Founded in 1940, McDonald’s initially used 93% beef fat tallow for their French fries in an effort to save money, according to a piece on the origins of the favored fast food item published by Atlas Obscura. The money-saving decision resulted in a meaty flavor that unexpectedly gave the fries their signature taste so singularly unique that McDonald’s eventually trademarked their menu item as their “World Famous Fries,” according to their website. This remained the case until 1985, but things changed years later after the launch of a campaign designed to wage war against the fast food empire.
Per Atlas Obscura, it all began when a multi-millionaire businessman named Phil Sokolof had a heart attack at 43 in 1966. Following his recovery, Sokolof attributed the cardiac event to his diet, so he began researching the correlation between high-fat foods and heart health. This prompted him to found an organization he named the National Heart Savers Association, with the aim of spotlighting Mcdonald’s — and, to be fair, other fast food restaurants — with claims that their beloved, beef tallow-laden fries, along with other high cholesterol foods found on their menu, contributed to heart disease (via The New York Times).
After spending at least $15 million campaigning against McDonald’s for more than two decades, Sokolof got the attention of consumers, per Atlas Obscura. In 1990, McDonald’s eventually responded to the pressure by replacing their beef tallow will vegetable oil. But the story didn’t end there.
