Let's face it. There's no such thing as a healthy or healthier french fry—the best a fast-food restaurant, frozen-food manufacturer, or home cook can do is make fries that are less unhealthy.
That's what Burger King set out to do with its brand-new Satisfries, crinkle-cut fries that BK claims have 40 percent less fat and 30 percent fewer calories than the regular fries from McDonald's. (The dietary savings with Satisfries aren't as dramatic compared with BK’s own regular fries.)
How does Burger King accomplish this fat-and-calorie-cutting french-fry feat? According to a BK press release, Satisfries absorb less oil during the cooking process. Less oil means less fat and fewer calories.
The day after Satisfries debuted, three members of our foods team—the learned and lucky people who handle our food and drink tests—and I visited two Burger Kings near our Yonkers, New York, headquarters for a taste test. The consensus was that the Satisfries' flavor is fairly similar to Burger King's regular fries. (That's not necessarily a good thing, since the regular fries are relatively low in flavor.) We found that Satisfries have a slightly tough coating that yields to an interior that's like a soft mashed potato, if not a bit drier.
We also confirmed that McDonald’s fries still taste better, delivering a more intense potato flavor and a crispier texture.
Bottom line: Next time you have a hankering for fries and want to save a few calories, give Burger King Satisfries a shot. Just don't pair the Satisfries with a Triple Whopper (1,020 calories, 66 grams of fat) and a 20-ounce chocolate shake (980 calories, 24 grams of fat).
—Maxine Siegel, Manager, Product Usability & Food
Addicted to fast food? A couple years back we reviewed 53 fast-food chains and took a closer look at french fries.
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