NEW YORK — Major U.S. restaurant chains marked National French Fry Day on Friday with free and discounted french fry promotions, using mobile apps and loyalty programs to attract customers during the annual food-themed observance.
Offers announced by participating chains generally required customers to redeem deals through company apps or rewards programs, while some promotions also required a minimum purchase. The promotions were available for a limited time and, in many cases, only at participating locations, according to the companies' published terms.
Among the largest offers, McDonald's provided members of its rewards program with a free order of fries when making a qualifying purchase of at least $1 through its mobile app. Wendy's offered free fries with a minimum $5 purchase through its app, while Whataburger made a free medium order of fries available through its app without requiring a purchase.
Other national chains also joined the promotion. Chick-fil-A offered eligible loyalty members a free medium order of waffle fries through its app after participating in the company's "Spot the Cows" game. Shake Shack promoted free fries with qualifying sandwich purchases using a promotional code, while Smashburger offered free fries with purchases of at least $1. White Castle provided free cheese fries with qualifying orders using a promotional code, and Popeyes offered free Cajun Fries with a minimum purchase for rewards members.
Additional promotions were announced by Arby's, Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Jack in the Box, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Checkers & Rally's and other chains, although offer details, redemption methods and eligibility requirements varied by brand. Several promotions extended beyond Friday through the weekend or into the following week.
Industry observers noted that many of the offers were designed to encourage customers to download restaurant apps or enroll in loyalty programs, reflecting a broader strategy among fast-food chains to strengthen direct digital engagement while driving in-store and online traffic.
National French Fry Day, observed annually on July 10 in 2026, has become one of several food-themed promotional events used by restaurant brands to market limited-time offers. Consumer savings websites advised customers to review individual terms before redeeming promotions, noting that participation, availability and purchase requirements could differ by location.
