Why Chick-Fil-A Fries May Taste A Little Different Lately

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People flock to Chick-fil-A for tasty, high-quality fast food chicken and exceptional customer service, which is why, despite increasingly long wait times, Chick-fil-A's Drive-Thru is thriving. Although the quick service restaurant remains one of the highest-grossing fast food franchises in the U.S., some customers have complained in recent years about certain Chick-fil-A items that just don't taste the same anymore, including the fries. Luckily for those customers, the chicken chain has reverted to their original recipe for its iconic waffle fries. 

In 2024, Chick-fil-A revealed that it added a coating of pea starch in order to keep the fries crispier for longer. However, this minor adjustment was met with backlash from customers who described the new fries as "flavorless...like pale cardboard," and "rock hard and inedible," according to Reddit.  

Fortunately, Chick-fil-A has changed the fries once again. As of early March 2026, Chick-fil-A has confirmed in the FAQs on their website that they no longer use pea starch in their waffle fry recipe. Pea starch is also no longer listed in the ingredients list in the nutrition information. Customers have noticed the change back to the original recipe and, unsurprisingly, have voiced opinions about it on Reddit. 

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Although a few people have shared on Reddit that they enjoyed the pea starch version of Chick-fil-A's waffle fries for their consistent crispiness, many are happy that the fast food chain has returned to the OG recipe. Interestingly, some people didn't notice any difference at all, while others are adamant that pea starch ruined the fries. One person shared, "The pea starch has a much more noticeable 'earthy' taste. It makes them taste somewhat stale or like they got dropped into a bit of dust on the floor." While another person claimed, "I'm confused... when did it change in the first place? Mine seems to have served up the same ones for years." 

This begs the question: Does pea starch have a taste? Pea starch, a fine powder from ground, dried peas, is largely neutral in flavor, making it versatile for thickening soups and sauces, gelling confections, binding meat, and enhancing crispiness.

Pea starch is gluten-free and largely flavorless, so it's not meant to be noticeable in foods like waffle fries, but it does affect texture. Different textures can change our taste perception by altering mouthfeel, which may explain the difference in Chick-fil-A's fries.