As fast-food restaurants try to offer more healthy alternatives, Burger King is looking to reinvent the original sinful drive-thru pleasure by rolling out new low-fat French fries.
Beginning Tuesday, Burger King’s new “Satisfries” will be available at all of its restaurants across the country. The crinkle-cut fries contain 40 percent less fat and 30 percent fewer calories than McDonald’s fries, according to the company. Compared to the French fries Burger King currently serves, Satisfries contain 30 percent less fat and 20 percent fewer calories.
The fries are less greasy than the current offering because of a recipe that ensures the thinly-battered potatoes absorb less oil. Burger King is the first fast-food company to serve low-fat French fries, according to the company.
The anchors took a taste test Tuesday morning, comparing the lower-fat version with the original.
"I can't really tell the difference between the original and this one," said Natalie Morales. Matt Lauer and Al Roker were also fans.
"They're a crinkle slice of heaven," said Lauer, while Roker described the fries as "crispy on the outside, nice and creamy on the inside."
Savannah Guthrie said the fries could have used a little more salt and that she'd want to dip them in guacamole (pretty much defeating the purpose of the lower-calorie version).
The new fries contain 190 calories, 8 grams of fat and 210 milligrams of sodium per value size serving. Satifries contain 6.3 grams of fat per 70-gram serving compared to 11.2 grams of fat in McDonald’s fries, according to Burger King. They are 150.5 calories per 70-gram serving, compared to 226.8 for McDonald’s same offering, according to the company.
Burger King sells 56 million orders of fries every month, and the low-fat fries will sell for 20 to 30 cents more than regular fries.
“One out of every two Burger King guests orders our classic French fries, and we know our guests are hungry for options that are better for them, but don’t want to compromise on taste,” Alex Macedo, president North America, Burger King Worldwide, Inc., said in a statement. “When it comes to what we eat, we know that small changes can have a big impact. We see SATISFRIES as one of the biggest fast food launches and are excited to bring this great tasting French fry to our guests.”