It turns out there is one thing the entire world can agree on: fries.

From late-night traditions to family dinner tables, fries continue to show up in everyday moments around the world – creating rituals, moments and shared experiences that cross cultures and borders. And according to many people globally, they're a love language.

Today, McCain released its inaugural “Spud Report,” a global consumer study conducted in collaboration with Pollara Strategic Insights. Surveying more than 12,000 people across 11 countries, the report explores how people eat, share and enjoy potatoes and fries in everyday life.

Across every country surveyed, French fries ranked as the favorite potato dish overall, outperforming local classics and traditional favorites alike.

"Food has a unique way of connecting people, and fries, are no exception," said Charlie Angelakos, vice president, external affairs and sustainability at McCain. "The ‘Spud Report’ confirms something we've known instinctively for years: fries are more than a side dish – they're part of everyday rituals around the world. As a company founded in Canada and now operating in more than 160 countries, we're proud to help bring those shared moments to tables around the world."

The report reveals that fries spark emotion, connection, and surprisingly strong opinions around the world:

• 78% of respondents globally say fries would improve their mood
• 55% say fries make them feel happy, while 46% say they make them feel relaxed
• 1 in 3 say sharing fries feels more intimate than holding hands
• Taking fries from someone else's plate without asking is the most frowned-upon behavior globally, though 56% of parents admit to stealing fries from their own children – without getting caught
• 67% of respondents have eaten fries after 10 p.m., highlighting a universal late-night ritual
• Half of the respondents say they have put fries inside a sandwich

The McCain Spud Report is a McCain consumer research project developed in collaboration with Pollara Strategic Insights and conducted online between January 26 and February 15, 2026, among 12,079 adults (18+) across 11 countries. 

May 30 marks the United Nations' International Day of the Potato, a crop that contributes to the "food security and nutrition as well as and livelihoods and employment of people in rural and urban areas the world over."

About McCain Foods 
McCain Foods Limited is a family-owned business founded in 1957 in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada. Today, the company is one of the world's largest manufacturers of frozen potato products and a global leader in prepared appetizers and snacks. Its products can be found in restaurants and retail stores in more than 160 countries around the world. The company has major production, retail and corporate operations around the world, employs approximately 22,000 people, operates 49 production facilities on six continents, partners with 4,400 farmers and generates annual sales in excess of $16 billion CAD.