"Natural" Versus "Unnatural"

• Although restaurants with natural cut fries boast that the fries come from whole potatoes, all other fries also come from potatoes. However, some natural cut fries are also cut by hand and have a larger claim on the term. Most french fries for fast-food restaurants are peeled and cut by machines into uniform shapes, such as straight cuts in different sizes, crinkles and wedges.

A Marketing Gimmick

• Like all businesses, restaurants need to constantly market their products to customers, and natural cut french fries gives them an opportunity to do just that. If the restaurant enhances the fries even more, such as by using sea salt, they can generate an even greater buzz among consumers and industry watchers. Scientists haven't yet studied the accuracy of claims that natural cut fries are more crispy than fries without skins left on.

Are Natural Cut Fries Better?

• Natural cut fires may taste better because they are fresher than fries that arrive at a restaurant in a frozen state, but food editors of "The Science of Good Cooking" recommend that you peel potatoes before frying. They explain that peeling allows you to remove bruised sections of the potato and allows the starches in the potatoes to remain on the outer surface and dry out, or in other words, turn crisp. Potato skins don't react to the oil in the same way.

Unnatural Fries and Toppings

• Beyond the debate between natural cut fries and regular fries lies uncharted territory where adventurous restaurants try even more interesting ways to market fries. Curly fries, spicy fries, twice-cooked fries and waffle fries provide some alternatives to french fry shapes and seasonings. Ideas for imaginative toppings for fries include apple cider vinegar, grilled onions and thousand island dressing, hoisin sauce and mayonnaise, or sauteed foie gras.