We’re Loving It! Summer Is Here And So Are Gilroy Garlic Fries At Your Greater Bay Area McDonald’s #McDSupplierTour

If you haven’t been to a McDonald’s in the Greater Bay Area lately, then you need to jump in the car and head there right now because the hit of last summer, the Gilroy Garlic Fries are back and are waiting for you.

The Gilroy Garlic Fries were the best part of summer eating last summer and due to the popularity, their limited run ended up being much more limited than anyone could have every imagined but they are back now and just waiting for you !

McDonald’s Gilroy Garlic Fries are our World Famous Fries® made even more delicious with a savory blend of ingredients including olive oil, Parmesan, parsley and garlic from the Garlic Capital of the World, Gilroy, California. The fries are made-to order right in the kitchens of the participating McDonald’s.

Recently I was treated to a special behind the scenes tour of both the Christopher Ranch in Gilroy where the garlic is grown and then was able to sit back and watch as the Gilroy Garlic Fries were created right before my eyes when enjoyed lunch at McDonald’s.

The chef from McDonald’s took us through the process that brings these mouth-watering fries to life. It all starts when they toss the freshly cooked French Fries in stainless steel bowls and the add in a special blend of ingredients that include a puree’ mix of garlic from Gilroy and then add in parmesan, olive oil, and parsley, and just a pinch of salt. The results are the tastiest, melt-your-mouth goodness that you just can’t stop eating. Trust me when I say, order extra because one will not be enough.

McDonald’s is committed to a continual menu revolution guided by the philosophy that change is good, especially when it means adding new tastes to their menus and has a longstanding tradition of bringing in local flavors and tastes and incorporating them into their regional restaurants so whether you live here in the Great Bay Area where garlic from Gilroy is king or live in the New England part of the country where you can find Lobster Rolls on as part of the menu, it is always about trying to deliver diverse, quality menu items that resonate with the customers in each community and If last summer is any indication, you need to not walk but run to your neighborhood McDonald’s because they are sure to sell out and be gone before you know it.

It is well known that McDonald’s has a long-standing history of creativity and innovation and is always seeking ways to combine local flavor into a unique, regional offering. McDonald’s Gilroy Garlic Fries are the perfect example of just that   approach offering a brand new menu item that is specifically tailored to Bay Area tastes. Nick Vergis, McDonald’s San Francisco Bay Area Co-op president explained, “The innovation of this new menu item is in large part of our local owner/operators and their commitment to providing food our customers want.” As a testament to that, last year when the Gilroy Garlic Fries were first introduced in test locations, they sold out within a matter of two weeks.

So just why are the Gilroy Garlic Fries not on the menu all year long? My answers to that, as well as other questions were all explained on my trip to the Christopher Ranch, in the heart of the Gilroy, the garlic capitol of the world. One of the things that I discovered is the garlic that we all know and love actually is a 9-month process from planting the bulbs to harvest to bringing home the garlic that is so much a part of our everyday life!

Think about that-from Gilroy Garlic Fries to garlic bread to the rubs we create, to stir fry cooking to yes, even garlic ice cream, it takes a full 9 months for the garlic to grow and it is only harvested over June and July so what that means is that all of the garlic we consume is only picked once a year! When you think about the fact that Christopher Ranch will produce 90 million pounds this year, just imagine what that must look like. Luckily for us, some of the garlic makes its way into the Greater Bay Area McDonald’s where we can now enjoy the Gilroy Garlic Fries.

If you live in the Greater Bay Area of Northern California, today run, not walk to your local McDonald’s restaurants and try the Gilroy Garlic Fries for yourself-but remember-one order is never enough. Just another reason why We’re Loving It At McDonald’s.

Disclosure: I was invited on an all-expense paid media trip and compensated for my participation/coverage of the event however all thoughts and opinions expressed here are 100% are my own.