truffle oil over top
Top Dipping Sauces for Fries:¹ |
| Ketchup |
70% |
| Ranch |
33% |
| Cheese Sauce |
32% |
| Mustard |
19% |
| Barbecue |
18% |
| Honey Mustard |
18% |
| ¹ Technomic's 2009 Consumer Flavor Report |
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How Do You Talk Up Your Fries? |
Mintel Menu Insights surveyed the top 100 chain restaurants to see how they describe their french fries (Q3, 2010). Here are the 10 most common menu descriptions: |
| 1. Fried |
6. Hot Preparation |
| 2. French-Cut |
7. Crinkle-Cut |
| 3. Steak-Cut |
8. Curly-Cut |
| 4. Waffle-Cut |
9. Wedge-Cut |
| 5. Freshly-Cut |
10. Battered |
|
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And we predict number 11's "Hand-Cut" will climb the list in 2011. The list numbers 57 menu descriptions. Here are five of the more eclectic ones from the list: |
| 1. Salted |
| 2. Herbed |
| 3. Bite-Size |
| 4. Dipped |
| 5. Square-Cut |
|