In a trending video with more than 185,000 views, content creator Elle (@simplyellebee) uncovered the truth about McDonald’s fries. Here’s why one size may not be worth it.
In the clip, Elle (@simplyellebee) explains that one of her recent videos was flooded with people asking her to properly compare the weight of different McDonald’s fries. And she was happy to oblige.
She orders fries in each size and even throws in a kid’s meal size for good measure. When she gets the bag, each of the fry bags is neatly stacked next to each other, while the kid’s meal fries are in their iconic red box.
Not only does Elle bring a food scale for accurate measuring, but she also brings a bowl (to dump the fries in) and a cutting board to ensure the scale has an even, flat surface to sit on.
“I know you guys will say I do not have a flat surface for the scale to work. Well, I do. Joke’s on you. I’m a scientist,” Elle says.
Fry Vs. Fry
She notes that while a few fries got dropped in the bag, the results are clear and surprising.
According to McDonald’s, this is about how much each fry size should weigh:
- Small: 80 grams
- Medium: 114 grams
- Large: 150 grams
Here’s how that compares to @simplyellebee’s experiment:
- Kid’s meal: 52 grams
- Small: 105 grams
- Medium: 134 grams
- Large: 131 grams
“My conclusion is that you should never buy a large fry at McDonald’s. You are getting ripped off by a medium,” Elle says.
Shrinkflation Hits McDonald’s Fries?
The results may be a sign of what economists call “shrinkflation.” Shrinkflation is when companies reduce the size or weight of a product while keeping prices the same.
Fast-food chains, including McDonald’s, have been accused of shrinking portions in recent years, meaning customers could be paying more for less.
While Elle’s experiment was carefully conducted, it isn’t definitive, as the number of fries you receive could vary depending on location, who’s scooping, and whether a manager is present.
Still, the video has sparked conversation online, leaving fans questioning whether the medium fry is actually the better deal.
@simplyellebee Just doing my civic duty 🍟👩🔬 . . . . . #mcdonalds #happymeal #snackwrap #frenchfries #mcdonaldsfries #comparison
Commenters React
“THATS A LARGE?!” a top comment read.
“As an ex employee. It truly just depends on if the employee is using the scoop correctly and if we’re being eagle eyed by management. I used to be told to reduce the amount I scooped. The minute they stopped looking i filled the boxes!!” an alleged former employee shared.
“Those people are not measuring out the amount of fries they put in those bags. They’re just putting them in the bag, and pushing them out the window lol they don’t care,” a person said.
“Large?! Where is the red box?!?!” another pointed out.
BroBible reached out to Elle for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to McDonald’s via email.