Beer Bar Chain HopCat Reveals the New Name for Its Controversial French Fries

Michigan-based gastropub chain HopCat has finally rolled out a new name for its signature fries after management finally realized in December after 11 years of business that the original “Crack Fries” title was offensive. Meet the new old french fries: Cosmik Fries.

Beginning today, after a little more than a month of scrubbing away the past moniker, operator BarFly Ventures unveiled the Cosmik Fries on menus across its 17 locations, according to the Detroit Free Press. The new moniker is a reference to a song called “Cosmik Debris” by Frank Zappa — an avante garde musician who famously abstained from drugs. Apparently the song spoke to HopCat’s founder, who is a fan of Zappa’s music.

HopCat’s online menus have been updated with a new Cosmik Fries section. The recipe itself is identical to the original with beer-battered fries topped with cracked black pepper seasoning. The company is also in the process of updating its signage and other materials that made reference to the old name.

For years, the fries played an integral role in HopCat’s identity. The company used them heavily in marketing and drew lines of people to its openings with the promise of free baskets beer-battered french fries. HopCat, of course, hasn’t been the only company to make references to crack in relation to the addictive quality of food. Christina Tosi famously serves Crack Pie at her Milk Bar brand dessert bars.

• HopCat’s New Name for Fries: ‘Cosmik Fries’ [Freep]
• HopCat Is Finally Renaming Its Controversial ‘Crack Fries’ [ED]