‘Fry-nal Countdown.’ Midlands mainstay Rush’s is changing its french fries. Here’s why
If you are looking for familiarity and comfort in a fast food restaurant, Rush’s has long been a go-to in the Midlands.
For decades, the regional chain — which has eight restaurants around Columbia, Lexington and Camden — has consistently served up burgers, chicken, barbecue sandwiches, ice cream treats and more, with very little change to the experience.
But now the company is getting ready to make a switch that has customers talking on social media.
Rush’s is changing its french fries. Specifically, the restaurant will switch from its longtime straight-cut style of fries to a crinkle-cut style. The first day for the new style of fries is scheduled for Jan. 31.
The company is in the midst of a campaign to let customers know the fries are changing, plastering a banner about the move across the top of its website, posting graphics about it on social media, and slipping fliers into customers’ bags at the restaurant.
“The Fry-nal Countdown,” reads one of the fliers, referring to it as Rush’s 2025 Fry Glow Up. “That’s right. The fry you know and love is getting hotter, crispier, crunchier and yep, crinkly-er. Try it January 31st.”
Rush’s President Don Alcorn, who has been with the company since the late 1960s, told The State on Monday morning that switching the style of french fries is something company officials have been considering for a while.
“We’ve been debating this for quite some time,” Alcorn said. “Ever since COVID, we’ve seen more drive-thru activity, more carry-out, more DoorDash orders and all of that. Typically french fries don’t travel well. We are getting more and more requests from our customers for a crispier fry. So we found a fry that is going to be crispier, it’s going to hold its heat longer, so it will travel better. We decided to do the crinkle cut, which has a better flavor.
“And for us ketchup lovers, it holds the ketchup better.”
But not everyone loves the idea of a new french fry style at Rush’s. More than 250 people commented on the chain’s Jan. 21 Facebook post about the switch, with many of the responders lamenting the coming change.
“NOOOO,” replied one commenter. “These have always been my favorite fries! Why in the world would you change them now? If you want to offer another option, sure...go for it. But give us our regular Rush’s fries!!!”
Another Facebook user replied, “Don’t change your fries. They are perfect just the way they are. They are the perfect cut to eat with vinegar.”
Alcorn acknowledged that he’s seen some of the pushback to the new fries on social media, noting that the restaurant has a particularly loyal fanbase and that the chain rarely changes its menu. It changed its style of apple turnovers a couple years ago, for instance, only because the company they previously purchased them from quit making them.
“We don’t change, hardly at all,” Alcorn said. “But we felt like it was time to try something new. We went through several [french fry] tastings and a selection process, and we feel this is a good move for us. We are excited about it.”
Alcorn said Rush’s decided to advertise and promote the coming change so that customers would not be shocked when they came to the restaurant and received the crinkly new fries.
The longtime Rush’s president said he expected there would be some reaction from fans and customers about the new fries, noting that many people grew up eating the straight-cut fries.
Still, he is hopeful customers will give the new, crinkle-cut fries a try, and continue visiting the chain that has been a Midlands mainstay for seven decades.
“More customers have been asking for crispier fry, and we needed to address that,” Alcorn said. “We are hoping the people who have been a little upset with us will still come in and say, ‘Hey, this is a pretty good fry after all.’”
This story was originally published January 27, 2025 at 11:21 AM.
