A fake news french fry fiasco has sent fans into a frenzy after word that Chick-fil-A is getting rid of its waffle fries made its way to social media.
The internet moves fast, especially when fries are involved. The original post that appears to have spawned the waffle fry fraud was shared on TikTok by user @bri.daniela1 on Saturday. In the video, viewed more than 3 million times before being deleted, the poster claimed to be a Chick-fil-A employee with the skinny on the chain's plans to "take away" their waffle fries.
The TikToker @bri.daniela1 quickly followed up the clip with another clarifying that she had not expected the original video to get so much attention and saying that the "news" she shared was not true. The second video was later deleted as well.
Another TikToker, @imjusmike, added fuel to the fry fire, posting a video viewed 1 million times saying, "So it's true Chick Fil A stop (sic) selling waffle fries."
As anyone who has spent a few hours on the internet knows, rumors often spread faster than the truth, as was the case with the waffle fry fiasco.
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The false fry news picked up even more steam on Wednesday when @snackbetch, a popular Instagram account with updates on all things fast food, treats, snacks and sweets, made a post about "Chick-fil-A french fries."
In it, a photo of straight-cut fries appears with the text "NEW!! Chick-fil-A french fries" and the caption, "Do you want to see these go nationwide? I kind of like the idea of having another fry option besides their waffle-cut fries."
Fans quickly began expressing all five stages of grief in the comments, threatening to boycott Chick-fil-A for the change, demanding they not mess with "perfection" and wondering, "Who asked for this?"
@snackbetch soon after updated the post to clarify that the straight-cut fries are a new addition and not a replacement, saying, "These are available now at the Little Blue Menu location. Apologies for putting 'NEW'."
This clarity came too little too late for the fry fanatics on TikTok, however, as the platform soon began to catch fire with frantic French fry fan footage.
Luckily, users got savvy sooner rather than later, assuring freaked-out fans that the fries were not going away.
Some created their own videos scolding creators that perpetuated the myth, wondering "why they lied."
Chick-fil-A officially dispelled the rumors in a statement to USA TODAY, saying, "Chick-fil-A Guests do not need to worry – our much-loved Waffle Fries are not going anywhere!”
Little Blue Menu, a side project of Chic-fil-A's, also responded to a post about the fries on its own Instagram page, under which some commentators were expressing similar concerns.
"Don’t worry – Chick-fil-A Waffle Fries aren’t going anywhere! These French Fries are only available at Little Blue Menu in College Park, MD," the comment said. "That’s the fun of our Little Blue Menu restaurant – Guests can enjoy Chick-fil-A classics alongside our Little Blue Menu exclusives, like French Fries, Sweet Potato Tots and Onion Rings!"
Chick-fil-A's Little Blue Menu is a single-location virtual kitchen inspired by the original restaurant opened by the chain's founder Truett Cathy. Originally called the Dwarf Grill, Cathy's establishment had a blue, ever-changing menu board on which he put new inventions for his customers to try.
He perfected his chicken sandwich there in 1964, solidifying the recipe that would eventually give birth to an entire chain.
Running with the idea of a rotating menu that allows customers to try new products and give feedback, Chik-fil-A opened its Little Blue Menu kitchen in College Park, Maryland. The traditional Chick-fil-A menu is served there, along with new concepts like burgers, pizza, wings and onion rings.
This is where you'll see the straight-cut, non-waffle fries.
The Little Blue Menu is currently an online-only menu, meaning those who want to give it a try in the College Park area will have to order through the Chick-fil-A app or site.