- Chick-fil-A customers are debating whether an order of fries at the chain are getting smaller.
- One patron posted time-lapsed photos to suggest that the chain's waffle fries get soggy over time.
Some Chick-fil-A fans think the restaurant's portion of fries are getting smaller.
Customers of the Southern fast food chain have posted pictures of the fries on Reddit in the last few days. One user posted a photo of a cardboard holder with fries visible well below the rim.
"I ordered a large fry and this is how it came, is this standard?" the poster wrote. "Because if it is I feel like the price is ridiculous for what I'm receiving." A larger order of waffle fries was $3.49 in Washington, DC, at lunchtime on Monday, according to Chick-fil-A's website.
Another Reddit user posted three photographs showing an order of waffle fries after they received them and again nine minutes later. The fries appear to shrink or settle in the cardboard holder between the two photos.
Proof the fries shrink
by u/OSRS_Rising in ChickFilA
"The fries were not touched until after all three pictures were taken," the poster wrote. Commenters debated whether the fries actually shrunk or if they had just gotten soggier after leaving the restaurant.
Chick-fil-A did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Fast-food fries tend to get soggy quickly because of the moisture inside them. While the outside is crispy when fried, steam starts to leak out and make them limp, especially if the fries are packaged in a carton or take-out container, Annie Nichols, author of the Potatoes cookbook and a food stylist, chef, and writer told Insider in 2022.
Restoring fries' original texture is possible with a fryer or a very hot oven, though results can depend on their size and shape.
While it is unclear if Chick-fil-A is decreasing the number of fries in an order, some fast food chains have decided to offset higher costs by reducing the size of menu items instead of raising prices — a phenomenon known as "shrinkflation."
Changes to the chain's menu have also caused consternation among fans. Earlier this year, Chick-fil-A announced it would quit serving a side salad. The move prompted backlash on social media, and the chain eventually said it would bring the menu item back.
Around the same time, Chick-fil-A increased the amount that consumers would need to spend to get free items through its loyalty program.
Do you work or shop at Chick-fil-A and have a story to share? Reach out to Alex Bitter at abitter@insider.com or via the encrypted messaging app Signal at (808) 854-4501.