Demand for french fries reflects resilient consumer as so-called fry attachment rate holds steady – By Alex Harring (CNBC) / April 5, 2024
- A larger share of customers are opting for fries with their meals than they did in the past, according to Lamb Weston.
- That underscores the willingness of consumers to keep spending, even as pandemic savings dissipate and inflation bites.
It’s a timeless question at fast-food counters: Do you want fries with that?
Responders continue answering affirmatively at a higher-than-average rate, a top potato supplier indicated. It underscores the resilience of consumer spending, even as inflation pinches pocketbooks and pandemic savings dry up.
A larger share of customers keep adding the iconic side to meal orders than in the past, according to frozen potato supplier Lamb Weston
. Looking at the bigger picture, strength in the so-called fry attachment rate bolsters economic data, showing the willingness of average Americans to still shell out for everyday luxuries.
“The fry attachment rate has stayed pretty consistent,” said CEO Thomas Werner during the company’s earnings call on Thursday. “It’s been above historical levels for the past two, three years.”
