Maryland McDonald's customers ordering medium and large french fries are finding out Ronald has a brand new bag. Instead of the iconic red cardboard medium and large fry containers, those orders are now being handed out in paper bags, at least at some Golden Arches locations in Montgomery County. Some customers say the weight and portion size of the bagged fries are less than those served in the cardboard containers. But it's not simply a shrinkflation attempt alone by McDonald's. It turns out that Maryland passed a law in 2024 that mandated the retirement of cardboard fry sleeves forever.
The George "Walter" Taylor act was presented to the public as a bill almost no one would oppose. It would ban the sale and use of firefighting foam that contained "forever chemicals." This would reduce health risks and impacts for firefighters, and who could disagree with that? Well, it turns out another provision was hidden in the bill, one that applied a similar restriction to food packaging. Cardboard fry containers often are lined with a chemical coating that resists grease, and that supposedly contained a forever chemical. Cardboard was out, and the bill was signed into law by former Governor Larry Hogan.
I found the fry transition has been underway in a few other nanny states for at least a couple of years. Like so many nutty laws paased by the Maryland legislature and Montgomery County Council, this was yet another plagiarized from the great state of California. Now, thanks to both local legislative bodies, we not only have paper straws that melt and ruin the taste of your drink, but potentially smaller fry portions for the same high price.
McDonald's swears that the portion size is the same. Fast food packaging experts have noted that the shape difference, and dimensions of the opening of the new bag, together make it more difficult to stuff the same amount of fries into the bag as filled the cardboard. The jury is out. Your mileage may vary. And it will be something to watch in the coming weeks and months - please share your experience in the comments below.
12 comments:
Keeping their eye on the ball, MD has very important things to concentrate on. Just ignore crime and don't cooperate with federal agencies.
bro is mad about his mcdonalds fries container
The last time I got fries at McDonald's, the kid at the counter reminded me of a square, chocolate flavored cakey dessert. But the attitude on him! My god. I get my underpacked fries in their paper vessel, and I'm not ashamed to say I'm a little petty. I go to leave, defeated. But the perfect line hits me, right as I push open the door. I swivel around, look him dead in the face, and say...
Heckuva job, Brownie!
Red states versus Blue. I can't wait to enjoy a cold ice tea at Chick-fil-A in a wonderful styrofoam cup which keeps it cold for hours in their home of Atlanta. And their signature waffle fries, always piping hot and fresh, served in a rigid box. Ah!
Classic "Maryland Madness"! Good riddance to the castle-in-the-clouds politicians who want to reshape the world through ridiculous legislation! Lesson to learn here is that good governance demands well-rooted understanding of the common good and trade-offs to avoid ridiculous self-defeating legislation.
There are two different issues here: the change from the sleeve to a bag, and the apparent shrinkage of content.
I don't see what's wrong with the government's trying to protect consumers from potentially dangerous chemicals, but if McDonald's is taking this opportunity to short customers on fries, that's on them, not on state legislators or regulators.
A truly good reporter would actually follow up, by comparing the amounts of fries served by sleeve (in McDonald's outlets that still do that) with those served by bag.
But I would be the last to characterize Robert Dyer as a fry-weight journalist.
7:31 - No wonder former Texas governor, Rick Perry, would pick up the phone and welcome Maryland businesses to move to Texas where regulation is low, the climate is pro business and the attitude is to let people live their lives without the heavy foot of govt on the neck of the citizenry. The bag thing is the dumbest I've ever seen. Go to paper if your want but don't charge people. That money really goes to Save the Bay? Nobody actually believes that.
7:06am - QSR news isn't important?
Love the SN, LOL!
You:
Cardboard fry containers often are lined with a chemical coating that resists grease, and that supposedly contained a forever chemical.
Also You:
Nanny State!!!
You really want forever chemicals in your body (given the hormonal imbalances that they have been linked to)? Your Karen-ish stances on all of these "nanny state" issues is incredible. Companies should evolve towards safety if their products or the containers for their products are actively causing harm to customers. That is actually a functional use of government rather than assuming that all customers know about forever chemicals and are able to adapt.
9:05 - Your point is well taken about chemicals. There's a great solution to that problem, stop eating at McDonald's. Eating out in general isn't that healthy either because of inflammatory oils, salt, sugar and who knows what else they put in the food you order.
Complain about the shrinkflation, sure. But are you seriously getting your nose out of joint because legislation banned a few hazardous-to-your-health chemicals from food packaging? "The state is preventing McDonalds [and others] from poisoning me or exposing me to cancer quite as fast! The interventionist NERVE!"
Next.
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