McDonald’s tries garlic fries

mcdonalds exterior

A handful of McDonald’s restaurants in the San Francisco area are testing garlic fries in what serves as the latest example of the latitude the chain’s operators have been given to regionalize their menus.

The fries, which incorporate garlic grown in nearby Gilroy, Calif., are tossed to order in a steel bowl by employees. In addition to garlic, the mix they’re coated in contains Parmesan cheese, olive oil and parsley.

“We’re proud of the work done by local franchisees and the regional team to create this menu item with locally sourced garlic, and we look forward to introducing Gilroy Garlic Fries to our customers in the Bay Area,” Michael Haracz, manager of culinary innovation for McDonald’s U.S. division, said in a statement.

McDonald’s has undergone a number of recent efforts to promote greater menu regionalization as part of its highly publicized turnaround plan.

If the San Francisco test proves successful, Gilroy Garlic Fries will roll out to close to 250 Bay Area units in August. 

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

The story of McDonald's strange year, in 2 parts

The Bottom Line: The quick-service giant’s dichotomous year was illustrated with back-to-back stories on the chain’s successful Grinch meal and its new value-focused franchising standards.

Technology

5 restaurant tech predictions for 2026

Tech Check: We envision more acquisitions and AI for restaurant tech in 2026. And we think this restaurant brand will start a podcast.

Financing

Unit economics are important, no matter the model

The Bottom Line: This edition of the restaurant finance newsletter looks at issues with Subway and Noodles, and why both brands have been undone by weak unit volumes.

Trending

More from our partners