Burger King launches Satisfries, a lower-calorie French fry

Burger King is a destination for its flame-broiled burgers, but not necessarily for its French fries. The 60-year-old, worldwide fast-food chain is seeking to change that with the launch of a new, lower-calorie fry.

They're called Satisfries, and Tuesday they will be available at about 7,200 Burger Kings across North America. The new crinkle-cut option, per the company, has 20 percent fewer calories and 25 percent less fat than its regular thick-cut Classic fries, which it will share menu space with.

The secret is in the batter, said Eric Hirschhorn, Burger King's chief marketing officer, North America, at a news event. Classic BK fries are battered, and the Satisfries' batter is "less porous," he said, "letting in less oil."

The tagline presented to news media was "big taste, less fat," and Satisfries do indeed have the crispness and saltiness of full-fat fries. According to Burger King, a value-sized portion of Satisfries has 190 calories, 8 grams of fat and 210 milligrams of sodium.

The potatoes and oil used are the same for both the Classics and Satisfries, said Alex Macedo, BK's president, North America, adding that not only will the crinkle cut help workers easily delineate between the two varieties but that the retro factor of wavy fries is "cool."

Hirschhorn would not commit to whether Satisfries will be a limited-time item or a permanent addition to the BK lineup, instead saying that consumers will decide the fate of the new product.

There is a "slight premium charge" for Satisfries, Hirschhorn said, with a small order costing $1.89. That's compared with $1.59 for a small container of Classic fries.

And for any customers who feel a bit goofy saying "Satisfries" when placing that order, just keep in mind a name that was one of the close seconds: "Demystifries."