Yes, it’s Friday the 13th. But how bad can it be when today is also National French Fry Day?
There are plenty of locations to celebrate this unofficial holiday across Connecticut. Special deals are being offered at chains such as McDonald’s (free medium order of fries with any McDonald’s app purchase) and Wayback Burgers (bottomless fries with the purchase of a burger or sandwich).
Even Dunkin’ Donuts is getting in on the act, offering the first 100 customers at participating locations free Donut Fries, which the chain launched on July 2.
While the name “french fry” implies the popular (and incredibly addicting) side dish comes from France, they actually originated in Belgium. According to NDTV Food, fried potatoes were invented by Belgians in the 1600s, but it was Americans in the 20th century who mislabeled the dish as French.
“[D]uring World War 1 when American soldiers chanced upon the fried delicacy, they immediately fell in love with it,” writes Sushmita Sengupta of NDTV Food. “Since the dominant language of southern Belgium is French, they dubbed them as “French” fries and the name stayed.”
So not only did Belgium lose to France earlier this week at the World Cup, but the country also must live with losing out to the French for naming rights to fries. That must leave them salty.
Click through the slideshow above to find (and drool over) some of the best fries Southwestern Connecticut has to offer.