McDonald's Menu Adds a Really New Take On a Beloved Classic

The fast-food giant has decided to try something that's very different than anything else it has ever offered (but it's also familiar).

McDonald's has the best fast-food french fries.

Wendy's (WEN) - Get Free Report wants to argue otherwise (and has commercials saying that its fries are better) but McDonald's famed side dish has stood the test of time. Restaurant Brands International's (QSR) - Get Free Report Burger King chain has changed its fry recipe numerous times to try to catch up with McDonald's (MCD) - Get Free Report, but it's impossible to surpass a menu item as beloved as the french fries you can only get at the home of the Big Mac.

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McDonald's knows it has a good thing going and has only rarely tampered with its french fries. It has offered a variety of different "Shaker" fries where customers can shake on different toppings in various countries, but it has mostly been very protective of its franchise product.

Now, with global potato shortages having forced the chain to essentially ration fries in its stores in Japan late last year, McDonald's has a new take on fries hitting menus in the namesake country of the popular side dish.

McDonald's France Puts Veggie Fries on the Menu

While fries have traditionally been made of potato, it's not unheard of for fast-food chains to stretch that definition. Burger King, for example, has its Chicken Fries, which are essentially fried chicken fingers cut to look more like fries. Fried green bean fries have been known to appear as appetizers at sit-down casual chains and a handful of other faux fries (like Burger King's ramen "fries" have made menu appearances.

Now, McDonald's has an entirely new take on fries that has joined its menu in France. 

"Discover, for a limited time, the delicious French Vegetable Fries! A mix of beets, parsnips, and carrots for a delicious crispy, and colorful trio of fries. Also available in large portions," the company shared on it website for its restaurants in France (translated from French).

The chain called the new take on french fries a "new crispy and gourmet version" of the chain's signature fries," Brand Eating reported.

"Besides a different flavor, the new trio offers an attractive appearance with a combination of orange, red, and yellow," the website shared.

McDonald's New Fries Are Veggies, But Not Healthy

It's worth noting that making french fries out of vegetables does not change the fact that they're still a fried food. McDonald's has also not shared whether its new fries are vegan-friendly.

The chain offers vegan fries in some countries, including the United Kingdom, but that's not the case in its home market. McDonald's no longer fries its french fries in lard, but its recipe does contain a beef flavor that includes both wheat and milk (making them not vegan, vegetarian, or even gluten-free).

Here's a look at what the chain's fries are made of in the U.S.

Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [wheat And Milk Derivatives]*), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (maintain Color), Salt.
*natural Beef Flavor Contains Hydrolyzed Wheat And Hydrolyzed Milk As Starting Ingredients.

McDonald's has not shared whether it plans to bring its new "French Vegetable Fries" to other markets. It does, however, make sense for the company to see if they can become popular in France in case the ongoing potato supply issues force it to try to shift demand away from its classic french fries in markets around the world.