These Simple Fresh-Cut French Fries Have Been A Staple Of Pittsburgh Summers Since 1973

Pittsburgh loves French fries. Salads are topped with them, Primanti Bros. stuffs their sandwiches with them, and amusement park customers make orders a priority. According to a Facebook post from the Heinz History Center, the Potato Patch has been serving up fries since 1973 inside the Kennywood amusement park, and generations of Pittsburghers have licked their fingers after digging into loaded orders. Though the stand was first set up to peddle fried chicken, the fries soon won over the hearts and stomachs of park goers. "Did ya even go to Kennywood if you didn't go to the Potato Patch?!" wrote a fan on Instagram.

At the Potato Patch, hand-sliced Idaho potatoes are fried to order. Customizations include cheddar cheese, bacon, malt vinegar, gravy, and different kinds of seasoning salts. The fries coming out of the Potato Patch were once voted as best in the country, and around half a million orders are sold each summer. Though lines are consistent, many customers say the wait is worth it, and  nostalgia seeps into each bite. "Potato patch fries are nostalgic and I get some every time I go. Don't confuse that with being good," wrote a customer on Reddit. The sentiment reverberates across social media channels, with many fans admitting that the fries may not be excellent, but there's just something about the order and the place that makes them a must. 

Some have noted that while cheese sauce can take the fries to another level, others have suggested that ordering the sauce on the side is a game changer so that the fries don't turn soggy. Other visitors of the Potato Patch have commented that the fries don't taste like they used to and aren't exactly sure what changed in the recipe. "They are good when you are like 5-10 years old," quipped a user on Instagram. "They're mid tier at BEST," added another.

A few customers have griped over the price of the fries sold at the Potato Patch, but still, others suggest that expectation management and strategic ordering are key moves to enjoy the experience. "This is an amusement park. It's not some fancy gourmet restaurant. The bacon cheddar fries are the best. Bacon is the key," encouraged a visitor on TripAdvisor. If you're in the area, there's only one way to find out which reviews are accurate. Either way, you'll have a memory of your own to hold onto.