They love it so much that french fries are the most widely eaten potato product in foodservice, while fried chicken tenders continue to soar in popularity. The taste for crisp-fried drives sales of a vast and inviting array of foods, including battered mushrooms and onion rings, tempura and tostadas, egg rolls and empanadas. Even though consumption of fat waned slightly during America's waist-watching years, fried food never took the hit, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics. Today, the pendulum of public attitude is swinging back in favor of the fryer says The NPD Group Inc., a research company based in Port Washington, N.Y., that specializes in trend tracking. That's not to say customers will gobble anything that hits bubbling oil.
Operators say there is a demand for better quality, just as there is in other areas of foodservice.
In fact, what's going on in fried food reflects overall trends in dining, from growing emphasis on fresh ingredients to bolder and more robust flavor profiles. Some restaurants, such as Red Robin, the Englewood, Colo.-based gourmet burgers and spirits chain, say they are shifting their focus from fried. It drew great customers, but when people came in and saw the fried fish and the crunchy batter, they ordered the fried version. There's a certain flavor profile in fried food that surpasses everything else. For a summer promotion, we have a grilled turkey salad but also fried shrimp.