Shrinking fast-food chain makes controversial move
The fast-food chain has made a change back to doing something McDonald's dropped years ago.
French fries have been a surprising point of contention in the fast-food world.
In theory, the very popular side dish could be made in a way that makes them an ideal option for vegan customers. Potatoes are, of course, vegan, but how you cook your French fries can make them not just vegan-unfriendly, but also not cleared for vegetarians.
Related: Struggling restaurant chain makes major menu, operational changes
That has been an issue for McDonald's over the years. The popular chain used to use beef fat to cook its French fries. Beef fat makes it fries neither vegan nor vegetarian, but it's no longer used by the chain.
In some markets, McDonald's uses various types of vegetable oil to cook its fries. In the United Kingdom, for example, the chain's chips, to use the local parlance, are cooked in a non-hydrogenated blend of rapeseed and sunflower oil.
This makes them safe for vegan and vegetarian customers, although McDonald's does not operate a kitchen that fully protects customers from cross-contamination.
