The Ingredient Chick-Fil-A Customers Want Out Of Their Waffle Fries

Of all the fast food chains out there, Chick-fil-A has some of the most dedicated fans, but when it comes to changing recipes, those fans don't mess around. Customers have been expressing their views on social media about the chain's new recipe for its Waffle Potato Fries, and, spoiler! It's not looking good. The Waffle Potato Fries now contain pea starch, the chain confirmed on its website, an ingredient that will allegedly help the fries "stay crispier, longer" — but at what cost?

Waffle Potato Fries aren't one of Chick-fil-A's iconic chicken items, but they're a fan-favorite for sure. They're one of the few options for vegetarians, and they're also gluten free, which makes them a universally-loved side dish. This is, perhaps, part of the reason why customers are so distraught over the recent change, which Chick-fil-A refers to as "a slight adjustment."

Pea starch is added to the coating of the fries, and this helps them minimize the amount of oil that's absorbed during the frying process. Thus, this type of starch results in a crispier fry that retains its level of outer crunchiness for a long time, even after it has cooled down. Despite the seemingly positive change, customers have tasted the new recipe themselves to confirm that it is not, in fact, very positive.

The main complaint about Chick-fil-A's recent recipe change is related to the Waffle Potato Fries' new flavor and texture. While everyone loves a good, crispy fry, one Reddit user said that they're "bland" now with the addition of pea starch. Another said, "Unlike their promotional materials say, they do not hold up well as they get cold. You have a good five-minute window for good fries, and then boom. Mealy and bland." On Instagram, some commenters are saying that they actually want soggy fries back — who would have thought?

In its notice, Chick-fil-A stated that, despite the change, the Waffle Potato Fries still "[don't] contain any of the nine major allergens." Pea starch might not be the most common food allergy, but some of the chain's customers have complained that this new addition prohibits their consumption of the iconic fries. For example, one mom on Instagram stated that her daughter is allergic to peas and pea protein, meaning that they "can no longer visit the restaurant due to allergy concerns and cross-contamination."

Pea products might be a great source of vegan protein, but they don't seem welcome in this case. Whether it be a complaint about the new flavor and texture or about the risk of cross-contamination, Chick-fil-A customers simply cannot keep quiet about this change. While we hope something will be done about it, for now, you better double-up on your favorite Chick-fil-A sauce to mask the blandness of the new Waffle Potato Fries.