Belgium Petitions United Nations for OG ‘French’ Fries Status

Belgium is currently in the process of having potato fries recognized as a part of the country’s cultural heritage. Yes, Belgium.

For years, Belgium and France have been arguing over which country invented the popular side dish. Either Belgians began slicing and frying potatoes in the late 17th century or both nations started using this method about a century later.

Belgium is putting its foot down and petitioning the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to have fries permanently associated with Belgian culture.

Though Belgians have interesting ideas about mayonnaise’s relationship with potatoes, this request is within reason. Belgian fries are typically sold in paper cones from one of about 5,000 “fritkots” throughout the nation. These fritkot shacks permeate 10 times more market space, per capita, than McDonald’s restaurants in the United States.

Should Belgian petitioners gain the support of one of their three cultural ministers, Belgian fries would be added to UNESCO’s cultural preservation list with other notable items like Turkish coffee.

We might have to stop calling them French fries.

H/t Reuters

More content

Eating Out
Wendy’s Launches New Frosty Flavors With Pop-Tarts And OREO Mixes
Good news for Wendy’s fans: The chain is expanding its dessert lineup with six new Frosty flavors, including collaborations with Pop-Tarts and OREO. The new…
,
Products
Reese’s Just Dropped Peanut Butter-Filled Pretzels
The snack aisle just got a serious upgrade. Reese’s—America’s go-to for peanut butter cravings—just rolled out Reese’s Filled Pretzels, combining their iconic PB center with…
,
Products
JELL-O Launches Its First-Ever Plant-Based, Lactose-Free Pudding
JELL-O, known for its beloved classic desserts, is officially entering the plant-based sector with its Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding, which debuted on April 15. This…
,
Burger
We Deliver!

Enter your email address below and we'll deliver our top stories straight to your inbox