People in Grand Rapids, Michigan were lining up around the block for HopCat french fries with their signature cracked pepper seasoning when they first opened. Now, 11 years later and with 17 locations around Michigan, the fries remained one of their staple menu items. People love them so much that HopCat gave them the tongue-in-cheek name of “Crack Fries.”
Because contemporary culture is a land of insanity, HopCat has decided that name is too insensitive and the fries will be getting a new name in 2019.
They announced this in a video.
A blog post went along with it.
Today we are announcing plans to change the name of our Crack Fries. Rest assured, the recipe and ingredients are not changing, only the name.
Our vision for creating an inclusive company that supports our communities, shows love for our team and best serves our guests is not compatible with the continued use of the Crack Fries name.
We chose the name more than 11 years ago as a reference to the addictive quality of the fries and their cracked pepper seasoning, without consideration for those the drug negatively affected. We were wrong.
The crack epidemic and the lasting impact on those it affects is not funny and never was.
As we grow as a company we have come to realize that to make light of this drug and of addiction contradicts our values of inclusion and community. We want to thank our guests, employees and community members who have helped us come to this realization and apologize for the pain the name brought to others.
Transitioning to a new name will not happen overnight. A companywide menu reprint in mid-January will reflect the change. We will also need time to update all other materials, including online menus, training documents and promotions.
We are grateful for the support we’ve received over the years and your love of our fries. While we know it will take time to get used to this change, we are confident in our decision. It is not only the right thing to do, it reflects who we are.
In other words:
So it is, Whitney, and this is too. I’m not the only Michigander to feel this way. One Detroit news station tweeted about the change, and people were…annoyed.
I hate everyone
— therealcorn_pop (@keityzee) December 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/hidenseek711/status/1072521285392048128
And 2018 rages on.
— singitforme (@reckless_youth_) December 11, 2018
A tweet from The Detroit Free Press got the same reactions
This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
— GetOffMyLawn (@GetOffMyLawn38) December 11, 2018
Sure, a few people here and there agreed, but most thought it was eye-rollingly silly. People are getting awfully tired of the political correctness train running, fully derailed, through American culture.
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