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Comment by paulnpace | Hacker News Reader

> relatively obscure cooking medium

I guess I'm old now, because I remember when it was a big deal that McDonald's switched from using tallow.

I listened to Malcom Gladwell talking about how McDonald’s switched from beef tallow, and decided to try the double fry method using tallow for myself.

Deep frying your fries in beef tallow is an absolutely incredible experience, each bite is so rich and satisfying. We definitely lost something in the switch.

Don't worry, they are already salivating at the idea of a tallow renaissance, where they can do a viral marketing blast of "McDonalds Tallow fries"

Maybe. Tallow is more expensive so they are probably happy to charge less for fries to the majority that wouldn't pay extra for it. Keeping two different sets of fries is more headaches than they are likely to want to have.

Why both?

Just go back to beef tallow fries. Even if it’s more expensive, the marketing could bring back more customers.

Worst case, they could increase the cost, and people would probably still pay it, given the current hype around tallow and people’s love for the former tallow fries.

I don't work for McDonald's, much less in any of the departments that would make this decision. I'm speculating, but I still stand by my claim that they won't do this: they need to arrange supply lines before they can make that switch - which would take years, the tide could change at any time in those years. That is why continue to stand by my claim, but I'm not an insider and so if they do something different - it won't be the first time I predicted the future and turned out wrong.

Definitely feeling my age. Growing up we had a "dripping bowl" that was kept in the fridge and received any left over fat from roasting meat.

This would then be used for frying etc.. I imagine my parents would have used it when they were young for "dripping" sandwiches.

Maybe this was just a UK thing?

Steak and shake have beef tallow fries. The best burgers too

Sadly, their fries come frozen and "pre-fried" in soybean oil, or at least that was being reported by the health nutters at the time of the announcement.

I remember Kentucky Fried Chicken tasting really really good as a kid. Their fries, too. We used to go bananas when my parents would bring home a bucket.

Then something changed in the 90s. I've been told it was a switch from frying in beef tallow to using vegetable oil.

It's just disgusting now.

They've also added MSG to the Colonel's original herbs and spices. I haven't been there in at least 15 years.

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