First things first: you HAVE to read Jeb Boniakowski’s post on The Awl about building a giant Epcot-like “McWorld” in Times Square, which would serve all the special international McDonald’s dishes. It made the rounds the other day. And deservedly so. It’s brilliant.
Besides offering the Chicken Maharaja Mac or the Croque McDo, he also imagines McWorld serving discontinued items:
The most important one of these call-back menu items would be Old School Fries, from before they switched from beef tallow to vegetable oil for frying. Everybody says those were insane. I mean, I must have had them when I was little but I don’t remember.
The thing is, McDonald’s doesn’t serve them anymore, but what’s stopping someone else from doing it? You can get McDonald’s-style fries from Simplot Foods (the same company that developed the original McDonald’s fry).* Get some beef tallow, and BOOM.
* Heck, you can even make them yourself.
To my mind, the burger trend in NYC has run its course. Nobody seems to pay much mind to new burger joints opening these days. This could be one small way to differentiate and generate some interest. And if done right, it would be a win for the eater as well.
That’s my idea, burger joints. Run with it.
Dear Mr. Kuban,
we will have those fries in our new shop, that will open on 124th St and Lenox Avenue this spring.
just thought I’d inform you, in case you want to taste them.